Wood concrete: description, application, types, advantages, disadvantages, photos, videos.

Arbolite, as a building material, was known back in the days of the USSR, factories were operating and houses were being built. After the collapse of the country, the technology was forgotten for some time, and a few years ago it was remembered again. The material is warm, light, durable, does not conduct sound well, and is also inexpensive. Therefore, wood concrete and wood concrete blocks (arbolite blocks) are increasingly of interest to private developers.

Let’s immediately determine that wood concrete and sawdust concrete are different materials with different characteristics. Wood concrete contains waste from the woodworking industry, but only in a strictly regulated size. There is no other filler anymore. Moreover, everything is prescribed in GOSTs and instructions. And the filler is not sawdust, but wood chips with dimensions recommended by the standard of no more than 40*10*5 mm.

GOST standards with a regulatory framework for wood concrete

What is wood concrete

What is wood concrete? The word arbolite comes from the Latin arbor, “tree” and litos, “stone”. On our territory (i.e. the former Union) it is called wood concrete, and abroad - wood concrete. Wood concrete includes sawdust, and wood concrete only includes wood chips.

Wood concrete is a material consisting of a mixture in which cement is used as a binder base (instead of cement there can be lime, magnesium binder), organic filler (wood chips), and a small amount of chemical additives.

Advantages and disadvantages of arbolite blocks

Advantages of blocks:

• low thermal conductivity;
• environmental Safety;
• high sound insulation rates;
• biological resistance;
• light weight, allowing you to reduce the size of the foundation and not use lifting mechanisms during installation;
• ease of processing.

Flaws:

• high water permeability, leading in some cases to the formation of mold;
• to protect surfaces from moisture, they must be additionally treated;
• insufficient accuracy of geometric dimensions;
• restrictions when choosing finishing materials for walls made of arbolite blocks.

The combination of cement and wood in wood concrete has more positive aspects, which increases its demand in the building materials market.

Positive aspects of the material

One of the most important advantages of wood concrete is its environmental friendliness. This is a building material that is safe for human health. Its composition and production are also absolutely safe, including for the environment. And chemical additives have long been used for the benefit of humanity. For example, an additive such as aluminum sulfate is used for effective water purification at water treatment plants.

The main advantages of wood concrete are: Increased heat and sound insulation, which is achieved due to the porosity of the material, which eliminates the need for additional insulation. Absolute fire resistance - due to the fact that wood chips are surrounded by a thick layer of concrete. Strength. The production technology gives wood concrete high bending strength coefficients. That is, where other material cracks, wood concrete will remain unharmed. Only under heavy loads can this material deform, but also quite slowly, since wood chips have binding functions.

Plasticity is achieved again thanks to the wood filler, so wood concrete is not susceptible to damage during transportation, installation, as well as exposure to natural factors (soil vibrations, temperature changes, etc.) Lightweight compared to conventional materials (brick, concrete), which makes work easier for laying blocks. Durability. Wood concrete does not rot and is slightly affected by fungus, mold and chemicals. It is easy to change the shape of the block using a saw or an ax, and driving in nails and screwing in self-tapping screws even without dowels will not present any difficulties.

Its disadvantages

Experts highlight the disadvantage of this material associated with high water absorption, so its use in rooms with high humidity or in areas where precipitation predominates is not recommended. This in no way means that the structure will collapse after rain, like a house of cards, but the service life of the building will be reduced significantly. To avoid this, you need to take some measures to waterproof the structure during the construction stage.

If you use blocks for the foundation, then you definitely need waterproofing and they need to be located at least 0.5 m above the ground level. If you use wood concrete in roof construction, then you must protect the walls from rain with overhangs. Plaster or other finishing will protect the outdoor units from the effects of rain and snow. Among the shortcomings, one can also highlight the imperfect shape of the block, which affects installation and finishing. However, some enterprises began to produce tongue-and-groove blocks, which make it possible to increase their adhesion area, thereby reducing the seams and making installation easier.

Description and features

The composition of wood concrete includes:

• filler - wood chips, quite strictly limited in size, as well as crushed rice straw, flax seeds, cotton stems, and even pine needles and bark;
• binder – cement of the appropriate brand. This depends on the expected strength of the material, but not lower than M300;
• chemical additives - provide a better connection of components, rapid hardening, and so on. Mainly chloride salts of potassium, calcium, aluminum, as well as “liquid glass” are used.

Wood chips and cement are materials that are difficult to combine with each other, so it is very important to observe all the features of the production technology, in particular, thorough and long-term mixing of the initial mixture.

