Do-it-yourself construction projects. Crazy hands: we make useful mechanisms and tools for construction with our own hands. Sawdust concrete or wood concrete

SAWDISH CONCRETE OR ARBOLITH

“Sawdust concrete”, also known as wood concrete, is a wonderful material in many ways. A house built from wood concrete turns out to be dry, warm, durable, its walls do not burn, do not rot, and lend themselves well to finishing. Wood concrete blocks can be drilled and sawed, and nails can be easily driven into them. And all this despite the fact that the materials that are necessary to obtain wood concrete are easily accessible, the technology for making blocks is the simplest with minimal labor costs.
In a word, wood concrete is an ideal building material for summer residents and farmers, and in the city it is useful for the construction of partitions and insulated floors.
Such extraordinary properties of wood concrete attract our attention to it when we need a cheap and easily accessible material for building an extension to garden house. The blocks can be molded to medium size (25x25x50 cm). Such blocks are quite convenient both in production and in laying. The molds for the blocks were made from 20 mm thick boards and lined with 5 mm plywood on the inside. To make it easier to remove the blocks from the mold, plastic film was glued to the plywood. But it does not adhere well to plywood, so instead of film, pieces of film-coated linoleum were glued to the sides and bottom of the molds using KN-3 mastic. A total of 20 molds were made, which turned out to be quite enough. The mold was filled with arbolite mass in layers in 3 steps, carefully compacting each layer with a hand tamper - wooden hammer, the striker and toe of which were covered with tin.

Having filled the mold with wood concrete mass, the excess mass is cut off with a ruler, the wood concrete is kept in the mold for a day at a temperature of 18-20 ° C, after which the block is removed from the mold, lightly tapping the walls of the mold if the block is stuck in it. Next, the removed blocks are left on a flat surface to harden for 1-2 days, and then dried under a canopy for about another 10 days.
In general, without rushing, working together, you can quickly make required quantity blocks for extension. The blocks are laid on ordinary lime mortar with a small addition of cement. The foundation for the extension is made with a strip foundation, placing a 50-centimeter brickwork and a layer of roofing felt. The outside walls are plastered with cement-sand mortar.
In short, both the production of blocks and the laying of walls from them special difficulties don't imagine. But special mention should be made about the preparation of the components of the wood concrete mass and the preparation of the wood concrete mass itself.
As you know, wood concrete consists of filler, binder, some additives and, of course, water.
The best filler is not just sawdust, but a mixture of them with shavings. The ratio of sawdust and shavings is from 1:1 to 1:2. Please note that this raw material, that is, sawdust with shavings, must first be either kept for outdoors 3-4 months, periodically shoveling them, or treating them with lime mortar. In the latter case, for each 1 m3 of sawdust raw material, 150-200 liters of 1.5% lime solution are required, into which our filler is placed for 3-4 days, mixing the sawdust 1-2 times a day. This method allows you not only to speed up the process of preparing sawdust, but also to most completely remove it from sawdust the sugar they contain. This liberation of raw materials from sugar helps to avoid rotting of the sawdust in the blocks, that is, swelling of the latter.
Portland cement grade 400 was used as a binder.
Additives include soluble (liquid) glass, calcium chloride - CaCl2, calcium sulfate - CaS04, slaked lime - Ca(OH)2, aluminum sulfate - Al2(S04)3, as well as other compounds taken in various combinations. Typically, the total content of additives in the wood concrete mass is 2-4% by weight of the cement used. Additives give wood concrete fire resistance, plasticity, and the ability to resist rotting. Most often, a mixture of calcium sulfate and aluminum sulfate, taken in a 1:1 ratio (parts by weight), or a mixture of soluble glass and slaked lime, taken in the same ratio, is used as an additive.
The most commonly available are soluble glass and slaked lime, which are first mixed with each other and then dissolved in water, on which the wood concrete mass is then kneaded.
To prepare the molding mass, you need to make a box with low sides from 35 mm thick boards. The box has a capacity of about 0.3 m3. The box is filled with sifted sawdust gradually, in portions, pouring water with additives dissolved in it over each portion and mixing with a shovel. Having moistened the next portion of sawdust, pour some of the cement into the box, after which the mixture is again mixed until completely homogeneous. The contents of one box are enough to fill 8-10 molds, while approximately 70-80 kg (1.5 bags) of Portland cement grade 400, 80-90 kg (50-55 buckets) of sawdust, 2 kg of lime and soluble glass and 120 -130 liters of water.

