Production of ceramic tiles at home. Tiling production equipment

Since ancient times, all building materials were made only by hand. Over time, in the process of improving this industry, industrial production appeared. Despite the rapid development of science and technology, manual labor is still actively used in the process of building houses and creating materials. In particular, do-it-yourself tiles are not uncommon for domestic construction.

Material selection

The basis for the manufacture of tiles is clay. The strength and appearance of the future product depends on the quality of the material used. Practice shows that the optimal material for tiles is clay, applicable for the formation of dishes. It is moderately oily and does not contain too much sand.

Using components with a high proportion of sand will cause the shingles to crack. Visually, the clay should be clean, but to the touch it should be viscous and soft. There are several methods for checking compliance:

• when rubbing the material in the hands, grains of sand should not be felt;
• a lump of clay thrown on the ground should form a cake. If the material cracks or shatters into pieces, the clay is of poor quality;
• when sculpting, the clay should be easy to mold.

Before making a large batch of shingles, it is recommended to make one trial product and check if it meets the following criteria:

• product color - uniform, red;
• absence of cracks and irregularities on the surface;
• high-quality tiles should not let water through much, this can be checked by lowering it into a container of water and see how much it will gain weight;
• when hitting the product, there should be a sonorous, metallic-like sound;
• the product must be able to support the weight of an adult;
• during firing, the element may decrease in volume by no more than 5%;
• the section of the tile at the break should be uniform in color and free of bubbles.

Preparing Clay for Tiling

The preparatory stage involves soaking the clay in water for about 2-3 days. After this procedure, the clay must be thoroughly mixed, for which a clay mixer (pug grinder) is used. This device is commercially available, but it can also be built independently from boards and metal knives.

The device of such a system is similar to a meat grinder and the principle of operation is similar. In such an apparatus, clay should be mixed at least two times.

Formation of flat tiles

The procedure for making tiles can occur in several ways, depending on the expected result.

• For example, flat tiles require a molding frame made of metal or wood measuring 33x21 cm with a thickness of just over 2.5 cm. The bottom of the frame is formed in the form of a movable plank that fits freely inside the frame itself. The bottom thickness should be within 1.25 cm.
• The finished frame is on a flat surface (on the table), and the bottom board is placed in it. The form is sprinkled with dry pitch or ash.
• Then a cube is formed from a sufficiently large lump of clay.
• Further, this cube is cut into layers 2 cm thick. It is convenient to make cutting using a stretched steel wire.

One of the layers is placed in the forming frame in such a way as to fill the entire space of the frame. In the place where the tile should have a spike, you should press the layer.

Then the frame is removed, and the product is covered with a board. After this procedure, the product is turned over and the bottom plate is removed. Forming is completed and the product can be taken to the drying shelf.

Drying clay tiles

After giving the products the desired shape, you should responsibly approach the next step - evenly dry the tiles. The product must dry completely, which will not allow cracks to form. The rate of drying depends on the amount of moisture contained in the clay.

Ideally, drying of products should be carried out indoors, but if this is not possible, then a canopy should be provided. Within 10 days the tile is on the shelves and dried.

Firing products

The process of firing products is the most important stage in the entire production. For this purpose, a special furnace is used, the likeness of which can be built independently.

• The design of the furnace implies the presence of four departments: a firebox, a firing chamber, a blower and pipes. A separating wall with holes is installed between the firing chamber and the furnace. It closes at a time when the chamber is fully loaded with tiles. Also, the furnace is equipped with a valve for draft control and is covered with a vault.

Tiling is carried out on a large or smaller edge, depending on the shape of the product. General rule- each tile must stand vertically. In order for it not to fall, it is possible to support the products with broken fragments of already burned material.

The procedure is carried out for so long until the tiles become slightly glazed on the surface. This is a sign that the product is ready. The longer the material is inside the furnace, the better it affects its strength and durability. However, it is not necessary to bring to severe burning.

Sorting and its features

The finished tile is considered after being removed from the oven and completely cooled. When the products are ready, they should be inspected and sorted.

For roofing, tiles with a uniform color are suitable, which sound loudly when struck and do not have irregularities. Items that do not pass this selection may be suitable for canopy or other purposes.

Products should be stored indoors or under a canopy. Be sure to provide a pallet and not lay the elements on bare ground.

The roof, covered with tiles of our own production, has a beautiful appearance and is very durable. Installation does not require special skills and is implemented quite simply. The steep slope of the roof contributes to the rapid descent of precipitation, which favorably affects the roof. Good luck!

I stage. Clay selection

The quality of the clay directly affects how durable and aesthetic ceramic tiles will be. It is best to take the clay that is usually used to make pots: not greasy, but not too sandy. Because natural tiles made of too oily clay will warp and crack when dried, and those made of skinny clay will intensively absorb moisture and do not tolerate frost well.

Clay should be viscous, soft and clean. Here's how you can determine its quality:

1. Method 1. Crush the lump of clay and throw it with force on the floor. It should flatten out like dough, into a cake - without cracks and without crumbling pieces.

2. Method 2. Rub the clay between your fingers - sand should not be felt.

3. Method 3. Knead the clay and try to mold it into shapes. It must be plastic.

And for even greater reliability, one ceramic tile is made from the selected clay - for testing. If the clay was suitable, then:

the color will be even, red;

The surface will have an even vitreous coating, without any distortions or cracks;

· high-quality ceramic tiles lowered into the water should not increase much in weight;

· at impact on a tile the clear metal ringing will be heard;

· the ready ceramic tile put on two bars should easily sustain the adult person standing on it;

· the total volume of one tile during firing did not decrease by more than 5%;

· at a break, a good ceramic tile will be of the same color without bubbles.