• The raw material is no less important: the size of the chips is important - no more than 25 mm in length and 10 in width, a certain degree of roughness, the type of wood - spruce, pine, beech, and even the nature of the wood - early or late. If all GOST standards are observed, the material turns out to be porous, “breathable”, but at the same time durable.
• The composition of the starting components affects the result to no less extent. For thermal insulation material, the ratio is usually as follows: 1 share of binder, 1 share of wood chips and 1.5 shares of water, or rather, a solution with salts. To obtain a structural material, the proportion of binder increases within certain limits.
• During production, it is not the proportions that are regulated, but the resulting properties of wood concrete. If they comply with GOST or TU, then the composition is considered suitable for use.

Hammer crushing machines

Such crushers can be single-shaft or double-shaft; for home production, the first type is sufficient. This is a rotary device that contains hammers and chippers in its core. The unit has a special loading hopper. You need to put thin logs prepared in advance into it, it is better to make them long or purchase them, this will secure the process, otherwise if you handle a short piece awkwardly, there is a high risk of injury.

When wood enters the device, it passes between the hammers and separating plates, is split by impacts, and then sifted through the grate holes into the outlet compartment. The size of the chips will depend on the size of the sieve cells; its maximum size usually does not exceed 6 mm.

Making wood concrete

Making wood concrete blocks on your own site is not at all difficult. For this you need sawdust, cement, lime or clay, sand. You will also need concrete mixers and molds of the required sizes to pour the mixture.

Let's consider the stages of manufacturing sawdust concrete . The required proportions are shown in the table.

1. Sift the sawdust through a sieve with a mesh size of 1x1 cm.
2. Add sifted sawdust and sand to the concrete mixer. Mix well.
3. Prepare liquid cement-lime mortar in a separate container.
4. Pour the solution into a concrete mixer and mix the resulting composition thoroughly.
5. We pour everything into molds.

Wood concrete blocks made in this way are removed from the mold after a couple of days, and after that they must gain strength within 30 days in a dry room.

Building blocks of grades 5 and 10 are used for insulation, higher grades are used for the construction of walls.

The disadvantage of wood concrete is that it absorbs moisture well, so it must be protected from precipitation. This can be done using plastering. You can plaster the walls only after the structure has completely settled, which is about six months, otherwise the plaster may burst.

A more reliable, but also more expensive method is the use of penetrating waterproofing

Small monolithic structures can be built from sawdust concrete. To do this, first construct the formwork of the required design, into which a mixture of wood concrete is poured.

It is necessary to pour in layers, no more than 15 cm, and each layer must be well bayoneted and compacted.

Such monolithic sawdust concrete gains strength within 3 months.

Wood concrete production technology at home

Producing wood concrete at home is attractive because it requires materials that can be purchased at a low price. But to make blocks with your own hands, you need to organize a mini-factory with a variety of equipment. In principle, the necessary equipment can be rented, although finding them is not so easy. In addition, you should study the composition of the mixture and the proportions of the ingredients contained in the blocks.

Product mixture composition

Wood concrete consists of the following components:

• Portland cement (not lower than grade M400);
• organic fillers - wood chips, flax kernels, hemp, cotton stalks, rice straw, etc.;
• chemical additives - slaked lime, liquid glass, aluminum sulfate, potassium chloride or calcium sulfate;
• water.

Proportions of components per 1 cubic meter

In order not to get confused with brands and not to fill your head with unnecessary information, construction gurus use the following formula: 3 parts cement + 3 parts organic filler + 4 parts water = 1 cubic meter of material.

Block production equipment

In the process of manufacturing wood concrete, the following equipment will be required:

Drying finished blocks

• sawdust chipper (price: $2500);
• set of tampers (price: $153);
• mixing machine (price $1500);
• molds for pressing 30 pcs. (price 1500$);
• drying chamber (price $4,500);
• metal trays for block shapes (price: $400).

A total of about $10,000–12,000 is required to purchase equipment and materials (this, as they say, is all about technology). Yes, it’s a little expensive, but the availability of the necessary devices and raw materials guarantees the production of 500 cubic meters of solution per month. Not a bad indicator even for industrial volumes.

Do-it-yourself raw material production technology

The block creation workflow consists of the following steps:

• load wood into the installation;
• grind the wood to an acceptable size - length - about 25 mm, width - approximately 5 mm;
• keep the wood chips in the fresh air for 3 months so that the sucrose evaporates;
• treat the chips with calcium oxide;
• moisten sawdust with water;
• mix the moistened wood chips with cement;
• we process raw materials using one of the chemical additives - lime, liquid glass, potassium chloride, calcium sulfate;
• load the mixture into a mass mixing unit (concrete mixer);
• pour the resulting and well-mixed mass into molds lined with linoleum (to prevent sticking);
• shake the solution poured into the molds to remove air and compact it thoroughly, but it is better to use a vibrating table;
• we leave a free space on top - 20-25 mm and fill it with plaster mixture so that the blocks can boast of aesthetics on the front side;
• keep the mixture in the molds for 72 hours;
• take out the blocks;
• We put them on oilcloth and do not touch them for 3 weeks.

