Chamotte clay - how to breed this miracle of nature? How to prepare a mortar for laying a furnace: methods for making a masonry mixture yourself

Clay modeling is the most exciting activity, which will bring joy to the child, help develop hand motor skills, and can also become a serious hobby for an adult. Clay crafts are beautiful, original, eco-friendly. One of the main questions for a beginner sculptor is what kind of clay to use?

Finished clay. Currently, art stores offer a wide range of ready-made polymer composition for modeling. This, of course, is very convenient, but there are also disadvantages. Firstly, the finished mass is quite expensive, secondly, it is sold in small packages, such packaging is not enough for the manufacture of large products, and thirdly, it contains chemical substances. It will be much more economical and environmentally friendly to prepare polymer clay for modeling with your own hands.
Natural clay powder sold in hardware and hardware stores. Plus - a relatively small price with a fairly large packaging (3, 5, 10 kilograms).
Natural clay. If you wish, you can collect necessary material in quarries, ravines, etc. The cost will be zero, however, it should be borne in mind that sculpting crafts from natural material it will be difficult for a beginner.

DIY polymer clay (using potato starch)

The polymer material is easy to use, and it is not difficult to prepare it yourself from potato starch.

Compound:

First you need to mix building glue and starch in a saucepan or other dish, gradually add juice and oil. Put the pan on a small fire and, warming up, stir until a mass is obtained, similar in consistency to mashed potatoes. After that, the pan should be removed from the stove, add a little more oil, get the finished mass and knead it. The polymer mass for crafts is ready, it must be wrapped in a film, allowed to cool. Remove the cooled mass in the refrigerator.

Recipe polymer material simple and accessible to everyone.

Secrets:

The quality of PVA glue should be high. Poor quality construction will cause the material to be non-plastic.
If the glue is thick, you should slightly reduce the amount of starch.

Gallery: clay modeling (25 photos)

Do-it-yourself clay dough preparation (from natural clay) and modeling from it

Clay, mined independently in a quarry, requires special preparation. The recipe for kneading clay with your own hands is somewhat more complicated.

Preparing clay for modeling.

First you need to divide the common layer into small pieces and fill with water. Water for pouring should be warm. The clay mass will swell, after which it must be laid out on a thick cloth. The fabric must be completely absorbent. excess water. In the process of waiting, it is necessary from time to time to knead and turn the mass with hands smeared with cream. Particular attention should be paid to the absence of unnecessary impurities in the material (stones, too coarse sand, etc.).

After kneading, the clay must be beaten off. Divide the clay dough into layers and hit them with your hand to remove air. If the mass is liquidish, it will require additional drying time. Clay for modeling, prepared by yourself, is ready. It is stored in a cool place, wrapped in a damp cloth and bag.

From this test you can sculpt dishes, toys, whistles and other crafts. A handmade product must be dried and “baked” in the oven. Also, products can be painted and coated with various varnishes.

Do-it-yourself kneading clay for sculpting products from clay powder

Clay must be kneaded in advance, about two weeks before the expected day of modeling. For best result work, the material must be aged. To prepare the dough, clay powder is poured warm water, mixed into a plastic mass. Wrap clay dough in a bag or film, put in the refrigerator for storage.

Preparation of white self-hardening clay from soda and cornstarch, molding.

To make white clay you will need almost a full pack of soda (food) and a cup of cornstarch. Starch and soda are mixed in a saucepan, a little water is added, about half a cup, and all this is put on a small fire. The mass must be stirred all the time to avoid sticking to the bottom of the dish. You can add a few drops if you like. essential oil with pleasant aroma, so the composition will be flavored. When the mass in the pan looks like mashed potatoes, it can be transferred to a plate, close damp cloth and wait for cooling. After cooling, the material must be carefully crushed. For convenience, hands can be lubricated with cream. To avoid solidification, clay must be stored in an airtight bag or film.

To make toys, clay is rolled into a layer from which figures can be cut (for example, with cookie cutters). You can also fashion cups, candlesticks, decorative plates from the mass. The products will dry themselves, firing in the oven or kiln is not required. Finished crafts can be polished, painted with acrylic paints), varnished.

Conclusion

It is quite possible that the clay for modeling will turn out to be imperfect the first time. There is nothing wrong with this, as skill will come with experience. Most importantly, do not despair and do not give up halfway through. Over time, the clay will get better and better, and the process of creating toys, crafts, jewelry will bring real pleasure.

The quality of the furnace masonry, its tightness, heat resistance, and strength over the years depend on a properly mixed solution. Lack or excess of any component leads to its cracking, integrity violation, leakage carbon monoxide. For work use ceramic brick, and it is the clay mortar for laying the furnace that is homogeneous with it in composition. It provides a single structural structure with the same physical properties of mortar and brick. That is why the clay solution is considered the best.