II stage. Clay preparation

Once a good clay is selected, it can begin to be prepared for processing. Usually clay is harvested for tiles at any time of the year, but it still has to overwinter. The production of ceramic tiles at home begins with the selection of quality clay. The strength of the future coating depends on the raw material. Clay should be non-greasy, not overly sandy, soft, viscous and clean.

Important: if greasy clay is used, then after drying the coating will immediately crack and lose its shape!

After choosing the clay, it is time to prepare it for production. In whatever period the clay is mined, it must definitely overwinter. Clay ridges are piled on the surface of the earth: in autumn water accumulates in them, in winter it freezes, and in spring it thaws. So clay will acquire the qualities of strength necessary for the production of tiles.

Important: you can freeze for several winters.

Qualitatively frozen clay is soaked, and after a few days they begin to knead. At this stage, you can use a special pug mill, but you can knead with your feet. Forms are filled with prepared raw materials. After the tile has acquired the desired shape, the frame is removed and the tile is dried. Making tiles with your own hands is a complex process that requires experience and knowledge.

So, the clay taken out of the ground must be folded on the surface of the soil in the form of ridges 2 m wide and 70 cm high. Such ridges are usually called stacks. This is how the clay will have to lie until warm - in the fall it will get wet from the rains, freeze in the winter, and thaw in the spring. After all this, it will be much easier to process it. And in order for the clay to freeze better, it is advisable to periodically mix the stacks and even fill them with water. After all, the longer it freezes, the better. Even if the clay lies like this for several years, it will only benefit it.

III stage. Clay preparation for processing

Before processing, the frozen clay must be soaked, and after two or three days it will be possible to start kneading. To do this, there is a pug grinder, which you can make yourself from a wooden barrel or thick boards in the form of a box. It is necessary to insert a wooden or iron axle inside the pug mill, and iron knives are screwed onto it in a helical way. The mechanism is similar to twisting meat in a meat grinder. And for better mixing, you can put additional knives on the sides of the pug mill. It is better to mix the clay itself at least twice.

IV stage. Shaping the shingles

The easiest way to make a flat ceramic tile for roofing. To do this, you need a wooden or iron molding frame with a handle with dimensions of 33x21 cm, and a little more than 2.5 cm thick. and also at the top to have a cutout for the spike.

So, a frame is placed on the desktop, and a plate with a cutout is placed in it. All this is sprinkled with ash or dry sand. A large lump of already crumpled clay is placed on the table nearby and it is shaped into a cube. Next, several layers with a thickness of 2 cm are cut with a stretched thin steel wire.

Now one layer of clay is taken, placed in a frame and strongly compressed where the tile should have a spike. Then a lump of clay is added and a rolling pin soaked in water (so that it does not stick) is cleaned off the excess clay from the frame itself. After all this, the frame must be carefully removed, and the ceramic tile itself is covered with a drying board. Next, you need to turn it over and remove the board. And that's all - the tiles can be taken to the drying shelves. The main thing is that when forming the tile, the layer should be cut so that the frame is completely filled, because after firing the added clay will lag behind.

Forming Roman or Dutch tiles is a little more difficult, but this technology can be mastered without any experience. There is even a statistic that only one worker is able to make such 500 blanks per day.

But the installation of natural tiles has its own characteristics. So, for the ridges of the roof, a special ceramic tile, called ridge, is being prepared.

V stage. Drying clay tiles

The formed ceramic tiles should dry well - slowly and evenly over the entire surface, otherwise cracks cannot be avoided. And the drying time depends on how cool the clay was mixed - the damper it was, the faster the water will come out.

Drying tiles can only be indoors, or at least under a canopy. To do this, you need to make temporary shelves or bricks as coasters in advance. And it will take 10 days to dry.

VI stage. Treatment

Burnt natural tiles do not always turn out to be perfectly even in color, and therefore they are often pre-treated with additional processing. Basically it is glazing. The tile is covered with a special vitreous layer, which makes it more beautiful. But this is quite an expensive pleasure, and therefore more often irrigation is applied to the tiles, which is made from pure red oily clay. It is first dried and ground, and then diluted with water like thick milk. Before the firing itself, the clay is dipped into such a solution and again placed on the drying rack. After firing, the tile turns out to be even red in color, with improved qualities and an extended service life.

VII stage. Burning

Firing is the most crucial moment in the production of tiles. Tiles need to be fired in special ovens, which are called batch ovens. These can be seen in old Dutch villages, and it is quite possible to design something similar according to a similar scheme on your site, however, of a smaller size.

So, a tile kiln consists of four sections - a furnace, an ash pan, a firing chamber and a pipe. A wall with holes is installed behind the firebox, which separates it from the firing chamber. Once the chamber is fully loaded with shingles, a temporary perforated wall will be laid out at the back of the chamber. Also, in such a furnace, a special valve is installed to reduce or increase traction, and the furnace itself is covered with a vault.

By the way, behind such a furnace there is always a larger opening for unloading and loading tiles. And at the time of firing, it is laid with bricks or covered with sand - to reduce heat loss. But they always leave a small door - to monitor the firing process and take samples.

The tile itself can be laid for firing in different ways: vertically if it is a Dutch or Tatar tile, and sideways on an edge if it is flat. But any tile should stand upright, at a small distance from each other and without any slope. So that it does not bend over, you can jam it with pieces of broken and already burned.

It is necessary to fire the tile to such an extent until it becomes slightly vitrified on its surface. In general, vitrification is a sign of burnt tiles, but it is better to overexpose it in the fire than underbake it. Usually, the longer the tile lasts in the stove, the stronger it is. And the installation of ceramic tiles with burnout is a guarantee of special strength and durability of the roof. But without fanaticism - it is quite possible to completely burn the clay.

