How to make silicone stone molds. Do-it-yourself production and installation of artificial stone. Production of artificial stone from cement

Currently as finishing material for brick or block masonry, artificial stone is becoming more common. Its cost is quite high, but at the same time there is the possibility of making it with your own hands.

Homemade stone, subject to production technology, is not much different from that sold by construction bases and shops. One of the most expensive Supplies required in sufficient quantities in the process of work are reusable Silicone forms. Their cost per m2 from various manufacturers is 12 - 14 thousand rubles. At the same time, it is possible to independently manufacture these consumables.

About production on the example of molds for artificial stone and will be discussed in the future.

In the case of making reusable silicone molds with your own hands, you will need:

a full-size sample of the product (you can purchase a small batch for subsequent copying);
several pieces of lined chipboard or plywood with a thickness of at least 20 millimeters;
a screwdriver and several wood screws;
consumables - two-component silicone and an aerosol separator;
a container for mixing silicone components with a construction mixer.

Making a frame for pouring a mold

We begin the mold manufacturing process with the installation of the base for subsequent work. It is an open box structure consisting of side walls and a bottom. Inner dimensions boxes should be 40-50 millimeters larger than the dimensions of the copied product.

In the case of making a mold into several separate elements, the distance between each should be 25-30 millimeters.

First way joining the walls of the box - using self-tapping screws screwed into the ends of the side walls. Disadvantage - at frequent use chipboard edges will begin to crumble, and the quality of the connection will drop sharply, which will lead to a deterioration in the quality of mold making.

Second way consists in attaching small bars of chipboard or chipboard to the ends of the walls hard rock wood. This, coupled with the use of four screw clamps, will allow you to assemble and disassemble the base when the mold is released as quickly as possible.

Directly on a piece of chipboard used as a bottom, it is necessary to lay the copied product with the flat, non-shaped side down.

In order to avoid leakage of the mold material into the gap, it must be carefully lubricated with plasticine or viscous sealant on any basis.

To collected topics or otherwise to the frame with the help of self-tapping screws, we attach the bottom with the copied product laid on it.

The next mandatory step is the application of several layers of a release agent, which facilitates the process of separating the finished form from the copied product. As an example, we can recommend quite common in Russia Pol Ease, Universal Mold Release, One Step and others. For their application, you can use a brush or purchase the composition in aerosol cans.

The separator is applied both to the product to be copied and to the inner surfaces of the base for the manufacture of the future form.

After preparing the base, we proceed to the manufacture of the polyurethane mixture. At present, due to the growth in the production of decorative molded products from gypsum, concrete, plastics, low-melting metals, fast-hardening materials, curing at room temperatures there have been quite a few. Their advantage is that there is no need to use additional devices and control of heating temperatures of the composition and ambient air. It is enough to thoroughly mix the two components in weight or volume proportions - the base and the catalyst, and in a day a high-quality tear-resistant material is obtained, which allows the molds made from it to be used up to two hundred times.

Among the widely used are Plat & Set, Mold Star, E-Series, NY 600-Series, Poly 75-70.

Measure the required amount of components and mix them thoroughly by hand or using a construction mixer. A prerequisite is the preparation of the mixture in a clean container made of plastic or metal, and strict adherence to the manufacturer's instructions.

Fill with ready mix inner space base a few centimeters higher than the product to be copied.

After the composition has completely set, it is necessary to carefully disassemble the base, separating the walls from each other and unscrewing the bottom.

Just carefully separate the finished form from the copied product.

To do this, you can use any improvised means. The main thing is not to damage the silicone mold. If the technology is followed, the resulting form should completely copy the appearance of the product.

The strength of the resulting form will be sufficient for reusable. To obtain a new product, it is necessary to carefully pre-treat the internal surfaces with a release agent of one of the above brands.

Then prepare the concrete mixture for filling. The consistency of the composition should not be excessively moist.

After the concrete has hardened, you will receive a perfect copy of your product.