How to knead clay mortar?

The proportional composition of the binders determines the purpose of the mixture: masonry or finishing. They may not consist of one binder, but of two, for example, clay and cement. The filler stiffens the hardened mixture, and its slight excess does not harm the quality of the masonry. Even a small excess of binder (in this case, clay) reduces strength. That is why it is considered: the less it is in the solution, the higher its quality. However, it is better not to replace it with cement and lime, this is done only in cases where clay is not available.

The consistency of the mixture should be sufficiently plastic, viscous, but not liquid, and even more so - it should not crumble. The furnace body must not have thick masonry joints, optimum thickness 3-4 mm. Sand grain should not exceed 1 mm. However, the use of coarser sand is also allowed, but then its amount will change.

The exact proportions depend on the quality of the clay:

skinny requires a decrease in the volume of sand,
oily is diluted in a ratio of 1:2 (clay:sand).

So, the proportions for fine sand and high-quality clay are 1: 1. Mixing different additives will lead to their change in the direction of reduction.

Additives

Salt and cement are added at your discretion. The standard composition of the mortar for laying the furnace does not provide for their mixing. However, if it is decided to make a complex mixture, the following proportions are observed (per 10 kg of clay): salt 150 g, cement M400 1 kg. And also: clay 2 buckets, sand 2 buckets. This amount is enough for laying 100 bricks.

Sequence of work:

clay is poured into the trough, poured with a small amount of water and allowed to soak from 6 hours to 2 days;
regularly during this time it is stirred (you can wear rubber boots, trample clay); all you need is water 1/4 of the total volume of clay;
add sifted sand, mix with a shovel; if the mixture slowly slides off the shovel, this is its optimal consistency.

Definition of plasticity ready mix carried out in the following way: a flagellum 1.5 cm thick, 20 cm long is molded. Connect it into a ring around wooden blank 5 cm in diameter. The flagellum should stretch evenly. If it is torn, the ends of the gap should be sharp. The absence of cracks in the fold means that the mixture is too oily; if multiple breaks occur, the solution is lean. In the first case, sand is added, in the second - clay. It is necessary to achieve the formation of several small cracks at the bend.

Varieties of lime mortars for kilns

For a chimney, it is undesirable to use a clay mixture in the part that rises above the roof. Due to the formation of condensate, the clay cracks and collapses. In this case, the preparation of mortar for laying furnaces is carried out on the basis of lime paste. The same mixtures are used for laying the foundation for the furnace.

The composition of the solution:

sand 3 parts,
lime dough 1 part.

Lime dough is obtained by combining 3 parts of water and 1 part of quicklime. It has a plastic consistency, similar to softened oily clay. The density of a properly prepared lime paste is 1400 kg/m3. For masonry furnace chimneys and its foundations are bought in ready-made in construction stores.

Lime slaking is carried out in special factory workshops in lime-slaking machines. It is not recommended to make the dough on your own, as lime leads to burns of the skin and respiratory tract. To maintain health, it is necessary to apply strict security measures: wear gloves, goggles, a respirator, dust-proof clothing.

The fat content of the lime paste affects the amount of added sand. Too greasy will require up to 5 parts of sand to achieve a normal mortar consistency. Before connecting the components, the dough should be rubbed through a 1x1 cm sieve. Water is added to achieve the required consistency.

Strength can be improved by adding cement. The resulting lime-cement mixture with two binders and filler also has a high moisture resistance. The following proportions of the mortar for laying the furnace, foundation and chimney allow you to achieve its best quality:

cement 1 part,
sand 8-10 parts,
lime dough 2 parts.

The sequence of work is as follows: cement and sand are mixed separately. Lime dough is diluted to a viscous state with water. Then the mixed dry ingredients are added to it and mixed. For viscosity, water is again added in small portions.

Concrete and heat resistant concrete mixtures

Concrete mortar is also used for the furnace foundation and chimney above the roof. Its strength is not inferior to lime, hardening begins after 45 minutes. Before mixing, the components are sifted through a sieve. First, sand is poured into the container, cement is placed on top of it. Stir until smooth, then add water. It is important to achieve a viscous consistency, not thick and not too liquid.

For a monolithic firebox, heat-resistant concrete mix. Its composition is as follows:

Portland cement M400 1 part,
crushed brick 2 parts,
sand 2 parts,
fireclay sand 0.3 parts.

Strength increases if quartz sand is used instead of ordinary sand. Refractory concrete is characterized by large fractions (up to 10 cm) and high density. The following proportions are used as standard: 8 liters of water are taken for 20 kg of the mixture. Stirring is carried out mechanically, for example, in a special mixer.