As you can see, the process is quite lengthy, requiring a certain patience and skill. As you understand, general manufacturing technologies are given here. But proper organization of production will allow you to produce 80–100 blocks daily. Two weeks of work and you are provided with building material for the walls of your future home or any other structure.

So what conclusions would I draw? Wood concrete is a good, warm, environmentally friendly and durable material, but it is expensive to make at home (subject to the purchase of all equipment). More precisely, this is a rather “long-lasting undertaking.” At the same time, self-made wood concrete is the key to a presentable, comfortable and durable structure!

Anecdote on the topic: Construction

A frightened newcomer comes running to the foreman: “I seem to have forgotten the wiring... So the foreman answers importantly: “Remember, guy, forever: we never forget about vodka here!” That's all

I hope that for someone I have filled in the gaps in knowledge about construction technologies. If you were interested, join our ranks of social groups and you will be aware of all the news on this blog. Good luck and warm walls to your home. Bye!

That's all. I hope that for someone I have filled in the gaps in knowledge about construction technologies. If you were interested, join our ranks of social groups and you will be aware of all the news on this blog. Good luck and warm walls to your home. Bye!

Wisdom Quote: What is the salvation of one is the ruin of another (Daniel Defoe).

Compound

The wood concrete mixture may contain various components. According to GOST 19222-84, wood concrete must consist of several components.

Organic filler – wood chips. To obtain quality blocks, wood particles with dimensions not exceeding 30, 10 and 5 mm in length, width and thickness, respectively, should be used. In addition, the content of polysaccharides in wood should not exceed 2%. The organic filler should not contain fungal elements or various mechanical inclusions. Depending on the type of wood concrete, the wood chip content ranges from 75 to 90%.

Cement binder. Portland cement of a grade not lower than M400 should be used as such a filler. Some manufacturers offer blocks made from frost-resistant cement. It should be noted that during long-term storage, cement blocks lose their original characteristics, which is why they may not meet the requirements stated by the manufacturer.

To avoid such a problem, experienced builders recommend buying wood concrete made of cement no lower than grade M500.

Components of chemical origin. Arbolite blocks partly consist of organic fillers, which tend to rot. To avoid damage to wood chips by fungus, various chemical additives are added to the mixture. These may be calcium or ammonium chlorides, aluminum sulfate or other inorganic substances. Such components are harmless to human health. They allow not only to protect wood chips from premature deterioration, but also to speed up the process of adhesion of the components of the wood concrete mixture, while reducing the drying time of the blocks.

Water is also used to create wood concrete. Its quality is regulated by GOST 23732-79. The water should not contain fats, lipid derivatives, or coloring components. Only fresh liquid is used to produce blocks.

Before starting the technological process, water and chemical components are subjected to laboratory tests. They are carried out regularly for each newly received batch.

Wood chip processing methods

Sugars and tannins contained in wood prolong the setting time of the binder, reduce the strength of the blocks and their resistance to cracking. To maintain the quality of the material, the filler is treated by physical, chemical or biological methods.

Washing out

The simplest method of preparing wood fillers is soaking and washing. Wood concrete chips are placed in a large container with water at room temperature and kept there for 6-8 hours.

In some cycles, soaking is combined with heating to increase the solubility of sugars and other harmful impurities in the water, removing as much of them from the chips as possible.

Outdoor exposure

A simple but long-lasting method of exposure is outdoor exposure. Oxygen oxidizes tannins, and heating by sunlight accelerates natural biological processes and reduces the solubility of sugars.

For aging, the material is placed in an open sunny area for 1-2 months. Periodic stirring is required.

The process is fraught with technological difficulties: for example, when precipitation occurs, the tree becomes moist and can begin to rot.

Chemistry

To remove sugars and tannins without prolonged soaking and aging, chemical reagents are used:

• calcium chloride solution;
• bleach solution;
• solution of aluminum sulfate (alumina sulfate);
• sodium and potassium silicate solution (liquid glass).

In addition to removing sugar, chemical additives protect the material from mold and rot. It should be noted that the use of aluminum sulfate reduces the strength of blocks by 10%, and silicates by 30-50%.

There is no need to be afraid of scary names; all additives are absolutely harmless.

If wood chips are made with your own hands, lime milk is usually used.

Heat treatment

Heat treatment (heating) activates fermentation and oxidation of carbohydrate compounds. Upon subsequent drying, the remaining sugars in the wood structure become insoluble.

Combined method

The combined method combines physical and chemical processing of raw materials. For example, wood chips are pre-treated with reagents and then soaked in a large amount of water.

Another effective method is implemented in 3 stages:

• Boil in water for 10 minutes;
• washing;
• boiling in a solution of iron sulfate.