VIII stage. Sorting

After the tile has cooled, it is unloaded from the oven and sorted. So, for the roof, all of it should be straight, sonorous, without cracks and evenly colored. And the rest of the tiles can be safely used to cover the canopies. Shingles should be stored under a canopy, with good protection from snow and rain. And the bottom rows should not lie on the ground, but on the boards.

All tiled roofs are durable, easy to maintain and very beautiful. And the installation of ceramic tiles will not be difficult even for a novice builder - everything is extremely simple. The steeper the slope, the better for the tile itself - the snow will linger on it less. But in hot areas, tiles can also be used to cover sloping roofs.

It's amazing how life changes. Much of what we now habitually buy in stores ready-made, 100 years ago people did it with their own hands: they ground flour, baked bread, spun, wove, etc. They also built houses on their own, harvesting, including building materials: sawing wood, making boards and bricks, burning lime.
But even in periods closer to our time, people were forced to return to economic "self-service", recalling old-fashioned methods and technologies. They were forced to do this either by the post-war devastation and the accompanying commodity hunger, or by being abandoned to the mercy of fate by the authorities. From those times, not only objects made by the hands of our grandfathers or houses built by them remained, but also a mass of literature devoted to the handicraft production of a wide variety of goods.

It is very interesting to hold such books and pamphlets, usually published in the 1920s or 1940s, in your hands. And this interest is not only historical. The fact is that the traditional technologies to which these manuals are devoted are of interest today due to the fact that they were based on the use of predominantly local natural materials - environmentally friendly and cost-effective. And this is a reason to become interested in them for people tired of dirt. modern production and constantly rising prices in the construction markets.
The booklet of the engineer A. Skachkov "Fireproof Roof of Clay Tiles", published in 1925 in the series "Insurance Library of a Peasant", also belongs to books of this kind. It tells in detail how to make clay tiles with your own hands. We provide an abbreviated description of this technology.

Clay selection and preparation

The quality of clay for tiles has always had great importance. The best clay is the one from which the pots are made, not greasy or sandy, but medium. It should be clean, soft and viscous. A tile made of very oily clay warps and cracks when dried, while lean clay turns out to be very weak, strongly absorbing water and frost-resistant.
But even very oily or very lean clay can be adapted for tiles. To reduce the fat content, fine clean sand or finely crushed bricks, pots, and tiles should be added to the clay. If the clay is too thin, then sand can be washed out of it.

There are many simple ways find out the suitability of clay for tiles, here are some of them:

· A crumpled lump of clay, thrown with force on the floor, should flatten like dough, without cracks, into a cake, and not crumble into separate pieces.

When rubbing the clay between the fingers, no sand should be felt.

· Well kneaded clay should be easy to take and keep all the forms that it is given (should be plastic).

But the most reliable way to find out the suitability of clay is to make several trial tiles from it. With good clay, the finished tile has an even red color, there are no cracks or distortions on it, when it is struck, it emits a clear metallic ring, and when lowered into water, it does not greatly increase its weight. In addition, being placed on two bars, it should freely withstand a person standing on it, have a light vitreous coating on the surface, and be of the same color and without bubbles at the break. It would be good if, during drying and firing, the size of the tiles would decrease by no more than 5%.
After selecting and harvesting clay, it must be prepared for further processing. For tiles, clay is harvested at any time of the year, but it must definitely overwinter. Clay taken out of the soil is piled on the surface of the earth in the form of long ridges 1.5-2 m wide and 0.7 m high, at any length. These ridges are called stacks. In them, from the autumn rains, the clay thoroughly gets wet, during severe frosts it freezes, and in the spring it thaws again. As a result of these processes, clay acquires qualities that facilitate its processing.
To make the clay freeze better, the stacks are mixed from time to time and filled with water. The longer the clay is refrozen, the better it becomes. You can freeze it for several winters. Frozen clay is soaked before processing and after 2-3 days they begin to knead. It is best to do this in a pug mill, although you can knead the clay with your feet.
A pug grinder can be made from a large wooden barrel or from thick boards in the form of a box. Inside this box, an iron or wooden (oak) axle is inserted, on which iron knives are screwed. When the axis rotates, the clay thrown from above is cut by knives and directed downwards, towards the hole, just as it happens with meat in a meat grinder.

In order for the clay to mix better, sometimes additional fixed knives are placed on the sides of the pug mill itself. A carrier is attached to the top of the axle, into which oxen or horses are harnessed and driven in a circle. It is better to mix the clay twice. The wooden pug mill is about 1.5 m high, 1.06 m wide at the top, and 0.89 m at the bottom. The iron axle is 2.8 m high, and the length of the knives is 0.35-0.45 m with a blade width of 10 cm and a thickness of 3 cm. The carrier is made 8.5 m long. With one horse, two or three workers can knead about 15 m3 of clay in 8 hours.

Clay or ceramic tiles are one of the best roofing materials that have been used in construction for a very, very long time.

Its advantageous advantage is a special installation system that avoids visible joints, as well as groove fasteners, which create a very good waterproofing of the roof.

In addition, clay tile roofing has the ability to resist wind due to its weight.

Snow is evenly distributed over the roof of this material, which minimizes the possibility of large snow masses coming off. It also has good sound insulation and is an environmentally friendly material.

Along with all the advantages, the clay version has one drawback - its high cost. However, it is quite possible to make tiles with your own hands. Below are tips for making. It's also easy, it's like making a bench with a backrest with your own hands.