You can also use a shovel, but then the quality will be lower, since it is impossible to manually achieve good uniformity. It is undesirable to increase the amount of water, as this will reduce physical properties mixtures. At the same time, mixing is continued even if there is confidence that there is not enough water. It is necessary to work with such a solution quickly due to its rapid solidification.

Clay for the furnace is used in different situations: for home and outdoor ovens, barbecue and fireplace. Unlike other compounds, the resulting mixture is economical and has good stability. Naturally, such a result can be achieved only with the accurate selection and preparation of the components, as well as observing the technology of mixing the mixture.

To prepare a high-quality solution from clay, it is necessary to choose all the components correctly.

You will need several basic components:

Clay. This is the most important ingredient, it is he who gives the mixture the necessary properties: viscosity, heat resistance, fire resistance. Not all types of material are suitable for this event: different variants(especially those found in nature) contain many additives that can spoil the final result. It is not always possible to get rid of such impurities, and besides, it can be a very laborious task. And since the main factor in the construction of furnaces is tightness, the selected material is pre-tested and carefully checked.
Clay is the main ingredient in the manufacture of heat-resistant masonry compounds.
On a note! Clay can be normal, medium and a high degree fat content.
Sand. It is an equally significant component of the solution. Material obtained independently can also be used for work, but it must be thoroughly cleaned and sifted. As a result, the sand should contain only homogeneous particles without impurities.
Unlike career river sand considered the purest
Water. Many mistakenly believe that this ingredient does not need special preparation, this leads to a loss of quality in the composition when the temperature is first raised. Only clean, well-settled water without foreign inclusions is suitable for work.
It is advisable to use clean drinking water for the furnace solution.

Each component is prepared in advance in the required quantity, preferably with a small margin.

Features of the resulting mixture

Clay mortar has certain boundaries in the field of use. The most suitable for use are the hottest areas: furnace and heat storage fragments of the structure. This is due to the fact that the resulting solution perfectly withstands high temperatures and direct exposure to the flame, but quickly becomes unusable when condensate enters or significant mechanical stress.

On a note! Due to reliable adhesion, the clay composition is able to serve long years even under conditions of intensive use at temperatures up to 1000 ° C.

Advantages:

Environmental friendliness. All components are of natural origin and do not emit substances harmful to human health.
Availability. Components can be obtained, prepared with your own hands, or purchased at a reasonable price.
Ease of dismantling. If it becomes necessary to shift or replace a section of the furnace, then the work will not require significant effort. The mixture is well removed, and the bricks remain clean and intact.

But in order to get the necessary positive properties it takes a lot of effort and time.

Methods for checking the quality of clay mortar

Before preparing the mixture, you need to determine the proportions of the components depending on the fat content of the selected clay, this will help to avoid problems in the future. In the manufacture a large number material, correcting errors can be extremely difficult.

To determine the fat content of the main ingredient, do the following:

After the experimental batch of the composition is ready, it must be tested.

According to the plasticity of the samples, the fat content of the clay is determined

Method 1

This technology is not particularly difficult. Each of the five parts rolls into a ball small size and kneaded into a cake. This is easy to do by placing it in the center of the palm of your hand and applying pressure with the fingers of your other hand. All the resulting cakes are marked with the appropriate pieces of paper, on which the proportions of sand are indicated.

It will take 2-3 days for the fragments to dry. Initially held visual inspection: the cake should not have cracks and collapse when compressed. If you drop it on the floor, then it should remain intact. Based on the results of the experiment, the correct ratio of sand and clay is determined.

Method 2

Balls about 3 cm in diameter roll down, each of which is placed between two carefully planed planks. Gradually, without undue effort, pressure is applied, the result is periodically checked. If the ball immediately began to crack, then this is a lean mixture, if cracking occurred when squeezing halfway, the composition is too greasy. The optimal ratio of the components is when most of the ball is flattened and does not collapse.

Checking the fat content of the composition by squeezing a clay ball

There are other ways, but general principle everyone is the same.

How to prepare clay for laying a stove

Based on the results of the experiment, appropriate conclusions are drawn. With a high fat content, the amount of sand should be increased by at least 1.5–2 times, with a low one, on the contrary, it should be reduced.

The ideal proportions of clay and sand for laying furnaces are 1: 1, such a solution is plastic and heat-resistant. But it is necessary to dilute the mixture, focusing on the intermediate result. Classic recipe involves the addition of ¼ liquid, but depending on the specific situation, the amount of water can be increased.

You can determine the quality of the solution by the number of cracks on the dried sample

Advice! If it is not possible to accurately select the proportions of the ingredients, then cement and salt can be used as an additive (for 10 kg of clay, 1 kg of cement and 150 g of salt).

Clay preparation

Focusing on the scope of work, it is being prepared right amount base substance. But before preparing the solution, the material undergoes preliminary preparation:

If after 48 hours small lumps are observed, then everything is mixed again, ground and left for another 24 hours.