Box for preparing wood concrete mass (dimensions in cm)

Let's say the extension has a size of 4x5x3 m. That is, we have to lay out walls with a total area of ​​54 m: (excluding openings for two windows and a door). As already mentioned, the size of arbolite blocks is 25x25x50 cm. Therefore, for the construction of 1 m2 of wall (when laying in 1 block) 8 blocks are required, and for the construction of the entire wall (blind) - 432 blocks (54x8). Taking into account the formation of openings for windows and doors total number blocks were reduced to 400 pieces. In total, we spent 3 tons of cement and sawdust, 120 kg of additives and 4500 liters of water for the construction of our extension.
And finally, the main advice. Mix the wood concrete mass as thoroughly as possible! Then the water consumption will be reduced, and the mass will not separate.

A summer cottage is an area where you can give yourself the freedom to conduct numerous experiments and dream to your heart’s content. This manifests itself not only in interior design, but mainly in the design of a garden or vegetable garden. Inquisitive and inventive owners have long ceased to be guided by expensive and standard methods for arranging their plots, since there are a lot of alternative solutions in fact for all areas of activity.

There are several types of vertical beds that allow you to optimize the use free space. Non-standard designs are a great opportunity to create interesting design garden, vegetable garden, summer cottage.

This type of beds is in most cases used for growing ornamental plants or herbs.

Materials for production:


Length drainpipes regulated in accordance with the wishes of the owner of the site. However, you should not make bulky beds, as they can complicate movement around the area.

Creating a bed

Stage 1. Create a container. To do this, take a drainpipe, cut it in half lengthwise and put special plugs on both sides.

Stage 2. We take the prepared metal holders and put them on the resulting frames for the beds.

Stage 3. We make holes in the pipe. They are made in those places where metal fasteners will be located.

Stage 4. We pass a cable or strong rope through the holes made.

Stage 5. Fix the cable/rope using fasteners.

Stage 6. Fill the resulting beds with expanded clay and soil.

Stage 7. Plant the plants in the beds.

Stage 8. We hang the pipes to the selected location. Sometimes a special wooden crossbar is installed for this purpose, or rather a structure in the shape of the letter “P”.

Step 9: Alternatively, a special design can be made for the pipes.

Important! A bed made of drainpipes is not resistant to strong gusty winds, so you should choose a place for it that is not blown from four directions by winds. Otherwise, the frame will quickly collapse, nullifying all your efforts.

A bed made from a plastic bag is another modification of vertical beds. It is extremely compact, functional and interesting in appearance. You can make such a bed in a couple of hours.

Materials for production:

  • durable polyethylene film;
  • sewing machine;
  • priming;
  • seedling.

In order for the bed to be strong, it is recommended to pay special attention to the thickness polyethylene film, which in this case will act as the “framework” of the structure. Minimum thickness films - 0.2 millimeters.

The process of creating a polyethylene bed

Step 1 . We cut out 2 rectangular pieces of film, the size of which corresponds to the size of the bed being created. An allowance of one and a half to two centimeters should be left on each side. The recommended diameter of the bed is twenty centimeters.

Step 2. Sew the rectangles together, leaving only the top part of the bag unconnected.

Step 3. We sew a handle to the future bed, the strength of which will allow it to withstand the weight of the bag filled with soil. It should also be taken into account that when watering the weight will increase.

Step 4. Fill the bag with fertilized soil.

Step 5. We make horizontal cuts on the bag in increments of twenty centimeters. They are necessary for planting seedlings in the garden bed.

Step 6. Plant seedlings.

Step 7. Regularly water the soil and add the necessary fertilizers.

With these simple steps you can get a cheap and useful garden bed.

An integral element of every summer cottage is a compost heap. This is the place where all sorts of biochemical reactions take place to create fertilizers.

To create fertilizers that will satisfy all the requirements placed on them, several key steps should be carefully considered: creating the container and directly correct production the compost itself. Let's talk about each of them in more detail.

Stage 1. Take eight support posts of the same length.

Stage 2. Processing bottom part wooden posts motor oil or tar.

Stage 3. We dig the posts into the ground so that they are reliable and stable. If compost bin will be located next to the fence, then 4 posts (that is, one side) can be attached to the fence. This will avoid having to dig 4 holes.

Stage 4. Between each two adjacent posts we nail the crossbars so that we end up with three independent sections. Be sure to leave gaps that will serve as ventilation holes.

Stage 5. In two sections, we nail the boards horizontally to half the height of the pillars. In these places it is planned to create two small doors.

Step 6. The remaining section will have a large door, so only one board should be nailed. It should be located at the very bottom in a horizontal position, that is, like a regular crossbar.

Stage 7. Install the covers. To do this, you can use one large solid board.

Stage 8. Install the pre-prepared doors.

Stage 9. We provide the doors with handles and latches.

Stage 10. We process the wood using special impregnations.

Stage 11. Paint the box in any color that suits your preferences.

Many gardeners mistakenly believe that any components can be dumped into a compost heap. In reality, to create the right biofertilizer, the “ingredients” must be carefully selected.