It allows you to almost completely remove sugars and tannins from wood, which worsen the strength properties of wood concrete.

Combined methods are used mainly in the industrial cycle, since they are too time-consuming and labor-intensive for home production.

Kinds

According to GOST 19222 84, wood concrete, depending on density, is divided into:

thermal insulation - with an average density of up to 500 kg/m3;

structural - with an average density of over 500 to 850 kg/m3.

Thermal insulation is used as non-load-bearing partitions, in the construction of light one-story buildings, as insulation.

Structural is used for the construction of load-bearing walls in low-rise construction (up to 3 floors).

Arbolite, depending on its compressive strength, is divided into classes:

B0.35; B0.75, B1 - for heat-insulating wood concrete;

B1.5; B2; B2.5; B3.5 - for structural wood concrete.

The compressive strength indicator is characterized by brands:

M5, M10, M15 - for heat-insulating wood concrete;

M25, M35, M50 - for structural wood concrete.

Manufacturers produce several types of this class of concrete. They will be discussed below.

• Building blocks. This group includes thermal insulation and structural materials. These components are used in various fields. The first has a low density, due to which it is used for laying a thermal insulation base during the construction of interior floors. The design option has a density approximately equal to 800 kg / cubic meter. m (due to higher cement content). Due to its higher strength, such wood concrete is used for the construction of load-bearing walls and supporting structures.
• Arbolite slabs. Used as a heat-insulating material. Their density does not exceed 500 kg/cubic meter. m.

• Blocks with decorative cladding. Such products can be finished with marble chips or facing tiles. These materials are much more expensive than conventional blocks. However, the structure with which it was erected does not require further work on the decorative finishing of the façade.
• Solution. It is prepared directly on the construction site and cannot be stored. The solution is used to create monolithic products. Most often it is used for insulating residential premises, much less often - for the construction of small structures. In addition, permanent formwork is made from it for structures whose height does not exceed 3 floors.

• Gypsum wood concrete. Its difference from the usual one is the use of gypsum in the production, instead of Portland cement. It has significant advantages: it does not require the use of chemical components and hardens quickly.

Like any certified building materials, block wood concrete is available in certain sizes. The most popular products are those in the shape of a parallelepiped with parameters of length, width and height equal to 500, 300 and 200 mm, respectively.

Definition

Arbolite belongs to the category of lightweight concrete. The main difference between this composite building material is the presence of wood chips as a filler. The sliver acts as a binding component in the monolithic structure of the cement paste. The second name for wood concrete is wood concrete.

Like any other building material, wood concrete products have advantages and disadvantages. The latter can be dealt with if strict quality control is carried out at all stages of production. Positive qualities allow the blocks to be used for the formation of large-sized masonry, hollow products, thermal insulation boards, and mixtures for pouring fences.

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Specifications

The main technical characteristics of wood concrete are presented in the table

Let's now take a closer look at these characteristics.

Density is a fundamental factor in the construction of structures. According to GOST 19222 84, in the production of wood concrete, instead of wood chips, you can use such fillers as hemp and flax kernels, crushed cotton stalks and crushed rice straw. The average density of wood concrete, depending on the type and class, as well as the type of filler, is indicated in the table.

Comparison of density with other building materials:

Although the density of wood concrete is not high, thanks to this, the finished structure will weigh much less than a brick one. And if the weight of the building is light, then you can save on the foundation.

Strength means the threshold value of impact above which the destruction of the material occurs. For example, a cube of wood concrete 150*150*150 (mm) with a density of 600 kg/m3 will withstand a load of more than 8 tons. Important characteristics are bending strength (0.7 - 1 MPa) and elasticity (up to 2300 MPa). Thanks to this, wood concrete stands out from other building materials. Cellular concrete blocks or bricks are brittle materials.

Reviews from thematic forums

Next, we suggest that you read the reviews of developers who used wood concrete in various forms of release:

Andrey, Krasnogorsk, Russian Federation.

I built my one-story house 11 x 15.6 m from monolithic wood concrete, which was prepared from wood chips right on the site, the solution was immediately poured into the formwork. Upon completion, I submitted several samples to the laboratory, taken from walls in different places, and was pleased with the results. Judge for yourself: density from 370 to 455 kg/m³, strength - 1.1-1.7 MPa. From chemistry, alumina sulfate was used.

Valery, town. Balakleya, Ukraine.

I bought a special machine with vibration and made the first batch of blocks from wood chips. To begin with, I took the recipe from the Internet and used M400 cement. When I removed the formwork to transfer the products to drying, I deliberately dropped one arboblock, and it easily crumbled into pieces. I tried it with my hand and it crumbled. I'm afraid I messed something up with the solution, I'll experiment further.

Anastasia, Izhevsk, Russian Federation.