How to choose the right clay

It should not be greasy (otherwise it will crack during drying) or contain a lot of sand (does not tolerate severe frosts and absorbs water well). The breed that uses pots for making is ideal for this.

There are several ways to determine the suitability of the source material:

Take a lump and throw it on the floor using force. Good clay will flatten into a cake. If the lump crumbled into pieces, such source material will not work.
Rub a piece of soil in your hands. There should not be a feeling of sand on the fingers.
It should resemble plasticine to the touch and retain the shape attached to it.

You can make a number of test copies. If the clay is good, the resulting products will have the same red color. It will also turn out without cracks and curvature. Also, if you put it on two supports, it will support the weight of an adult.
How to process clay

It can be cooked at any time of the year, however, it must be left for at least one winter.

Take it out of the ground and fold it in rows. The width of the rows should be 1.5-2 meters, the height - 0.7 meters. The length can be any. Thus, in autumn the clay gets wet, in winter it freezes, and in spring it thaws. It is best to freeze the clay as long as possible. Therefore, periodically the rows are mixed and filled with water.

Before you start processing clay, it must be soaked. You need to crush it in a pug mill, a few days after soaking. Such a device is made from a wooden barrel or built in the form of a box of thick boards. An axis is inserted into the box, on which helical-shaped metal knives are mounted. A carrier is constructed from above for a horse or a person.

How to shape tiles

It is easy to make flat tiles yourself. For this, a so-called molding frame with a movable bottom is used. The frame can be wood or iron. The approximate dimensions of the frame, excluding walls, are 33x21 cm.

Making a simple tile is very easy.

The frame must be placed on a flat surface, which should be even, we insert a plate with a cutout into it. Pour sand or ash on top (must be dry). We take a piece of clay, give it a cubic shape. Then the layers must be cut, while their thickness should not be more than 2 cm. Then we remove the upper bars and cut off the layer, leading the wire along the bars. And so with each subsequent row.

Next, we put the cut clay in a frame, press hard where the spike will be. Excess material is removed with a rolling pin. It must first be wetted so that it does not stick to your hands. Next, carefully remove the frame and take the resulting blanks to special shelves for drying.

Features of drying tiles

If you dry it incorrectly, it will crack. Therefore, this process should be slow.

Drying of blanks is negatively affected by such natural phenomena as wind and sun. It is best to dry the blanks indoors. If it rains, the tiles should be covered. In summer, drying lasts about 10 days.
Firing products

There are many factors that affect firing, including the fuel used for the kiln, the type of kiln, and the experience and skill of the person doing it.

To burn tiles, a special oven is used. It consists of:

Fireboxes. Its length is 1 meter. A special wall with holes separates the furnace from the chamber.
ash pan
firing chamber
Pipes.

Its height is approximately 4.5 meters. At the base, the pipe is 70-80 centimeters, at the top it narrows to 40-50 centimeters. The pipe has a valve to adjust the draft.

There is a hole in the rear wall of the oven where products are loaded and unloaded. During firing, it can be laid with something. This is necessary to keep more heat inside the furnace.

In the chamber, the tiles are laid either vertically or sideways on a long edge. Be sure to put it at some distance from each other.

The blanks are fired until its surface becomes as if slightly glassy. This effect appears if you burn the products.

How to properly trim workpieces

Tiles do not always get the desired even color. One way to fix this is glazing. Products are covered with a special glaze, which not only gives it the desired color, but also makes it more durable. But then the price also increases significantly.

Also for finishing use special watering.

It is usually made from greasy red clay. Before living, dry clay is dipped into this solution and left on the drying shelves. Watering not only makes the tiles stronger, but prolongs their service life.

After firing, the product is removed from the furnace and sorted. Even color, without cracks and chips are used for the roof. Finished products are stored under a canopy. At the same time, the bottom row should not be placed on the ground, it is better to lay boards.

So, following these instructions, you can make your own roof tiles.

Tile molding

The easiest way to mold a flat tile. For its manufacture, it is necessary to have a wooden or iron molding frame with a handle. The internal dimensions of the frame are 33x21 cm with a thickness slightly larger than 2.5 cm.

A plank (movable bottom) is attached to the frame, which must exactly pass through the frame and be 1.25 cm thick, and have a cutout for the spike at the top.
Making a flat tile is simple. A frame is placed on the desktop, and a plate with a cutout is placed in it, and all this is lightly sprinkled with dry sand or ash. Nearby on the table it is necessary to put a large lump of crumpled clay and give it the shape of a cube. Then, several layers 2 cm thick are cut with a bow with a string of thin steel wire. This is easy to do in a "formwork" of wooden bars 2 cm thick. After forming the cube, the upper bars on each side must be removed and cut the layer, leading the bow along the bars. After that, you need to remove the next row of bars and repeat everything.

After that, they take one layer of clay and put it in a frame, press hard in the place where the spike should be, and then add a lump of clay here. After that, they take a rolling pin, wash it in a tub of water so that clay does not stick to it, and clean off the excess clay from the frame, after which the frame is carefully removed. A drying frame is placed on top of the tiles, they are turned over and, having removed the plank, the tiles are taken to the drying shelves.
When molding tiles, it is necessary to cut layers of such a size that they fill the entire frame, since the addition of clay is harmful and, after firing, lags behind the tiles. The molding of Tatar (Roman) or Dutch (grooved) tiles is also described in the book by A. Skachkov. This process is somewhat more complicated, but, as experience shows, any person masters this technology in a day or two. In a day, one worker can mold from 500 blanks.
For roof ridges, a special tile is prepared, which is called ridge.

Drying tiles

Proper drying of shingles is of great importance. Rapid and uneven drying can warp and crack tiles, so drying should be slow and even across the entire surface of the tiles.