Having received a form with satisfactory qualities and having tested it in practice, you can safely proceed to the manufacture of the required number of new ones. Remember that silicone can become unusable not only from mechanical impact but also over time. In this regard, make as many molds as you can use constantly, do not produce them for future use. In the future, if necessary, you can easily repeat the process using well-established technology.

Dear readers, if you still have questions, ask them using the form below. We will be glad to communicate with you;)

Wall decoration with artificial stone is fashionable, prestigious and aesthetically pleasing. You can't argue with this statement. This material is too good to refuse to use it, but too expensive to opt for it without hesitation.

Make a batch of material for home decorative panel you can do it with your own hands. Fortunately, our users are completely free to share their best practices in this area. There are several technological solutions that can be applied with equal success at home. And today we will look at one of them: one that is based on the use of homemade silicone molds.

From the article you will learn:

What materials are needed for the manufacture of silicone molds for decorative artificial stone.
Everything about self-manufacturing silicone molds.
Everything about the technology of pouring and the composition of mixtures for the manufacture of artificial stone.

Why silicone

In fact, molds (matrices) intended for the manufacture of artificial stone at home are made from various materials, natural and synthetic (wood, rubber, silicone, polyurethane, etc.). Each material has its own advantages and disadvantages:

rubber molds - products are durable and easy to use, but it is very difficult to make them at home;
polyurethane forms are elastic (which is their indisputable advantage), but difficult to manufacture;
silicone molds are strong enough, elastic and easy to manufacture.

dronduletus FORUMHOUSE user

I mainly made molds from sealant (silicone). It is better from it: this form conveys the relief better, it is easier to remove the finished casting from it. If a stone is poured from gypsum, such a mold can withstand up to 200 castings.

Samples for making molds

The first thing you need to make silicone molds are samples of stones that you plan to produce at home. It is recommended to use several samples of the same type (master forms) at once, which differ in relief and texture.

This greatly diversifies the richness of shapes and textures. The number of initial samples depends on your wishes and on the formwork area that will be used to make the mold. One form can be designed for one or ten different cells - it all depends on your needs and scope. You can start your "experiments" by making a mold for pouring one stone. For the production of the same type of stones, it is better to make several identical shapes.

dronduletus

For 1 type of stone, it is better to make 3-4 forms. So it is faster to pour stones, and the molds will last longer.

Initial samples are purchased on the construction market, they are widely represented both in Moscow and in other cities and regions.

Master molds for the manufacture of the matrix should have the highest quality surface. The surface of the samples should not be full of all kinds of shells, open pores of concrete and other defects.

Formwork design for mold

Having prepared several suitable stones as samples, you can begin to create formwork. Given that chemical compounds, which are part of the molding silicone (namely, it is best to cast a matrix for artificial stone from it) are quite strong reagents, it is very important to choose the right material for making formwork. Perfect for our purposes sheet material having a smooth and chemically neutral surface: plywood, plastic, etc.

dronduletus

Silicone is a reactive material. It easily corrodes some surfaces and sticks to them quickly. For formwork, it is better to use PVC panels or some kind of plastic. Maybe Plexiglas. Personally, I made the edge of the formwork from mayonnaise buckets.

For the manufacture of formwork, we need a chemically neutral base and four even walls (made of wooden slats).

The height of the rails should be selected in such a way that the layer of filled silicone is higher top point master forms, at least 1-2 cm.

The thicker the bottom of the silicone mold, the longer it will last. But making molds that are too thick leads to overuse of silicone. Therefore, when deciding on this parameter, everyone is looking for a “golden mean” for themselves.

Formwork assembly

Before assembling the formwork, prepared master forms should be glued to the base surface. The distance between adjacent samples, as well as between samples and formwork walls, must be at least 1 cm.

Ideally, the molds should be glued to the base of the die with hot glue (using a special gun).

In the absence of such equipment, you can use the usual silicone sealant. The sealant is applied to the underside of the master mold along its entire perimeter, after which the original sample is glued to the surface of the base.