Three years ago, my husband decided to build a one-story house from wood concrete blocks, wood concrete, that is. That’s what was done: the load-bearing walls were made of this material, and on the outside there was a beautiful “Bassoon” brick, the foundation was a ribbon. Last year we moved in and immediately noticed that there was no humidity anywhere, it was dry, and it was easy to breathe. I recommend.

Vladimir, Vitebsk, Republic of Belarus.

Together with my brother-in-law, we made 3 blocks from wood chips and shavings for testing without any vibrators. True, they added sand to the solution, although it is not listed in the recipes on the Internet. After hardening, they subjected them to field tests and decided to build a house from them, since the products turned out to be amazingly strong. True, making wood concrete yourself is too expensive due to the loss of time. I will look for high-quality factory material.

Popular manufacturers and average cost of production

Wood concrete, although lightweight, is still concrete, and therefore it is more profitable for the builder to contact the nearest manufacturer, if, of course, the quality of its products is really worth a good word. Very often, wood concrete is produced using a rather artisanal method, which significantly affects its properties and its reputation.

Most often, companies offering the construction of buildings from wood concrete produce it themselves

• - one of the largest manufacturers in Russia, produces more than 1000 cubic meters. The cost of finished blocks depends on the type of material: the price of thermal insulating wood concrete per piece is 4600 rubles. per cubic meter m, and structural - from 5400 to 6200 rubles. per cubic meter m.
• The wood concrete products plant offers blocks of various sizes. The average cost of products is from 3600 rubles. per cubic meter m.
• The construction and trade company produces solid and hollow wood concrete at a price of 5,250 rubles. per cubic meter. The price here also includes delivery of the material.
• The Velizh house-building company has been producing wood concrete blocks since 2007. The cost of products is from 3900 rubles. per cubic meter m.
• The Vologda wood concrete plant offers structural wood concrete for 4,200 rubles. per cubic meter m.

Purchase of wood chips and wood for it

Raw materials for the production of wood chips can be found in forestry and an agreement can be made to purchase a certain volume; the cost of transporting it will fall on the buyer’s shoulders, and if you purchase wood from private companies that are intermediaries, delivery will be included in the cost of the material.

The wood chips themselves can be purchased from private companies that have purchased the appropriate equipment and produce them for sale. Or you can purchase the necessary chipping machine and make wood chips with your own hands; it will be much more economical.

History of wood concrete and wood concrete

Domestic experience in wood concrete production

According to the official version, wood concrete was first discovered by the Dutch in the 1930s. They developed a technology for producing a material called DURISOL. Representative offices of DURISOL appeared in Switzerland and Germany. Wood concrete using DURISOL technology, due to its characteristics and properties, has become known throughout Europe and North America.

Domestic experience in the production of wood concrete begins in 1960, when the Soviet Union, having copied the DURISOL technology, developed it based on GOST materials. Russian wood concrete passes all technical tests, even becoming standardized and certified in the USSR. More than a hundred factories for the production of wood concrete are being built on the territory of the Union, and the material is beginning to be used for the construction of factory buildings, rural houses and farms.

An interesting fact is that in the 60s, wood concrete panels were used in the construction of three buildings and a canteen in Antarctica, at the Molodezhnaya station. Despite the climate, the thickness of the walls was only 30 cm, and this was enough.

In the 80s, the Soviet Union developed a target program called “Arbolit”. Under this program, factories producing building materials begin to operate with a production capacity of 500 thousand m3 per year, and more than 3 thousand buildings are built from Soviet wood concrete.

In the 1990s, a guideline was taken for the construction of houses from blocks and panels based on inorganic aggregate. Arbolite, despite its unique properties, was not widely used in Soviet large-scale housing construction. Some wood concrete factories were destroyed, others were repurposed, and in general this industry was destroyed. And those buildings that were built from wood concrete back in the 60s now stand without losing their original appearance and condition.

Foreign experience in wood concrete production

• DURISOL (Netherlands)

Currently, DURISOL has representative offices in 12 countries, incl. in the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation. DURISOL wood concrete consists of coniferous wood chips (80-90% of the total volume), which is treated with mineral additives and Portland cement.

• Duripanel (Germany)

in Germany it produces wood concrete blocks; along with blocks, it also produces wall panels. The panel has a three-layer structure, a rigid base inside and a smooth top layer on both sides. To make panels, wood fibers, mineral additives, water and Portland cement are used as a binder.

• Velox (Austria)

For 50 years, the Austrian company has been producing permanent formwork. The formwork consists of compressed spruce wood chips (95% of the total volume), cement, liquid glass and aluminum sulfate.