The damper the clay was during molding, the easier water comes out of it during drying, and vice versa - the steeper the clay was mixed, the slower the tile dries. This may cause more cracks.
Drying tiles is very harmful effect of the sun and wind. Therefore, it is better to dry the tiles indoors or under a canopy. In a small production, tiles are placed on temporary shelves made of boards and bricks instead of stands. Such shelves are easy to disassemble and fold, and they do not require any racks or nails in the construction. In case of rain or strong sun, the tiles are covered with matting or straw mats. Drying time in summer averages 10 days,

Roof tiles firing

Firing is the most crucial moment in the production of tiles. Proper firing depends on fuel, kiln design, skill of the worker (kilner) and many other factors.
Tiles are fired in special kilns, the simplest of which are batch kilns.

The furnace is divided into four main compartments: the firebox, the ash pan, the firing chamber and the chimney. The internal dimensions of such a furnace are impressive: 2 m wide and 4 m long. The firebox is 1 m long. A wall with holes is installed behind it, separating the firebox from the firing chamber. After the firing chamber is loaded with tiles, a temporary wall with holes is laid out in the back of the chamber. In some furnaces, they do not do it. The height of the pipe for such a furnace is not very large - about 4.5 m. The dimensions of the pipe at the bottom are 70x80 cm, and at the very top - 40x53 cm. A valve is installed in the pipe to increase or decrease thrust. Cover the oven with a vault.

At the back of the oven there is a large opening for loading and unloading tiles. During firing, this hole is laid with bricks on clay mortar and covered with sand to reduce heat loss. Sometimes a small door is left here to monitor the progress of firing and take samples.

Different tiles are laid in the oven in different ways: Dutch and Tatar tiles are placed vertically, and flat tiles are placed sideways on a long edge. Tiles should stand vertically, without tilt, at a small distance from each other. So that it does not bend during firing in one direction or another, it is slightly wedged with broken fired tiles.
It is best to lay the tiles in the furnace in separate tiers, starting from the wall closest to the furnace and bringing them across the entire width of the furnace to the very top. At the end of the loading of one tier, another is placed, and so on, until the entire furnace is loaded.

After that, the firing starts. It should be carried out to such an extent that the tiles come out slightly vitrified over the entire surface. Vitrification begins to appear when the tiles are slightly burned and the clay on the surface is sintered. In any case, it is better to burn the tiles a little than not to burn them. Tiling finish. Not always the tile turns out an even color. To remove the variegation, give the tile a more attractive appearance and improve its quality, the tile is subjected to various treatments. One of them is glazing. Glaze is a special glassy layer that covers the surface of the tile during firing. The icing comes in a variety of colors, but the cheapest and most common colors are brown and tan. Glaze gives the tile a beautiful look and makes it stronger than unglazed tiles. However, glazing doubles the cost of shingles, which limits the use of this finish.
A more acceptable finish is engobing, that is, applying glaze to the tiles. Watering is made from a special red, completely pure fatty clay, which is first dried and ground, then diluted with water like thick milk and filtered through a fine sieve. Before firing, the dried tiles are dipped into this clay solution and re-placed on the drying shelves. When the tile dries again, it is loaded into the kiln and fired. After firing, the surface of the tile comes out all of an even red color. Watering improves the quality of tiles and increases their service life.

When the tiles are fired and cooled down, they begin to unload them from the kiln and sort them. Tiles for the roof of houses should be straight, evenly colored, sonorous, without cracks and broken corners. The rest of the shingles can be used to cover sheds and temporary roofs. Finished tiles are best stored under a canopy, protected from rain and snow. The bottom rows must be placed not on the ground, but on the boards. Covering the roof with tiles. Tiled roofs are fire resistant, durable, do not require painting or repair, and are very beautiful.
The steeper the slope of the roof, the better it is, since the snow will not linger on it, and the rain will quickly drain. But this rule is true only for certain climatic conditions (sloping low roofs, for example, are acceptable in southern hot areas) and the tiles used.

With flat tiles, the roof must have a rise of at least half the width of the building. The purlins under it are nailed according to the size of the tile, so that it is hooked with a spike at the top, lies on the lower bar and descends no more than 6 cm below it. Flat tiles are covered either in one layer or in two.

The first method is simple, but the roof turns out to be loose and, so that rain does not fall into the gaps between the tiles, strips of tin are placed under these gaps. The width of the strips should be from 9 to 11 cm, and the length should be 4 cm shorter than the tiles. Skates are covered with ridge tiles on moss mixed with clay or lime mortar.
A more durable and dense roof is obtained in two layers. But such a roof is heavier - about 200 tiles go per 1 m2, which weigh about 100 kg (with a single-layer laying - half as much).

For the production of ceramic tiles, only 100%
natural material - clay. Raw material suitable for the production of ceramic
tiles, must have a certain composition and properties that provide
the quality of the final product.

The tile is made of low-melting plastic clays, as additives can be used different kinds sand. Tiles are varied colors. For example, in the absence of chemical additives, products have a natural terracotta color. Copper-red and dark gray tones are created by applying coatings of special compositions to the surface of dried tiles before firing.

The main material for the production of ceramic tiles is clay raw materials used in pure form, and more often in a mixture with additives - lean, rock-forming, floodplains, plasticizers, etc.

Clay raw materials (clays and kaolins) are the weathering product of igneous feldspar rocks. Clay mineral particles with a diameter of 0.005 mm or less provide the ability, when mixed with water, to form a plastic dough that retains its shape when dried, and after firing it acquires water resistance and stone strength.

In addition to clay particles, the composition of raw materials contains a certain content of dust-like particles with grain sizes of 0.005 - 0.16 mm and sand particles with grain sizes of 0.16 - 2 mm.