It is very important to apply sealant (glue) along the entire perimeter. This will help to avoid the formation of gaps between the master forms and the base. If the gaps remain, then the silicone will easily fill them. As a result, the finished silicone mold cannot be removed from the formwork.

Excess glue that is squeezed out of the outer contour of the master form should be removed with a regular breadboard model.

Once again making sure that there are no gaps between the stones and the base, you can install the formwork walls. The formwork is attached to the base with self-tapping screws (it is better to drill holes for self-tapping screws in advance). Between the walls of the formwork and the base, as well as on the ends of the walls, it is advisable to glue the sealant tape.

This will reliably protect the formwork from silicone leaks.

Applying a separator

A release agent is a compound that is applied to the inner surface of the formwork, as well as to the samples used. The separator prevents the silicone from sticking to the surface, so that the finished mold can be easily removed from the formwork after curing.

As a separator, it is customary to use a soap solution. Laundry or toilet soap is diluted in containers until it is received. thick foam(consistency - approximately like shaving foam), after which it is carefully applied with a paint brush to the surface of stones and formwork.

Soap foam has proven to be a very effective separator. But to anyone good remedy there will always be worthy alternative. If you are not embarrassed by the additional costs, then you can purchase an anti-adhesive aerosol lubricant on the construction market. And here is what one of our users recommends using.

dronduletus

Oils are absorbed and evaporated, so silicone can stick. Conclusion: you need to separate with grease. Before coming to my results, I read a lot on the Internet and tried a bunch of options in practice.

pouring silicone

After the formwork dries, you can start pouring silicone. For work, it is recommended to use a two-component liquid silicone, which is designed specifically for the manufacture of decorative molds.

Silicone (compound + hardener) is diluted in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations and poured into the formwork in a thin stream.

Before pouring, the formwork should be set exactly on a horizontal level.

After waiting for the time required for the silicone to harden (the time is indicated by the mortar manufacturer), you can remove the form from the formwork. If the release agent was applied in a continuous layer, then the silicone mold will easily move away from the surface of the formwork and samples. decorative stone.

Silicone molds are durable: the finished matrix can withstand from 200 gypsum pours and from 50 concrete mixtures.

stone making

In most cases, cement or gypsum mortar is used to make artificial stone. For finishing the facade, stone based on sand and cement is best suited (such material is better protected from the harmful effects of atmospheric factors). gypsum stone most often used if you need to decorate the interior. It is these principles that should be guided by those who still have insufficient experience in the manufacture of artificial stone.

Dronduietus

About gypsum: many do not recommend using gypsum stone for facade works. But they do not recommend, mainly, those who are engaged in the production of stone: it is more profitable, more expensive and easier to sell concrete; and gypsum needs high-quality protection. Gypsum tiles need to be strengthened with various additives, so few people dare to experiment. Although there are people who have plaster sculptures and stucco for 10 years on the street, and nothing happens to the material.

Pouring technology

When pouring artificial stone into silicone molds, one thing must be taken into account. important point: with the aim of quality decoration products, the outer layer of color (paint) is best applied not to the stone itself, but to the inner surface of the silicone mold. Therefore, the filling of the form is carried out in 3 stages.

Stage one- coloring the form. The inner surface of the mold is painted with diluted dye. When pouring concrete, a dye for cement mortars is used; when pouring gypsum, a dye for plaster tiles. Coloring is done randomly (without a certain "artistic intent"), which allows you to get a completely natural texture on the front surface of the stone.

Staining should be done immediately before pouring building mix(so that the color does not have time to dry).

Stage two- filling starter mix. A small amount of the mixture containing the dye is poured into the mold and spread over its inner surfaces with a spatula.

The composition of the cement mixture is different from the usual mortar the ratio of components: one part of cement (M400 ... M500) and three parts of sand (sand can be used a little less). The dye is diluted at the rate of: 2 ... 3% by weight of solid components (sand and cement).