• Permax (Japan)

Wood-cement boards "Permax" are produced in Japan. Softwood blanks and waste from plywood production are used as filler, from which longitudinal chips are made on planing machines. The shavings are dried, after which the wood fiber is spread in an even layer on a special spreading machine and impregnated with cement mortar with the addition of mineralizers. In addition to wood fiber, wood chips are used for Permax boards. In Japan, about 20 million pieces of such slabs are produced per year, their production is also developing in neighboring countries (Thailand, Philippines, etc.)

• Centuryboard (Japan and USA).

, specializing in the sawmill industry, organized the production of fire-resistant boards for exterior decoration. The plates are coated with acrylic paint or synthetic resins and have a good appearance.

• Faswall (USA)

produces blocks that consist of Portland cement, wood chips and fly ash. The blocks meet all American standards and have been widely used for 60 years.

• Lignacite ltd (UK)

developed building blocks based on pine sawdust, sand and cement. The blocks are hollow, have good thermal insulation properties, are waterproof, fireproof, frost-resistant and bioresistant. They are used for external and internal walls in low-rise construction.

• Saw concrete (Slovakia)

An effective wall material has been developed in Slovakia. Sawn concrete consists of wood waste - sawdust and shavings from softwood, calcium chloride and Portland cement. It is used for the construction of agricultural and residential buildings, construction of attics. The environmental friendliness and durability of wood concrete allows it to be used in unexpected ways. In Great Britain, the production of birdhouses made of wood concrete was organized.

Optimal equipment for the production of wood concrete

If we quickly collect the prevailing options, we get the following picture:

1. Disc wood chipper, DS31 (Belgorod). Factory price 199 thousand rubles.
   Advantages: compactness, mobility within the workshop.
2. Disadvantages: dependence on power supply.
3. Hammer chopper, DS31 (Stary Oskol). The average cost is 273 thousand rubles.
   Advantages: high productivity.
4. Disadvantages: requires additional capacity for transporting wood chips within the workshop.
5. Rotary chopper, BMP (Vologda). Prices within 230 thousand rubles.
   Advantages: combined type of wood chipper, high productivity.
6. Disadvantages: a certain size of the receiving window, raw materials require adjustment in size.
7. Mixing hopper, BMP (Vologda). Plant price 400 thousand rubles.
   Advantages: sufficient volume for commercial production.
8. Disadvantages: Requires continuous loading to operate effectively, not suitable for small batches.
9. Containers for liquids, IRPLAST (Irkutsk). Cost from 7 thousand rubles per 500 liters.
   Advantages: compact, different shapes, made of polyethylene.
10. Disadvantages: it has to be modified for use with pumps

Naturally, everyone wants the equipment to be:

• powerful;
• compact;
• productive.

However, in reality this is not always the case.

The price of products varies depending on the materials and components used. Two engines of the same power, but produced with different safety margins, will have different prices. The cheaper one will definitely be at risk of breakdown.

The size of the loss is comparable to the cost of the chip cutter itself. Therefore, there is no point in buying a chip cutter that costs less than 150 thousand rubles; these are unreliable options. Equipment produced in Belgorod and Vologda is considered optimal in this industry.

The nuances of buying and selling filler

It is possible to sell wood chips to large developers or small buyers through bulletin boards. Some manufacturers set a minimum purchase threshold - the volume of 1 car or 5-6 m³ of filler.

If there is a marriage, in terms of size, for example, all is not lost. Wood chips can be used not only for construction, but also for decorating areas near private houses and mulching plants.

Cost per cubic meter

The cost depends on the type of wood used for production, the size and quality of the chips, as well as the volume of purchase.

The price per cubic meter of filler is 350-800 rubles. The cost of unprocessed wood chips from chippers is 250-450 rubles. per 1 m³ when purchased from a large manufacturer. If there is high demand for the material, sales can start at a price of 500-600 rubles. per cubic meter.

Sale of wood chips for wood concrete at the maximum price, up to 1000-1200 rubles. for 1 m³. quite real if its quality is at its best. This is facilitated by grinding in special shredders and chemical treatment.

In addition to the quality of the wood chips, its cost also depends on the place of purchase. Ordering from the manufacturer will be the cheapest, but will require a large volume of purchases. Intermediaries and owners of wholesale warehouses sell material at a higher price, but in smaller quantities.

DIY wood concrete

Now we've come to the practical part. It’s one thing when production is designed for mass production, and another thing when everything is done for one’s own use. Here you can already do without expensive equipment.

Let's consider the most common household option, when wood concrete is prepared for building your own house and on your own . Although costs will be significantly reduced, it is important to do everything correctly so as not to maintain the quality of the product.

Equipment

You can’t do without a wood chipper, but you can reduce costs up to 4 times if you order the most important part of a wood chipper from turners .

Almost all lathes have a maximum possible workpiece diameter of 50 cm, so the disk on which the knives will be attached will also have a diameter of 50 cm.

It is better to place the knives at a slight angle, and it is better to place the receiving neck vertically.