Clay particles have a lamellar shape, between which, when wetting, thin layers of water are formed, causing swelling of the particles and their ability to slide relative to each other without loss of cohesion. Therefore, clay mixed with water gives an easily shaped plastic mass. When dried, clay dough loses water and shrinks in volume. This process is called air shrinkage. The more clay particles in the clay raw material, the higher the plasticity and air shrinkage of clays. Depending on this, clays are divided into highly plastic, medium plastic, moderate plastic, low plastic and non-plastic. Highly plastic clays contain up to 80 - 90% of clay particles, plasticity number is more than 25, water demand is more than 28%, air shrinkage is 10 - 15%.

Medium and moderately plastic clays contain 30–60% clay particles, plasticity number 15–25, water demand 20–28% and air shrinkage 7–10%. Low-plasticity clays contain from 5 to 30% of clay particles, water demand is less than 20%, plasticity number is 7-15 and air shrinkage is 5-7%. Non-plastic clays do not form a plastic, workable dough.

The granulometric composition of clays is closely related to the mineralogical composition. Sandy and pulverulent fractions are presented mainly in the form of residues of primary minerals (quartz, feldspar, mica, etc.). Clay particles mostly consist of secondary minerals: kaolinite Al 2 O 3 2SiO 2 2H 2 O, montmorillonite Al 2 O 3 4SiO 2 4H 2 O, hydromica and their mixtures in various combinations.

Clays with a predominant content of kaolinite are light in color, swell slightly when interacting with water, are characterized by infusibility, low plasticity and little sensitivity to drying.

Clays containing montmorillonite are very plastic, swell strongly, are sensitive to drying and firing with the manifestation of product distortion and cracking. Finely dispersed clay rocks with a predominant content of montmorillonite are called bentonites. The content of particles smaller than 0.001 mm in them reaches 85 - 90%. Samples with a predominance of hydromicaceous minerals in the clay part are characterized by intermediate indicators of plasticity, shrinkage, and sensitivity to drying.

Chemical composition clay is expressed by the content and ratio of various oxides. In ceramic raw materials, the content of the most important oxides varies widely: SiO 2 - 40-80%, Al 2 O 3 - 8-50%, Fe 2 O 3 - 0-15%, CaO - 0.5-25%, MgO - 0- 4%. With an increase in the content of Al 2 O 3, the plasticity and fire resistance of clays increase, and with an increase in the content of SiO 2, the plasticity of clays decreases, porosity increases, and the strength of fired products decreases. The presence of iron oxides reduces the fire resistance of clays, finely dispersed limestone gives a light color and lowers the fire resistance of clays, and its stone-like inclusions are the causes of the appearance of "dutiks" and cracks in ceramic products. Alkali metal oxides (Na 2 O, K 2 O) are strong fluxes, increase shrinkage, compaction of the shard and increase its strength. The presence of soluble salts of sulfates and chlorides of sodium, calcium, magnesium and iron in the clay raw materials causes the appearance of white efflorescence on the surface of the products.

At present, natural clays in their pure form are rarely a standard raw material for the production of ceramic products. In this regard, they are used with the introduction of additives for various purposes.

Thinning additives are added to plastic clays to reduce precipitation during drying and firing and prevent deformations and cracks in products. These include dehydrated clay, fireclay, slag, ash, quartz sand.

Pore-forming additives - are introduced to increase the porosity of the shard and improve the thermal insulation properties of ceramic products. These include sawdust, coal powder, peat dust. These supplements are at the same time emaciated.

Fluxes - are introduced in order to reduce the firing temperature of ceramic products. These include feldspars, iron ore, dolomite, magnesite, talc, sandstone, pegmatite, cullet, perlite.

Plasticizing additives are introduced in order to increase the plasticity of raw mixtures with less water consumption. These include highly plastic clays, bentonites, and surfactants.

Special additives - to increase the acid resistance of ceramic products, sand mixtures are added to the raw mixtures, closed with liquid glass; to obtain some types of colored ceramics, metal oxides (iron, cobalt, chromium, titanium, etc.) are added to the raw mixture.

Thus, for the production of ceramic tiles, we will use highly plastic "fat" clays (with a clay content of more than 60%) with the addition of quartz sand as a thinning additive to prevent cracks in the products.

Summarize the theoretical and technological achievements of advanced international experience; analyze the state, problems and prospects for the development of the production of ceramic tiles in the Republic of Kazakhstan and abroad

Currently, foreign industry produces ceramic tiles in a wide range at modern high-performance factories equipped with automated equipment. The commissioning of new factories with efficient equipment made it possible to reduce the cost of ceramic tiles and bring them closer to the cost of cement-sand tiles.

The range of ceramic tiles manufactured abroad includes flat-wave, double, double scaly, tape slotted, Marseilles slotted, Marseilles glazed, grooved and other tiles.

In the 1990s, the production of large-sized ceramic tiles began to develop abroad, the use of which makes it possible to significantly reduce the laboriousness of its laying.

A wide range of ceramic tiles is produced by firms in Germany, France, Italy. Many factories are equipped with the most advanced technology: vacuum presses, computer-controlled tunnel ovens, drying plants, automated equipment for the delivery and stacking of products.

In addition to the tiles of the listed types, foreign industry produces a variety of special ceramic elements intended for the installation of tiled roofs. The use of such elements increases the durability of tiled roofs and reduces operating costs. A ridge element is produced, consisting of a metal flat part with two rows of holes, which provides roof ventilation, and a ceramic upper part that protects the lower part from rain and melt water. The ceramic element with a vent hole is designed for roof ventilation, ceramic cornice elements - to protect the walls from atmospheric influences, as well as to drain rain and melt water.