Compound gypsum mixture: gypsum (grade G-5 and higher), food grade lemon acid, which slows down the setting of gypsum (0.3% by weight of gypsum), dye (5 ... 6% by weight of gypsum) and water.

Gypsum and cement mixture diluted with water to a consistency that resembles liquid sour cream.

Stage three- pouring the base mixture. The composition of the base mixture includes all components of the starting composition (with the exception of dyes).

The second and third steps can be combined by pouring the base mix (with dye) in one go.

The base mixture is preferably poured on a vibrating table. Without vibration, the quality of the tile may suffer a little, because air bubbles may remain in the internal structure of the stone.

The stones are removed from the mold after solidification. Cement stone can be removed after 12 hours, gypsum - after 20 ... 30 minutes. After removing the stones, the mold should be thoroughly washed (this will prolong its service life).

- this is a rather extensive topic, which is considered on the pages of our portal. From it you can get information about additives, additives and plasticizers, as well as about various pouring technologies that our users successfully use in practice. We also suggest that you read an interesting article on how (that is, without using pouring forms). A video about finishing a wooden facade with natural stone will tell you about the installation rules that apply to both natural and artificial decor elements.

Fake diamond is a good alternative to natural stone. It is used both for interior decoration and for outer cladding facades of buildings, fountains, paths, etc. It is light weight and easy to cut, making installation easier. Today, a large number of ready-made kits for making artificial stone are sold, which greatly simplifies the process of creating it yourself. But you can do all the work yourself by choosing the stone you need in terms of texture and shape as a sample.

Artificial stone - what is it?

Materials for the manufacture of artificial stone are different and depend on the place of application of the finished stones. So, for outdoor work they are made on the basis of cement mortar, and for finishing interior spaces gypsum is used.

In addition, in plaster and cement mortar, to give texture, sand can be added, stone chips or fine gravel. You can also immediately add a coloring pigment, which will not affect the physical properties of the finished product.

The price of artificial stone is low, but it is even more profitable to make it yourself. In this case, the final cost will be significantly lower than the market value, which will allow them to finish large areas at little financial cost. Making artificial stone at home is a very simple process that even a child can handle. The key to success in this work is nice shape. It is better not to save and not buy plastic, which will break after a few fills. The most reliable and durable are molds made of polyurethane and silicone.

Making a mold

First, formwork is made, which should be 1 cm wider and 3 cm higher than the original sample. It is made of plywood, boards or plastic panels. If you need a small form, it is enough to use a juice box.

It is more convenient when a separate formwork is made for each stone. It must be connected carefully so that there are no gaps left. Then any lubricant, such as grease, is liberally applied to the bottom and walls. Next, it fits a natural stone, from which the form is taken over, and is also abundantly covered with grease. A ready-made gypsum stone covered with several layers of drying oil or varnish and thoroughly dried is suitable as a sample. A small formwork is needed, you can use a juice box. eln

For the manufacture of molds, polyurethane or silicone sealant is used. It is evenly squeezed out into a mold and compacted with a wide brush, which is constantly wetted in a diluted soapy water. This is done in order to remove all air bubbles and make it more durable. After the entire form is densely filled to the brim, its surface is leveled with a spatula. This stage is very important, since during further pouring any unevenness will lead to skew and uneven distribution of the mixture. Then the form together with the formwork is left to dry, which takes at least 2 months. After this period, the formwork is removed and the resulting form is washed from grease.

Tip: cracks formed on the surface of the mold must be immediately covered with sealant and leveled.

But if you do it yourself, there is no desire on your own, you can always buy ready-made molds for the manufacture of artificial stone. If it is necessary to manufacture a small amount, an economy option is suitable, consisting of a set for pouring 3-4 stones.

How to make an artificial stone from gypsum

In addition to the fact that artificial stone is much cheaper than natural, it is also much lighter than it. This is especially important when they get off large areas.

