Rubber tile is quite common recently in the arrangement of territories, it can be made with your own hands, which will save money. As a result, it will be possible to obtain products that have a bright appearance and are easy to install.
Features rubber tile
Despite the fact that rubber tile appeared on the Russian building materials market relatively recently, it managed to gain a worthy position, because the products have excellent qualities, among them anti-slip features that allow you to use the tile at any time of the year. If an ice crust forms on the surface of the coating, then it can be disposed of using the crowbar method.
Rubber paving tiles made of crumbs have a long lifespan, the material is quite durable, does not wear off with impressive mechanical stresses. You will not encounter the problem of the formation of puddles on the surface of the tracks from this tile, since it has a drainage effect due to the porous structure. Products pass moisture well enough. After the products are ready, it will be possible to lay them on any kind of foundation, it can be, for example, gravel, soil, concrete, sand, as well as asphalt.
Raw materials for the manufacture of tiles
Do-it-yourself rubber tiles are made using crumb rubber, which acts as a recycled product for car tires. The starting material is rubber, which can be natural or artificial. This determines the strength properties of the final coating, as well as its extremely high resistance to mechanical wear. So, the production of the described products allows you to perform two functions, one of them is the manufacture of a material with excellent performance, while the second is expressed by the safe disposal of unnecessary goods.
Technical equipment
Do-it-yourself rubber tiles can only be made with the appropriate equipment, which has a very impressive cost. If you intend to do manufacturing for business, then acquiring it is advisable, whereas if you are faced with the task of laying a track on a personal plot, then it is preferable to purchase the products in finished form, it will be cheaper even than the option in which the units will be rented.
For the production of rubber tiles, you should buy:
- heating cabinet;
- mixer;
- conductor for holes;
- Hydraulic Press;
- set of forms;
- platform, tables and stands for the mixer.
If you plan to purchase such equipment, then you will have to pay approximately 1,590,000-2,370,000 rubles. In the minimum price option, you will receive the most modest set of equipment, while the mini-factory is included in the highest price.
Manufacturing process
The manufacture of rubber tiles with their own hands is carried out by the method of initial removal of steel elements from tires. After the prepared rubber products are subjected to grinding to particle sizes in the range from 1 to 4 mm. Then the crumb is combined with a knitting polyurethane mixture, a pigment and brought to a homogeneous state. The mixture must be poured into molds, subjecting future products to vulcanizing oppression.
Making rubber tiles with your own hands can be done by hot or cold pressing, but both of these processes are carried out when exposed to elevated temperatures. In the first case, the temperature is maintained within 140 ° C for a quarter of an hour, while during cold processing, the products undergo a four-hour treatment at 80 ° C. If we consider the final qualitative characteristics of the finished product, then both of the above methods are equivalent, in terms of energy consumption, the methods are also equivalent. But if you independently arrange a production line, then the “hot” method will cost much cheaper, but if you want to increase productivity, then you should choose the technology of “cold” bringing to readiness.
Production Features
If rubber tile is at the heart of your business, you can make it yourself by investing about 2 million rubles. This includes startup and equipment costs. Any novice businessman is interested in the question of when the business will begin to pay off. In the described case, this will happen after about 6 months. Rubber tiles can be delivered to stores, from there it will be purchased for the arrangement of playgrounds and sports grounds, private garages, home gardens, arbors, and terraces.
The myth of rubber tile production
Despite the fact that rubber tiles are available at affordable prices in stores, do-it-yourselfers continue to produce them with their own hands. But there are still myths about quality or the manufacturing process. One of them is expressed in the fact that products produced by the hot pressing method are not of such high quality in comparison with analogues that are obtained using the cold process technology. This statement absolutely cannot be considered correct. Today it is refuted by manufacturing companies using both methods.
Styling
Do-it-yourself laying of rubber tiles begins with the placement of beacons. After preparing the territory. Initially, crushed stone is laid out on the ground, it will act as a drainage layer. Be sure to install it on the base with a slight slope, this will allow sewage to drain to the sewer. A curb should be placed along the edges of the path, otherwise the sidewalk will crawl at the first spring snow melt. Before proceeding with the installation of tiles, it is necessary to lay a sand layer. Why it is recommended to use exceptionally clean sand, which does not have additional impurities. The thickness of this layer should be approximately 5 cm.
Laying of products should be carried out along a pre-stretched cord, which is located around the perimeter of the marked area, it can be stretched along pre-installed pegs. After every 3 rows laid, it is necessary to carefully analyze the evenness of the location of each tile separately. You can allow some error, which is limited to 0.5-1 cm. As soon as one element is in place, you can correct its position by softly tapping with a rubber hammer. If the area reserved for the track remains free along the edges, it can be filled with plate elements, which are recommended to be cut using diamond-cut grinding wheels.
Final installation work
Having finished laying the tile, its surface will have to be compacted, using a vibrating plate and filled with clean sand, after which it will have to be swept out, which will allow to clog the seams. Tiles made of crumb rubber can be used to ennoble the infield. Do-it-yourself rubber paving slabs can be made in a short time, and then it will fit into any exterior and will last for a rather long period of time.