In Russia and the CIS countries, ceramic tiles are produced by a number of enterprises, but the volume of its production is relatively small.

The domestic industry produces the following types of ceramic tiles: stamped grooved, grooved tape, flat tape, S-shaped, ridge and some others.

In Russia, grooved stamped tiles are produced by the Prokhladnensky brick and tile factory, in Ukraine - by the Kolomyia plant management building materials. Tape and S-shaped tiles are produced in Ukraine by the Khust plant of building materials, in Belarus - by the Obol plant of ceramic products.

In the CIS in the 1990s, a number of organizations carried out developments aimed at developing the production of ceramic tiles. In particular, the Mogilev branch of VNIIstrommash (Belarus) has developed a technological line for the production of strip tiles with a capacity of 3-5 million pieces. in year.

NIISM (Minsk, Belarus) has developed a flow-conveyor line for the production of ceramic tiles by dry pressing. The main characteristics of tiles manufactured using this technology: dimensions - 365x155 mm; frost resistance - 100 cycles; weight of 1 m 2 of roof - 42 - 45 kg.

The Rosprojectagropromstroymaterialy Institute (Saratov, Russia) has developed design documentation for a ceramic tile production line with a capacity of 2–2.5 million pieces. in year.

JSC VNIISTROM them. P.P. Budnikov developed a technology for the production of ceramic tiles by semi-dry pressing. In accordance with the proposed method, a variety of raw materials can be used for the manufacture of tiles: low-plastic clays, loams, argillite rocks, clay shale, coal enrichment waste, loess-like loams.

The use of special surface treatment of tiles makes it possible to reduce its water absorption. The proposed design of strip tiles allows you to increase the covering power of products, reduce the consumption of raw materials, and reduce the weight of the roof. The tile is characterized by improved decorative qualities, as well as increased biostability.

Ceramic tiles have been used as a roofing material for several centuries. However, at present, the production of these products remains relevant. Despite the large assortment of roofing materials, ceramic tiles occupy a certain niche in the market and remain in demand. A promising direction is the modernization of traditional production technology, the use of automated installations, the development of products that are convenient for laying when installing roofs.

It is best to select a production room with the expectation of possible direct sales, since tiles are most often used in private construction of houses, therefore, especially at the beginning of a business, it is too early to talk about wholesale sales.

The tile is made in wide assortment at the modern factories equipped with the automated equipment. Ceramic tiles are used as roofing material mainly in individual housing construction. Compared to other types of roofing materials, it has a number of significant advantages: tiles are fire resistant, durable and maintenance costs are low.

The main expense item in the process of organizing a tile manufacturing business is the purchase of equipment. It will take at least 150 thousand rubles to purchase it. This fact scares away many potential organizers of this promising type of business. Not everyone is capable from the very beginning production process incur such significant costs, especially considering the fact that the cost of equipment is only about 40 thousand rubles. However, there is a worthy way out of this situation. To reduce the costs associated with the purchase of equipment, it is necessary for the production of tiles to just make the production process less mechanized. And this path is not at all as complicated as it might seem at first glance.

The technology for the production of tiles with the help of manual labor is quite simple. The mixed cement mass must be placed in a machine for the manual production of tiles, which can either be purchased or made independently with your own hands. Moreover, to independently create a machine, you only need a board measuring seven hundred by twenty to make a box along the length of the tile, in which a punch will subsequently be placed under the press.

So, the main cost item in the process of organizing a tile manufacturing business is the purchase of equipment. It will take at least 150 thousand rubles to purchase it. This fact scares away many potential organizers of this promising type of business. Not everyone is able to bear such significant costs from the very beginning of the production process, especially considering the fact that the cost of equipment is only about 40 thousand rubles. However, there is a worthy way out of this situation. To reduce the costs associated with the purchase of equipment, it is necessary for the production of tiles to just make the production process less mechanized. And this path is not at all as complicated as it might seem at first glance.

In fact, the whole point is that it is beneficial for companies supplying equipment to disseminate information that the production of tiles is impossible through manual labor, which means that it requires large investments, most of which end up in the pockets of equipment suppliers. In practice, the situation is quite different: manual production of tiles is not only possible, but also must be present in order to reduce the cost of finished products.

The cost of tiles is on average from 70 to 100 rubles, and one square meter of finished products is about 280 rubles.

Business plan for the production of cement tiles.

Ceramic tiles are one of the strongest and most durable roofing materials. But, even it has one significant drawback - a very high price. Therefore, an interesting alternative has appeared on the market - cement-based tiles. Its cost has been reduced by almost half, but in terms of its quality characteristics, the material is practically not inferior.

Cement-sand tiles are durable, high strength, wear resistance, fire safety resistance to external factors.

The obvious advantages of cement-based tiles make the buyer pay attention to this particular material. Therefore, it makes sense to base your business on the production of cement tiles. Moreover, this material has been actively used in European countries for a long time. Since it pleases with its efficiency with the possibility of operation in a temperate climate.
And the base itself refers to an environmentally friendly material, which also becomes its undeniable advantage. But in order to create a successful business, it is important to start by doing some information gathering to determine the level of customer demand and competition.

The choice of production premises.

To create a successful business, you need to start with paperwork and finding a suitable premises. For work, a room with a size of 100-120 square meters is suitable. m. This area is quite enough to organize the space and allocate zones for workshops, warehouses, as well as a room for workers. It is important that all communications are in the room.

It is worth paying special attention to the well-established water supply system. It is important that ventilation works and lighting is well thought out. Ceiling height must be at least 4 meters. It should be noted that the premises should be located away from the city limits, namely the residential area.