For ease of manufacture, it is necessary to prepare a working area. You will need a flat surface on which the molds for pouring will be located. It should not have the slightest skew, otherwise the stone will turn out to be thicker and stronger at one end, and thin and fragile at the other. In the form of gypsum hardens very quickly, but for further work it is desirable to dry it for several days. Therefore, you will need racks with a large number of shelves. In addition, you need a place where gypsum, paint, a mixing container, etc. will be placed.

Important! In the manufacture gypsum mortar, gypsum is added to the water, and not vice versa.

Gypsum hardens very quickly, so at a time it must be diluted to fill 1-2 stones. The ratio of water and dry mixture is selected individually, depending on the brand of gypsum. But it should be remembered that the thicker the composition, the stronger the stone will turn out. Ideally, the consistency of the mixture should resemble thick sour cream, but at the same time, it should be easy to pour and not thicken ahead of time. If it didn’t work out quickly, and mounds formed on the surface, they can be easily removed from the finished stone with a clerical knife. Additionally, strength can be increased by adding about 10% sand to the solution.

To speed up your work, gypsum composition a plasticizer is added, for example, PVA glue or citric acid. It will prevent the rapid solidification of the gypsum, and will allow the mixture to be diluted to large quantity stones.

When using a polyurethane mold, there is no need to lubricate it before pouring. Gypsum stone will be easily removed from it. But if a plastic or silicone mold is used, for better separation after solidification, apply special formulations based on wax and turpentine.

When pouring gypsum, air bubbles form, most of them disappear on their own after a while, but it is better to play it safe and shake the mold slightly. After 20-30 minutes, the stones are taken out and transferred to the shelves to dry.

To do this, the colors of the required colors are diluted in a large amount of water, and applied with a brush. It is not necessary to be an artist and draw nuances, it is enough to apply strokes randomly, resulting in a natural natural color.

At the end, the stones can be varnished, but use matte, not glossy. The latter will give them the appearance of plastic and unnatural. If a room with normal humidity, then cover them protective composition not necessary.

The artificial stone made in this way received a mass positive feedback and became the most common modern finishing material.

Production of artificial stone from cement

Inexpensive artificial stone for outdoor use is made from more durable cement. A solution is mixed from one part of sand and three parts of cement. The desired coloring pigment is added to it, its required amount can only be established empirically. Water is added to the resulting dry mixture until the solution has the consistency of thick sour cream.

Then the form is half filled with the resulting mixture and shaken well to compact. After that, to increase strength, a reinforcing mesh is placed on top, and the mold is filled with mortar to the top. Grooves are drawn along the top with a stick or nail - this will provide better adhesion to the wall during installation.

At least 12 hours are allotted for its solidification, then the stone is removed from the mold and left for final drying for 2 weeks.

Important! The mold must be rinsed after each filling. detergent or soap composition.

Laying artificial stone

The methods of laying artificial stone will differ depending on the material used.

Make the surface more consistent natural stone, you can make it monolithic and homogeneous. This is done using a seamless laying method. At the same time, it is important that he smooth edges and clear geometric shape, in this case, each tile is ideally suited to each other.

When simulating brickwork or cobblestones, the stones are attached with the presence of seams between them, which are subsequently filled with grout desired color. It is worth noting that such seams do not have to be made even; for the effect of naturalness, they must differ in width.

Rectangular stones, when installed, can be mounted with a change in direction. Some of them are installed horizontally, and the other part is vertical. This method creates an abstract surface that looks equally good in classical style as well as modern style.

For laying artificial stone indoors, glue is used for ceramic tiles, liquid nails or acrylic sealant. If the stone needs to be fixed outside the house, then cement moisture-resistant and frost-resistant glue or liquid nails.

The first row of rectangular stones is laid out using the level, as it will be decisive for all subsequent rows.
When fixing the stone above the opening, spacers are installed to fix it for the time of gluing.
During the installation of artificial stone, attention should be paid to the texture and color of the tiles. They should not be repeated on neighboring stones.

