Among the common methods of laying coatings, mosaic floors occupy a separate place . They are not particularly popular with the mass consumer, but connoisseurs of original solutions at least consider this option of decorative design. Quite a bold and non-standard idea is to lay out mosaic concrete in a private house or within the boundaries of a garden plot. Moreover, this method of decoration is beneficial not only for its external attractiveness, but also for its technical and operational properties.
General information about mosaic concrete
Mosaic concrete has two significant differences from its classic monolithic counterparts. First of all, this is a structural difference, which determines the formation of coatings from individual segments. That is, as a result of installation operations, it remains not a traditional dense screed in the form of a continuous layer of concrete, but a coating laid out like paving stones or tile elements.
The second difference is even more significant. Whatever the structure of the mosaic concrete floor, high-strength components must form it. It is the cellular configuration of the placement of such a flooring that determines the requirements for strength properties. The material should not crumble, wipe at the corners and edges. In general, he must maintain his original appearance. Obviously, to ensure such qualities, not ordinary, but special concrete compositions are used.
Material Composition
To begin with, it is worthwhile to determine in more detail what operational qualities concrete of this type has. This is an increased toughness, minimal shrinkage and abrasion resistance. In the formation of the composition, two types of components are used: filler and a binder.
The first category includes crumbs of various natural minerals. For example, it is practiced to use crumbs of marble, granite, quartz, dolomite, etc. On the one hand, mosaic concrete with this filler gets decorative properties, and on the other, the same granite will certainly lay the strength foundation.
As for the binder components, they are less unusual from the point of view of application in concrete mixtures. This is ubiquitous cement, and polymeric substances, as well as combined polymer-cement mixtures. It is noteworthy that, in addition to the main function, binders also perform the task of decorating, giving the coating one or another shade in terms of neutral weight.
Preparation for manufacture
One of the main disadvantages of the mosaic floor is its exactingness to the rough flooring. The foundation must be very strong and hardy. A concrete screed copes with this function, but already in a monolithic form. If it is not there, then it will be necessary to form a new basis and continue further work on it.
In order for the mosaic concrete to be even, the rough surface must be properly prepared. Moreover, only obvious differences in height and other defects should be smoothed out. Minor flaws in the coating of the base screed can be left: they when laying the solution will contribute to adhesion, that is, the adhesive function. It is also worth taking care of laying possible communications: in the future, on this surface, such operations will be impossible.
Installation of equipment for mosaic concrete
At this stage, a segment or mesh configuration of the mosaic pattern will be formed. The contractor is required to prepare in advance a diagram or a rough plan according to which the picture will be realized. Depending on the complexity of the mosaic, appropriate separation materials for individual segments are selected. Typically, glass, brass, polymer or aluminum strips are used to install the veins. They do not just work as formwork elements of demarcation, but will keep mosaic concrete constantly, that is, they are not temporary separating devices. Fixation of these strips can be provided with lightweight concrete support, but it cannot be made too weak, otherwise the slightest glitch in the geometry of the arrangement of segments will disrupt the whole composition.
Solution preparation
As the basis for the composition using the above components. The main thing at this stage is to correctly calculate the proportion of ingredients and fraction. For mosaic concrete, grains with sizes from 2.5 to 15 mm can be used. The finer the crumb, the more uniform the mass distribution will be. However, this parameter also depends on the quality of the stirring. The ratio between crumb and mortar should be approximately 80/20.
But here it is important to take into account another nuance. On the one hand, increasing the percentage of stone filler increases strength, but on the other, polishing will require a special mosaic machine for concrete, which can cope with a hard surface. For a certain dilution of the solution, but not to the detriment of quality, you can add chromium oxide, ocher, marble flour, etc. to the mixture. They will not only provide the mass with additional rigidity, but rather, increase the resistance of the material to external adverse influences.
Coating formation
At this stage, the focus is on polishing and grinding operations. But first of all, the finished mixture is poured into the formed segments. After this, it is necessary to use smoothing machines, vibrating rails and tamping devices that will make the laid solution homogeneous and dense, as well as rid the mass of air voids. Then the coating can be left for 7 days until it acquires sufficient strength.
After this time, the finishing finishing of the coating is performed. First, it is implemented by a rough mosaic machine for grinding concrete with equipment in the form of carborundum stones. For greater effect, the surface can be sprinkled with sand. At the second stage, a more detailed grinding treatment is performed, in which special abrasive stones and felt circles are used, which give the coating a luster.
What coatings are laid out with mosaic concrete?
Most often in this way the floor is laid out in public buildings, studios, salons and workrooms. The fact is that mosaic concrete floorings are not the peak of decorative grace, although they demonstrate a certain stylistic originality. They are appreciated, rather, as a strength foundation with a more or less attractive appearance. Nevertheless, in private houses it is quite possible to lay out steps from mosaic concrete mortar. The complexity of the formation of this design is due to the fact that the lighthouse delimiters will have to be fixed practically by a canopy, and this will require additional skill. But it is important to understand that these elements will be removed after installation, and each step will become a separate segment. It also makes sense to make independent decorative objects in the form of benches, arched structures or even fence structures, if it is possible to prepare the material in sufficient volume.
Conclusion
Few flooring technologies have such high workflow requirements. In this case, difficulties can arise both at the stage of formation of the solution, and during grinding operations. Grinding concrete with a mosaic grinder is an extremely responsible procedure, since the appearance of the entire surface will depend on its quality. Another thing is that modern equipment of this kind is designed for automatism and can well cope with any composition of concrete mass. The same can be said about working equipment in the form of the above-mentioned abrasive and felt circles. These are effective means of refining any surface, which with minimal effort allows you to create a smooth and aesthetically pleasing coating.