The slab or board should fit along the edge, not flat.

For materials for the wood chipper you will need:

• spring from a car;
• studs made of durable metal;
• two bearings per axle;
• the axis itself.

It is better to make it from a hexagon, having previously made seats for the bearings. You can use one of the many videos from the Internet. A competent turner will understand how and what needs to be done. It is quite possible to make the bed yourself.

The standard solution is to install the engine together with a belt tensioner . The casing is welded in place.

However, the best results are obtained by combining a knife and hammer chopper. A disk with knives cuts wood waste into wide plates, unsuitable for use in wood concrete, and a hammer device breaks these plates into narrow thin needles, optimally suited for wood concrete.

The main difference between a hammer grinder and a knife grinder is that the impact on the wood is not exerted by sharp knives cutting the material, but by steel fingers (hammers) freely rotating on an axis .

Large chips cut by knives fall into the next compartment of the chopper, where they are crushed by fingers. In this case, the chips are divided along the fibers, forming thin long needles .

When struck across the fibers, wood separation does not occur, because the strength of the fibers is much higher in the bonds connecting them, even within one annual layer, not to mention the neighboring layers.

By changing the size of the mesh, which screens out insufficiently ground chips, you can obtain
chips of various shapes and sizes .
From rectangular, suitable for smoking (maximum mesh size), to narrow and thin needles (minimum size).

To manufacture such a universal machine you will need:

• shaft;
• cutting disc with knives;
• motor;
• drive unit;
• knife chopper body;
• steel rod with a diameter of 10–20 mm for the pin axes, as well as washers of a suitable diameter, 5 mm thick;
• steel plates 5 mm thick, 20–40 mm wide, 200–300 mm long;
• round or rectangular plates with a thickness of 10–15 mm and a diameter of 200–300 mm;
• stamped steel mesh, the width of which is equal to the width of the body, and the length is 60–80 cm.

One of the conditions that may require a major overhaul of the knife chipper is that the diameter of the knife disk must be 10–30 cm less than the internal diameter of the body, otherwise the chips will be difficult to reach the fingers .

For hammers, you can make 3 or 4 axes, the main thing is that they are all spaced at the same distance from each other, otherwise an imbalance will arise, which will lead to strong vibration of the device.

Creation of a hammer machine

We recommend making a hammer machine like this.

In both disks intended for installing the pin axes, drill holes for them. Place a washer between the blade and the first finger disc . On one side of the pin axles, cut a thread for a standard nut of a suitable diameter.

If it is possible to process the shaft on a lathe, then it is necessary to remove the knife disk from it and remove 5-7 mm from the opposite side, forming a rectangular protrusion, which is necessary for fixing the second disk that holds the axes of the fingers.

You can make two height differences, for the first and second finger disks, but for this, the initial thickness of the shaft must be at least 50 mm, so that after processing its thickness does not decrease less than 30 mm.

If this is not possible, then to fix the second disk you will have to use a sleeve made of a pipe of a suitable diameter, which must be put on the shaft, and from the side of the second disk, cut a thread on the shaft, after which the shaft should be aligned to the diameter of the support bearing.

You will have to use bearings of different sizes - a large one on the side of the knife disk and a small one on the side of the second finger disk, which will complicate the alignment of the shaft. You can use any other methods of fastening the disks that ensure their secure fixation.

Inserting the pin axes into the first disc and setting them at the correct angle, weld them to the disc on both sides. Install and secure the blade disc, then install the disc with the pin axles.

Place pins and washers on the axles, then screw on the inner nut to secure the disc. You need to tighten the nut until the gap between the fingers and the washers is 0.6–0.8 mm .

Place the lock washers on the axles and install the disc, then put the lock washer and nut back on each axle. Tighten the outer nuts to the appropriate torque for their size.

Install the assembled shaft onto the bearings and support. If the outer casing is smaller than required, replace or rework it . The size of the casing should be such that the distance between it and the extended finger is 1–1.5 cm.

The outlet hole must be covered with a steel mesh of suitable diameter.

Bins and forms

The forms offered by manufacturers are standard.

They have dimensions identical to those of foam blocks or polystyrene concrete blocks.

When building a house from wood concrete, blocks with dimensions of 20/40/60 cm are sought or made.

This is the optimal size for most regions.

Cooking molds is a little expensive, so using a grinder you can cut sheets of metal to assemble typesetting molds .

It is desirable that the blocks in these forms are positioned vertically to simplify compaction with a small pressing area.

There is also an option when the finished mixture is directly laid in the formwork, where it is possible to lay reinforcement for the tie . In most cases, masonry mesh . Load-bearing floor slabs cannot be made from wood concrete, but lintels for windows can be made.