Artificial stone in the interior

AT last years becomes fashionable for interior decoration use natural materials. The stone is suitable for all directions in interior design, but the cost of natural material is very high, and therefore not available to everyone. The artificial analogue that appeared not so long ago became instantly popular due to its complete resemblance to natural, as well as its low price. When using stone in the interior, the room becomes refined, beautiful and cozy.

It goes well with the old luxury furniture, which gives solidity and charm.

And in houses filled with modern technologies it looks harmonious.

To create a unique design, it is not necessary to finish entire walls with stone. It is enough to line them with shelves, window sills, corners, door or window openings.

Tiles are a versatile material that can be used to beautifully and reliably decorate a house, both inside and out. Someone orders tiles from special catalogs, paying for the services of specialists in the installation of products, and someone prefers to try himself in the field of not only a stacker, but also a master in the manufacture of tiles and decorative stone the right sizes, colors and structures.

To get quality facade tiles or stone will need to use special shapes. Again, there are two options here: buy pre-made molds or make your own. Let's take a difficult path and consider the process of making molds for tiles and artificial stone at home.

Features of molds for tiles and stone

For the manufacture of products is usually used ABS plastic , as well as a number of other materials, among which the most popular are silicone, PVC and polyurethane. It is these materials that allow as a result to obtain products with the desired degree of matte and glossy surface. Forms made of PVC and plastic are especially convenient because they do not require lubrication and steaming, since in the process of preparing products with their help concrete mix does not stick.

An interesting material option for molds is polyurethane, which is especially strong and durable.. Polyurethane products can be used to cast more than a thousand slabs, the feature of which will be a perfect glossy surface.

Varieties of molded products

A wide range of products for casting facade tiles and stone opens up many possibilities for the realization of unique design ideas towards the façade. Most bright examples products:

limestone ore;
figured slate;
dolomite;
marble ore, etc.

Pay attention to the fact that the laying of finished facade tiles or artificial stone requires certain calculations in order for the laying to turn out to be even and durable.

During the installation process, it will be necessary to use not only the level, but also such important materials, like a rail and a plumb line.

Before moving on to laying tiles or stone, you will need to prepare:

buy go make molds for products with your own hands;
assemble or buy a ready-made vibrating table;
knead the composition for stone or facade tiles;
prepare the form on the vibrating table;
let the finished product brew in the form throughout the day;
carry out the formwork.

Finished products can be used immediately for finishing the facade, or they can be packed for further storage.

If you are not yet ready to make molds, then you can purchase finished products, the cost of which will vary depending on the material from which they are made.

How to make a tile with your own hands

The process of manufacturing facade tiles consists of several stages:

material extraction;
transporting it to a place for storage;
processing;
molding;
drying;
firing.

It all starts with quarry work - the extraction of material for the creation of products. Most often, clay is used, which is soaked and frozen at low temperatures for 10-12 months.

For quality processing prepared material is best suited to special machines that will detect and process unwanted inclusions. At the molding stage, processing takes place in several ways: plastic molding, casting and semi-dry pressing. Finished products are dried to prevent shrinkage and cracks in the future, after which they are fired to form a finished facade tile.

In addition to clay, concrete mix is suitable for making tiles., from which it is easier to create products at home from do-it-yourself forms. In the process, the vibrocasting method is most often used to obtain slabs with low porosity on the surface as a result. By preparing a mixture of cement, sand and gravel, it can be colored with coloring pigments. As for the equipment necessary for the work, it will be enough to have a conventional concrete mixer and a vibrating platform.

Pay attention to the fact that plastic molds suitable for the preparation of products from gypsum and concrete, but not from clay. Also, plastic is not suitable option material for the manufacture of molds intended for decorative stone, ideally repeating the structure of natural.

Note that the manufacture of facade tiles today is an activity that everyone can master. The material is easy to use and allows you to create a finish that protects the facade and gives it a special texture. Molds for casting products are distinguished by their plasticity and practicality, allowing you to make materials of the desired color, texture, visually as close as possible to natural ones, with your own hands.