H and the rent of the premises is allocated at least $1.2 thousand.

Equipment.

1. Installing the CPC-K - from $ 1.5 thousand;
2. Installation of TsCH-P - from 2 thousand $;
3. Shelves for drying - from $ 800;
4. Pallets - from $400;
5. Dryer - about $ 1 thousand.

On average, it takes about $5-6 thousand to purchase all the units.

Staff.

In the production of tiles, you just need to mix all the ingredients, put them in a mold and bake. Additional assembly is not needed. It is enough just to follow all the steps according to the technology. Therefore, for the production of this type of tile, 3-4 people are needed. These are specially trained personnel who will be able to work with raw materials and equipment using technology. It is better to opt for men, middle-aged with no respiratory diseases. You will also need a security guard, an accountant and a customer service manager.

Almost $2,000 is allocated for the payment of wages to workers.

Raw material.

For production of a tile cement of the M-400 brand is used. The wholesale price of one bag (50 kg) is approximately $2.50. For the production of 1 sq. m of tiles allocated approximately 11 kg of cement cost of $ 0.6. Sand is also required, it should be purchased immediately in a large batch of 10 tons. The cost of 1 kg of sand is $0.05. Pigment is also needed. If you take high-quality foreign pigment, then you should pay about $ 2.6 per 1 kg. And approximately 400 grams of pigment is needed to make 1 square. m. tiles at a cost of $ 1.1.
You also need paint, which will give the future tiles different colors. 1 kg of such paint will cost about $ 2. For 1 sq.m. the finished material takes almost 200 grams in the amount of $ 0.2. Thus, to make 1 sq. a meter of cement-sand tiles needs to be prepared for about $ 4.55.

Therefore, at least $4,000 is allocated for the first batch of raw materials.

To advertise your own production, you need to create a website, it is advisable to start promoting it. It is also worthwhile to create catalogs and other printed materials for the presentation of goods to customers. Worth renting outdoor advertising in a busy part of the city. It is also important to regularly take part in exhibitions and external events in the construction industry.

Basic costs.

When creating a production facility aimed at manufacturing tiles from cement, it is worth paying attention to the following categories of waste:

1. Rent of premises - 1.2 thousand $;
2. Equipment - 5-6 thousand $;
3. Staff - $2,000;
4. Raw materials - 4 thousand $;
5. Advertising - $800.

In total, about $13,000 is needed to start a business.

Profit and payback.

The cost of 1 square. m. cement tiles is about $ 5. The same amount of material will go on sale at a price of $15. The profit from the sale will be about $10. But in order to reach a high level of profitability, production must create about 1900 sq. m. tiles. Then the profit for the enterprise will be $19,000.

But, taking into account the monthly costs, the net profit will be about $8,000.

With successful sales and starting a business during the season, it is possible to recoup the initial income in the business in 3-4 months.

Clients and options for development.

The main customers are enterprises operating in the construction industry, as well as buyers with an average income level. As a development, attention should be paid to production and increasing its capacity.

	You can make a table, or a door, or a tombstone. A frame is made of iron of the appropriate shape. Well, let's say for a table meter by meter you made a frame with an internal size of meter by meter.

Natural tiles, like many years ago, are made of clay.

Remains unchanged and the technology of production of ceramic tiles.

Modernization has undergone manufacturing equipment. The quality level of raw materials and professional control over compliance with all firing technologies determine specifications material: strength, water resistance and frost resistance.

Produced tiles are tested by computerized systems and manually, and only after passing many tests does it reach the consumer.

Ceramic tiles

In the production of ceramic tiles, a mixture of high-quality clays is used, which has a high fat content, a uniform structure and plasticity.

Clay is aged, then broken using a mechanical apparatus, so that the tile has an ideal structure and even color.

To give clay elasticity, as well as to increase the quality of the resulting material, a natural plasticizer is added.

In order for ceramic tiles to acquire the desired color and matte surface, the product is treated with engobe before firing - a composition of crushed clay with the addition of minerals and water.

To obtain a glossy roofing coating, ground glass glaze is applied, which at the same time increases the frost resistance of the material and its water resistance.

Ceramic tiles - production

The manufacture of ceramic tiles includes several stages:

1. At the first stage, the clay is cleaned from foreign impurities, plasticizers and water are added. The composition is ground for greater uniformity.
2. At the next stage, with the help of a press machine, the tiles are formed. As a result, blanks of certain shapes and sizes are obtained. Today, modern professional equipment makes it possible to manufacture roofing material not only in classic wavy shapes, but also in modern rectangular, and even in the shape of a rhombus or scale.
3. Further, the products are dried in chambers for at least 48 hours, under continuous monitoring of humidity and temperature.
4. Before firing, a special coating is applied to the blanks: engobe or glaze, with the exception of ceramic tiles natural look uncoated, which after firing becomes a natural red-brown color.
5. At the final stage, the tiles are fired in special ovens at a temperature of 1000 - 1200 C. The firing process consists of three stages: heating, firing and controlled cooling. As a result, the tiles become as strong as stone and waterproof.

Leading manufacturers of this roofing covering use individual cassettes in the manufacture of each tile.

This prevents deformation of products during firing and makes it possible to obtain tiles of exact dimensions.

There are slotted types of tiles with locks vertically and horizontally. Locks use double for the best protection against leaks.

To date, the manufacture of ceramic tiles is a fully automated process, which allows you to get the highest quality roofing material.

The production technology of roofing is expensive due to the energy-intensive firing process, which is why the price of ceramic tiles is high compared to other roofing materials.

The high quality and performance characteristics of environmentally friendly ceramic tiles confirm the premium class of the product.