After the wood chips have already been chopped and processed, you can begin the direct production of wood concrete. Preparation of wood chips consists of treating it once or twice with a solution of aluminum sulfate or sprinkling it with slaked lime and maintaining the time limit.

If raw wood chips are poured with slaked lime , then this process is optimal when storing wood chips for a period of 2 months or more. If sprayed with lime milk , the aging of the wood chips is reduced by a month.

Aluminum sulfate solution significantly reduces the processing time of wood chips - up to one week. Mixing the wood chips during storage provides ventilation for drying, as well as the removal of small fractions lower to the base of the box. This will allow you to do without sieves and other devices.

Features of making mortar for arbolite blocks

Wood waste contains sugars. If you use fresh raw materials, the sugars may begin to ferment, which will cause the destruction of the integrity of the block. When mixing, chemical additives are added to the solution that neutralize their effects (liquid glass, calcium chloride, alumina sulfate, lime). They can be added in combinations: calcium chloride with liquid glass or alumina sulfate with lime. The total mass of additives should not exceed 8%.

There are other ways to break down sugars. The simplest, but requiring a long period of time, is to keep the wood chips in a pile for at least 90 days in the air. If it is not possible to wait, the wood chips are soaked in lime milk for 3 days, stirring occasionally. Then it is strained, not dried, and used in this form for kneading. Only in this case it is necessary to take into account that significantly less water will be required. This method works well, but it is very troublesome. It is easier to find an opportunity to purchase chemical additives.

The procedure and features of mixing the solution

To mix the solution, use a forced-type concrete mixer. You can also use a regular gravity or “pear”, but you have to knead in it for a long time, although you can adapt - tilt the pear as low as possible when kneading (it hardly mixes when raised).

Forced type concrete mixer

First, sawdust is poured in and a certain amount of water is added. While the sawdust is getting wet, chemical additives are diluted in a small amount of water, then they are unloaded into a concrete mixer. When all the wood is uniformly wet, cement is poured. It is loaded in portions, waiting for uniform distribution throughout the entire volume. The cement should envelop each chip from all sides. This is only possible if the sawdust is well wet, so we monitor this stage carefully.

Block molding

The solution is poured into molds. Most often they are made of metal and are a box with handles without a bottom. The form is placed on a flat surface (a board, for example). When manually tamping, the molds are filled with wood concrete mortar, layer by layer, each of which is pressed with a metal platform with a handle. In order for the air to escape better, the thickness of the material is pierced several times with a metal rod, and then pressed again. This procedure can be repeated several times until the desired layer density is reached, after which the next one can be poured. The layers are poured to the upper edge of the block, after final compaction the top is leveled, cutting off the excess with a metal strip.

You can use a lever - mechanical or driven. In this case, the force develops significant and the entire volume can be loaded at once, if necessary, adding to the edge. To achieve high density, you can press several times, now increasing and then loosening the pressure. Experience shows that with this principle of manufacturing arbolite blocks, they are more durable, and depressing (restoring shape due to the elastic force of the chips) is much less pronounced.

Better blocks in terms of strength and with less effort are obtained if vibration is added during the pressing process. In this case, the efforts required to obtain the required strength are reduced significantly. Vibrating tables are made for these purposes. And the process is called vibration with a weight.

The formed block on a stand is transferred to the drying place. If the solution allows and the block holds its shape, the frame can be removed. But sometimes homemade wood concrete blocks suffer from the fact that the solution turns out to be too liquid - it’s easier to compact it this way. In this case, the blocks are left in the mold for a day. Use and transportation of blocks is possible no earlier than 2-3 weeks after molding.

Features of the construction of their arbolite blocks

The blocks are laid according to the brick type - with bandaging of the seams, using cement-sand mortar. One of the features is the thickness of the seam - about 8-10 mm. Between the foundation and the first row of blocks it is necessary to make a very high-quality cut-off waterproofing. This will prevent moisture from leaking through the foundation from the soil. We do a combination of waterproofing - first we impregnate it with bitumen mastic or any other coating waterproofing material, and lay roll waterproofing on top. In the past, roofing felt was always used, but today it is of low quality and will collapse in a couple of years. And it is important to prevent moisture leakage (due to the high water absorption of wood concrete), so use waterproofing or something similar. It is possible, in two layers, also coated with bitumen mastic.

The next nuance is the masonry above window and door openings. It is best to use special U-shaped blocks in which to lay a reinforcing frame and 4 reinforcement bars with a diameter of 10-12 mm. It is better to tie it down so that there is less chance of corrosion. First, blocks with recesses are installed above the opening. They can be supported from below with a board and spacers. Then the frame is laid, everything is filled with concrete. Leave the structure for a day, after which the supports can be removed and masonry can continue.

This is how lintels are made from wood concrete blocks over windows and doors

There are many nuances of building a house from wood concrete blocks in the video.