Production of molded products for decorative stone

Forms for artificial stone, as well as for tiles, can be made by hand or bought ready-made complete with materials for making products.

The most convenient to use are rubber, silicone and polyurethane forms, from which the stone is easiest and fastest to remove after the mass has solidified.

Considering that the cost ready-made forms high, it makes sense to consider the possibility of making them at home.

The dependence of the price of silicone and polyurethane on the brand

The best option is to make a mold from polyurethane. Packing a material weighing 7 kg will cost no more than three thousand rubles, while from it it will be possible to make several forms of the sizes you need at once. If you decide to use silicone, then it is best to select a European-made acetic-based material.

To make it easier to remove finished products from the mold, it is useful to use matrix separator, which is easy to make from gum turpentine, beeswax and paraffin. To prepare the mass, wax with paraffin is melted in a water bath, adding turpentine at the end. Lubricate the sides of the mold and the surface of the stone with the mixture.

The instructions for making a polyurethane or silicone mold are as follows:

Choose a few stones that you think are suitable for the role of samples.
Post them on chipboard sheet or fiberboard front side down at a distance of a few centimeters from each other.
Treat the smooth side of the stones with silicone and press firmly into the surface.
Treat the contours of the stones with sealant so that air does not get under them. Silicone for aquariums is suitable for pouring, which will help to avoid leaks.
Let the sealant dry for several hours.
Prepare the formwork at a distance of a few centimeters from the stone.
Seal the edges and corners of the formwork with silicone to prevent leakage of polyurethane.
Allow the mass to dry (at least 12 hours).
Lubricate the formwork and samples with the wax mixture prepared earlier and let dry for two hours.
Prepare the polyurethane mixture.
Fill the matrix with silicone or polyurethane. Pour polyurethane in a thin stream, silicone with a brush dipped in soapy mass.
Dismantle the formwork in a day and remove the stone models from the mold.
Dry the finished products for two weeks.

Artificial stone made from casting molds is suitable for exterior cladding, interior elements, borders, tiles, fences. Making stone for specific purposes ensures that the material created will meet quality requirements and provide a consistent appearance. Polyurethane molds for the production of artificial stone allow you to reproduce almost any structure.

Polyurethane mold for artificial stone

Polyurethane molds are the basis of the production process for creating a stone structure. This is the most expensive part tooling and equipment. High quality matrix allows you to turn the poured solution into a durable product.

There are three main types of molds.

Plastic molds are a cheap type of matrix. The material is extremely difficult to process. Short service life - about 50 casting cycles, which requires monthly renewal.

Flexible molds - silicone compounds and resin elastic materials. The disadvantage is an increase in the number of bubbles scattered over the entire surface, and the difficulty in its coloring due to the fat content of silicones, in contrast to polyurethane resins.

polyurethane molds. Durability up to 40 cycles and high levels shrinkage.

Polyurethane molds are preferred for technological process stone casting. If properly maintained, matrices can last for years and produce thousands of elements.

Tools and materials for preparation

For high quality templates capable of accurate texture reproduction natural materials, use molded polyurethane. This unique material is resistant to wear, corrosion and flexible, and withstands high mechanical loads.

Polyurethane molds are made by cold polymerization, a solution for the formation of two-component polyurethane compounds. Despite the simplicity of the technology, a lot of experience is required to create a reliable model.

To get a polyurethane mold with your own hands, you need:

samples of artificial or natural stone;
two-component polyurethane compound;
sanitary silicone;
plywood, MDF boards or chipboard;
self-tapping screws;
liter bucket;
putty knife.

To make frames, you need to prepare a smooth section of MDF or chipboard according to the size and pattern of the elements of the side walls. On the surface of the plate, by mounting plumbing silicone, a texture sample is copied. The distance from the sample to the side walls must be at least one centimeter. Further, the assembled formwork is sealed with a silicone frame and poured with a solution.