Among the required components compost heap the following components:

  • peat;
  • ash;
  • needles;
  • tree branches;
  • leaves;
  • hay or grass;
  • wood ash;
  • plant roots;
  • raw vegetables and fruits, etc.

All elements are randomly mixed in a heap. To speed up chemical reactions It is recommended to cover the pile with a tarpaulin (this is especially true if there is no box).

Trips to the dacha with the family require the presence of entertainment elements on the site that will delight children. The most common way to keep young summer residents occupied is a swing.

Building a swing yourself is not an easy task, but it is quite doable. Of course, you can always take a stick, tie it with a rope and hang the structure on a tree, but this can hardly be called a full-fledged swing. Real craftsmen prefer to build comfortable structures with a comfortable place to sit.

Structural components:

  • two logs;
  • strong rope.

Indicators:

  • log diameter – 85 mm;
  • log length – 700 mm;
  • distance between ropes – 500 mm.

Making a swing

Stage 1. We stretch the ropes between the logs.

Stage 2. Wrap ropes around each log.

Stage 3. Let the ropes out.

Stage 4. Tighten the ropes to 3 knots.

Stage 5. Attach the swing to the tree.

Important: this swing is designed for only one person.

Garden path from scrap materials

There are several types of garden paths that you can easily make with your own hands.

Step 1. Remove the sidewall from the tire using a knife or saw.

Step 2. Cut the tires.

Step 3. Line the space with corrugated stripes.

Step 4. Paint the path with paint.

Step 5. Sprinkle with stone chips.

This economical option for those who don’t want to rack their brains and waste time on a full-fledged garden path. Tire paths are usually used for vegetable gardens, as they are easily laid in the ground.

Stage 1. Paint the corks in different colors.

Stage 2. Dig a small trench.

Stage 3. We drive in supports to strengthen the future path.

Stage 4. We construct the formwork using boards.

Stage 5. Install spacers along the edges of the trench.

Stage 6. Place crushed stone deep into the trench and compact it thoroughly.

Stage 7. Make a solution from sand, cement, glue and water.

Stage 8. Pour the solution into the trench.

Stage 9. Press in the plugs in random order. Smooth multi-colored stripes look interesting.

These are the simplest and quick ways make a garden path without purchasing expensive materials.

DIY tools

The expression “everything comes in handy around the house” turns out to be more relevant when it comes to cans. From this plastic container you can make a large number of irreplaceable tools that are actively used in the process of dacha work.

To make this tool we only need sharp knife and the container itself.

Stage 1. Cut off the bottom of the canister.

Stage 2. Mark a cut line for the scoop on the container so that the handle of the canister is the handle of the future tool.

Stage 3. Cut off excess material.

Due to these simple actions we get an excellent scoop with a comfortable handle.

Materials:

Manufacturing

Step 1. Wash the canister thoroughly so that no odor remains in it.

Stage 2. Cut the canister vertically into two parts.

Stage 3. We make a groove on the board using a woodworking machine.

Stage 4. Apply glue to the plywood and insert it into the bottom of the canister.

Stage 5. Paint the resulting shelf using a spray can.

Of course, this design will not support a lot of weight, but it is quite suitable for storing small parts.

Materials:

  • 40 cans;
  • scissors;
  • rope;
  • paper;
  • marker.

Stage 1. Pierce the top of the canisters with a knife.

Stage 2. Make a stencil from paper.

Stage 3. Apply it to the canister and outline it with a marker.

Stage 4. Cut out large holes using scissors.

Stage 5. We stack the prepared canisters in several rows, tying each row by hooking a rope under the handles of the containers.

Stage 6. We tie all the rows around the perimeter for greater strength.

Stage 7. If you plan to lean the cabinet against the wall, then drill it to the surface.

Stage 8. Place heavy objects - stones or bricks - in the bottom row.

The result is a fairly spacious and functional rack that will help get rid of the problem of storing many small parts.

Be resourceful and bold in implementing your ideas. Good luck!

Video – DIY crafts for a summer cottage

Video - We do it ourselves for the dacha

Making building materials with your own hands allows you to save the budget allocated for construction, as well as make materials such as concrete blocks or wooden beam required dimensions, literally without leaving home.

DIY building materials.

Currently, building a house without the involvement of specialists for most people is often almost the most possible way find your own home.

In practice, it turns out that building a house yourself, on your own, can reduce the cost construction process by 20–30%. This allows you to save money self-production building materials. Thus, for example, you can engage in wood processing, make building blocks or bricks.

It is worth noting that if not every person is able to complete the construction of the house itself due to the lack of construction experience, then buildings for household needs can be built using building materials made independently.

There are three categories of materials that can be produced on your own:

1. Homemade blocks.

2. Wood.

3. Alternative building materials.

Homemade building blocks: equipment and materials.

