Plastic paving slabs - choosing the best of the best
Due to their ease of manufacture, plastic paving slabs have become a popular and affordable replacement for masonry and porcelain stoneware.You can choose such a coating for any design. It does not require the involvement of experienced builders to install it.
The content of the article:
Types produced
The basis for the production of plastic paving slabs is polymers, which are used as all kinds of waste. Recycled materials significantly reduce the cost of the process and make it accessible to many entrepreneurs.
Various dyes give color to paving surfaces. Additionally, sand and solvents, in particular nitric acid, are used for its production. There is no single recipe. Each manufacturer has its own.
Manufacturing
Production of paving slabs from plastic carried out in 5 stages:
- Crushing components.
- Connecting elements in a concrete mixer.
- Melting the resulting mixture. For this purpose, special equipment for plastic paving slabs is used. It is called an “extruder”.
- Molding of products by pressing method.
- Drying.
There are 2 main types of plastic sidewalk coverings.
Lattice, having symmetrical through holes:
Deaf, having the appearance of an ordinary tile:
The differences relate to shape, size, color. Depending on the templates used, paving slabs may have bizarre shapes - a butterfly, some kind of animal. The most popular is the standard square shape with dimensions 300x300x30 or 500x500x50.
Main advantages and disadvantages
Plastic paving has a number of advantages over products made from other materials:
- Ease. This greatly simplifies the delivery and installation process.
- Low cost.Not everyone can afford to make a coating from stone or ceramics, but plastic is available to everyone.
- Easy to install. Laying does not require special preparation or complex organization of the concrete pad. Removing the tiles if necessary is also not difficult.
- Relative strength, long service life. Plastic can withstand significant loads and is not afraid of frost or temperature changes.
- Waterproof. The plastic product is not “afraid” of water. During its operation, no fungus or mold is formed.
- Easy to care for. This coating is easy to wash, clean, and put away.
- High abrasion resistance.
This product also has disadvantages:
- Increased slip. But this negative effect is absent in paving slabs with a relief surface.
- The occurrence of a reaction when interacting with certain chemicals. Acetone and other liquids can damage the tiles.
- The strength of the tiles is not high enough to support the weight of a heavy machine. A truck or other transport can cause bending of elements and refraction of docking locks.
- Reduced resistance to high temperatures, ultraviolet radiation, and fading.
Installation of polymer sand coating
Laying of plastic paving is carried out on:
- concrete;
- wood base;
- compressed sand;
- cement-sand cushion.
In the case of concrete or wood, no additional materials or work are required. The most important thing is a smooth, clean surface without oil or acid traces. All that remains is to apply tile adhesive to it and you can install the paving polymer-sand covering.
Work begins from the middle, moving evenly in different directions, tapping the surface of the tile with a rubber hammer, removing excess adhesive with a rag.After every few rows laid, you need to go over them with a tamping roller.
If the owner of his own plot has chosen one of the last 2 methods installation, for this he will need:
- sand;
- medium crushed stone or gravel;
- cement;
- geotextiles;
- border.
Whatever method a person chooses, he will have to perform the work in the following order:
- Apply markings.
- Remove the top layer of soil to a depth of about 25-30 cm.
- Install a border around the perimeter.
- Place geotextiles at the bottom of the pit.
- Lay out a drainage layer of crushed stone or gravel. Its height should be 10-15 cm.
- Cover the drainage with geotextile fabric.
- Pour and compact a layer of sand 5-15 cm thick. If necessary, add cement to it.
- Install the tiles, leaving a gap between the individual elements.
As a rule, this is enough to get a durable, high-quality coating. But if the site has unstable, heaving soils, the top layer must be made of monolithic concrete with mandatory reinforcement.
Plastic tiles are most suitable for areas located in areas with harsh winters and cool summers. Ease of installation and affordable price make it an indispensable finishing coating.
If you have already installed plastic tiles, share your experience with others, help those who are just choosing the right material for their site.
This video clearly shows how plastic waste is processed and used to produce paving slabs and tiles:
Do-it-yourself water supply for a private house: arrangement rules and the best schemes. You can read about this in our previous article. link.
Links to sources:
- https://tplitka.com/trotuarnaya-plitka/plitka-iz-plastika
- https://stroy-podskazka.ru/trotuarnaya-plitka/plastikovaya