Polyurethane compound

The main consideration when choosing a mold material is the presence of fillers in the compound: to reduce cost, change strength, weight, or appearance castings to make the die design more workable before or after curing. The "A" part of the compound, made from most two-component polyurethane resins, comes with a certain amount of filler already included.

A high quality line of two part liquid rubbers are commercially available that can be poured, smeared or sprayed during the template making process at room temperature.

A polyurethane compound is two solutions based on different polyurethanes. The mixture of the combined components solidifies at room temperature.

The material is designed specifically for the manufacture of molds for casting artificial stone, because due to plasticity, it can easily repeat any complex pattern with maximum accuracy. Because of liquid state, raw materials can be easily measured, mixed and prepared for casting.

The solution has fast time curing, which allows you to work with the matrix a few hours after production, but the time for full stabilization is about 12 hours.

The presence of filler in the compound will lead to exothermic heat build-up, which slows down the setting reaction and reduces the shrinkage rate. In casting polyurethane, it is recommended that when using a significant amount of filler, the percentage of added catalyst be increased from the usual 1% to 2% (even up to 4% with small volume mixing).

Manufacturing process of polyurethane mold

The creation of artificial stone begins with the manufacture correct pattern. A large number of castings can be made from a single quality matrix. With solid shape you can reproduce almost any kind of texture, and create the same tiles or sections, which is important when installing large planes.

Two types of molding processes can be used: open casting and closed casting. Flexible molds can be produced by pouring. In this case, their lower surface will be flat, but due to the deformation of the side walls caused by the weight of the solution being poured, the matrix must be significantly increased in thickness. This leads to a significant consumption of the compound and the cost of the manufacturing process of the casting structure.

Block mold production is the fastest and the easy way, but requires more molding material.

Production stages

The process consists of several stages:

Designing a model - a prototype of stone or tile that needs to be recreated where all the other sections will be located.
Creating a casting box - a frame with walls around the model, you can use plywood.
The molding compound is mixed according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Place the prototype in the die, pouring the material into the corner of the mold so that the solution flows gently through the prototype, as this will reduce blistering.

After the molding material hardens, the matrix is disassembled, the resulting model is carefully removed from the prototype. Open casting is used mainly for flat objects with slight differences in relief. A simple molding method, especially suitable for beginners.

The specimen is fixed rigidly in a sealed polyurethane mold, with pattern spacing typically greater than 2 cm. Ready mix Applied with a soft brush for precise relief coverage and removal of micro-air bubbles. The mixture is then poured in such a way as to provide a minimum mold thickness of 6 to 10 mm. The main advantages of open pouring are simplicity and the possibility of visual control of the air pocket when using transparent polyurethane grades.

Benefits of Forms

Made polyurethane forms have increased plasticity and strength, and thanks to special fillers - high resistance to abrasion. Such frameworks allow you to create stones from silicone, wax, concrete, gypsum, low metal mortars, epoxy or polyester resins.

Product Benefits polyurethane molds:

Products obtained from polyurethane molds are characterized by a high degree of imitation of natural surfaces.
It is possible to use materials that perfectly reproduce the relief of a natural surface.
Thanks to inner surface shape, you can get a variety of product colors and create effects of spraying, blurring, overlaying shades.
The resulting decorative stone has a well-defined geometry and low weight, which ensures the realization of the design and easy installation.
Molded elements do not require any additional finishing.

Structures for artificial stone, made of cast polyurethane, in comparison with the strength of the mold made of plastic, are productive for 2 years, and have:

Good operating characteristics.
Light viscosity and fluidity.
Low shrinkage.
No deformation.
High hardness.
Thermal resistance.
Resistance to acids and alkalis.
Aging resistance.

Polyurethane molds allow you to create a huge range of models: decorative wall from masonry, lined stone or brick, modern 3d panels, large-format decorative stone panels, ultra-thin and flexible stone wallpapers, elite paving slabs, as well as architectural decor elements.

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