To get homemade blocks you need special equipment. The most simple option is a mold filled with a solution. Thus, the dimensions of future building blocks can be set independently. Regarding the material from which the form is made, the most suitable would be aluminum or iron. A rectangle is formed and fastened from them in accordance with the dimensions of the block. It installs on smooth surface, is filled with the mixture, which is compacted on top. After some time, the uniform is removed, and ready block remains left until completely dry.

Plasticizers are not necessary, but can improve the quality of the blocks. The use of such substances ensures rapid hardening of concrete, and as a result, an increase in the speed of block production.

Finished blocks need care: they need to be wetted, turned over side faces for uniform drying of the entire block. Thanks to one specially made mold, up to forty blocks can be made in one day.

Wood processing. Home sawmill.

Currently self-build wooden houses, perhaps, is more relevant than the construction of block ones. A wide selection of equipment allows, if you have the desire and the necessary skills for this, to process wood yourself.

The use of a sawmill is very beneficial for use at home, since the entire process can be controlled by one person. With its help, he will be able to produce boards or beams; it does not require special skills in the production of the material.

Due to its mobility, this sawmill is easy to use. Thanks to its small dimensions, you can easily take it with you, for example, to cut material on site. A passenger car is suitable for its transportation.

Alternative building materials.

The method of constructing residential buildings or other buildings from plastic or glass bottles. Such a construction technology has, on the one hand, many adherents and critics who consider such a construction technology to be frivolous. However, in general, the tendency to build houses from alternative types building materials are gaining more and more popularity.

For example, one of these houses was built in the Primorsky Territory. The house is assembled from 5,000 glass bottles. The smooth surface of the walls was achieved through the use of formwork when pouring concrete.

Research has proven that plastic container filled with sand, its strength is not inferior to brickwork.

After filling with sand, the bottles are capped and secured with the mixture. Its composition usually includes sawdust, cement, earth and clay. To prevent the wall from collapsing before the concrete hardens, reinforcement is used. Walls made of plastic bottles can maintain their strength qualities for around 300 years.

It doesn’t matter whether you are building your dream home or renovating an old one country house, you cannot do without reliable tools and construction equipment. Almost any device today can be bought in a store, but purchases are not always pleasing with quality and even less often with prices. Our forum members know how to reduce the load on family budget and offer recipes for proven mechanisms and tools for construction, made with your own hands.

Truck...from the old four

Bring sand, crushed stone, boards, transport a concrete mixer and an old refrigerator... The need to deliver materials arises constantly during construction. Member FORUMHOUSE g8 o8 r8 found a way to save on freight transportation: he converted his old four into a truck!

Budget auto tuning cost the craftsman 3.5 thousand rubles - this was the cost of materials: an iron square, corners, galvanized steel for the loading body. Loading body g8 o8 r8 made it high to protect it from rainwater: to close the gaps between it and the car body, metal canopies were welded around the perimeter.

The rear side of the body is lifted with a 12-volt winch. This is convenient when unloading bulk materials and loading boards, stones, furniture, etc. into the body.

g8o8r8 FORUMHOUSE Member

At our metal collection point, they give five thousand rubles for any car. This inspired the idea of ​​using my decommissioned four-wheeler for household needs: bringing earth, peat, stones, sand to the dacha. And if you install a subframe, weld a blade, install chains, you’ll see that you’ll be able to throw snow in the winter.

Construction materials lift

Another one useful homemade product, which will make life at a construction site much easier. For example, like the one from the FORUMHOUSE member Ali-bastre.Starting to pour monolithic walls, a forum member was tired of manually lifting heavy buckets of concrete and made a simple but ingenious design.

The basis of the lift was metal staircase. To securely fix the ladder on the wall, in a profiled steel pipe 15x15 Ali-bastre drilled holes and reverse side put a washer on the pipe, securing it with a cotter pin. The trolley on which building materials are placed moves up and down on bearings No. 304 using an electric winch. It is located almost parallel, at a slight angle to the stairs, due to which the movement occurs smoothly.

Ali-bastre FORUMHOUSE member

It’s not for nothing that they say: laziness is the engine of progress. My lift lifts six buckets of concrete easily!

Planer for aerated concrete

Unlike stationary cutting machines, this device You can move freely through scaffolding and cut foam right on the spot. At the same time, the sheet can be expanded not only in length, but also in thickness - for this, two profiles are additionally attached to the EPS with nails. According to a forum member, the cost of a mobile machine is 800-1000 rubles, and even with intensive use it will faithfully serve for several construction seasons in a row.

Other examples, including stationary ones, are in this topic.

Comfortable grinder

Have you noticed that holding a small grinder by the top handle is convenient, but a large one is not? The big one always tries to escape from your hands when biting into metal. Having such bad experience, some are generally afraid to use a large grinder. So that the grinder always remains in your hands, forum member chichic designed for instrument homemade pen under natural grip.