Mixing the solution

The finished clay material can be kneaded by several methods, each of which takes into account the characteristics of the substance:

You can determine the quality and readiness of the solution using tactile sensations. The resulting material is rubbed with hands: if a homogeneous rough layer is formed on the fingers, the mixture can be used. Outwardly, the composition should resemble thick sour cream, then the stove will turn out to be reliable and will serve for many years.

KNEAD in encyclopedic dictionary:
, mesh, knead; mixed; nesov; what. Mint, stirring. M. dough. M. clay. M. dirt (trans.: to go along a dirty road, along ...
KNEAD in the Full accentuated paradigm according to Zaliznyak:
knead, meshu, me, sim, me, sish, me, sieve, me, sit, me, syat, mesya, mesi, l, mesi, la, mesi, lo, mesi, li, mesi, mesi "those who are kneading, kneading, kneading, kneading, kneading, kneading, kneading, ...
KNEAD
KNEAD in the Dictionary of the Russian Language Lopatin:
mess, mesh, ...
KNEAD in the Complete Spelling Dictionary of the Russian Language:
knead, mix, ...
KNEAD in the Spelling Dictionary:
mess, mesh, ...
KNEAD in the Dictionary of the Russian Language Ozhegov:
knead, stirring M. dough. M. clay. M. dirt (trans.: to walk along a dirty road, through deep, liquid mud; ...
Knead in Dahl's Dictionary:
knead [or stir; this refers to two verbs, which are therefore confused (get in the way, but do not mess around); stir, stir, and stir...
KNEAD in the Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian Language Ushakov:
mesh, knead, carry. (to mix) that. Knead, knead, stirring (thick substances). Knead clay. Knead the dough. Knead dirt or knead on ...
KNEAD in the Explanatory Dictionary of Efremova:
knead nesov. transition Knead, knead thick substances, mixing them with ...
KNEAD in the New Dictionary of the Russian Language Efremova:
nesov. transition Knead, knead thick substances, mixing them with ...
KNEAD in the Big Modern Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian Language:
nesov. transition Knead, knead thick substances, mixing them with ...
DAN 2 in Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree.
POTTER
a potter, in the myths of many nations, the image of a god or a cultural hero who creates people, or its universe (or its individual parts) ...
AINOV MYTHOLOGY in the Directory of Characters and Cult Objects of Greek Mythology:
in the form known to us took shape around the 12th-15th centuries. n. e. among the Ainu tribes who inhabited Japanese islands(in the 15th-17th centuries ...
PUFF PASTRY
Sift the flour, separate half of it, mix it on a board with butter and, rolling it out in the form of a square 1 1/2 - 2 thick ...
FRIED YEAST DOUGH PIES in the Book of Tasty and Healthy Food:
Put the dough, for which dilute the yeast in warm water (or milk), add half the flour taken for the dough and knead well, ...
READY Dumplings in the Book of Tasty and Healthy Food:
Meat processing plants sell frozen ready dumplings, which at home can only be boiled or fried. In cities, hostesses are now less and less ...
ECONOMIC BUILDINGS
CHAMOTTA
Pure clay, during drying and firing, tends to shrink strongly - to sit down, which breaks the connection between the particles and the product prepared ...
TILE in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron.
POTTERY PIPES in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron:
there are water or sewer and drainage; of these, the first are usually glazed and used, in addition, to conduct air and smoke, ...
PEAT CULTURE in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron:
or swamp culture aims at converting barren swamp spaces into a state suitable for agricultural use. The swamps are divided into moss and ...
ROSTOV-VELIKY in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron:
- county mountains Yaroslavl province., Art. wish. dor. It is located on a low, damp area near Rostov Lake: it has a circumference of about ...
ROSTOV VELIKIY in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron:
county town of Yaroslavl province, station railway. It is located on the low-lying, crude district at the Rostov lake (see); has a circumference of about ...
FRUIT GARDEN in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron:
Of the soils, only marsh-peat soil and pure sand are unsuitable for cultivation of garden P.; the best is considered loamy with an admixture of humus. Subsoil...
SEDIMENTS in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron:
In addition to sedimentary and massive rocks, in the structure earth's crust participate, usually covering the last, special formations, which owe their origin to the activity of fluid ...
HOUSEHOLD INDUSTRY in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron:
The definition of K. industry still causes great disagreement between researchers, especially since it has no same value at...
BRICK PRODUCTION in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron.
KAFL in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron.
in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron:
POTTERY PRODUCTION in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron.
ALUMINA SITCH in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron:
(technical. their production and application). Various alumina salts are the most important mordant used in dyeing and calico printing and their ...
CLAY TECH. in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron:
(French argile, German Thon, English clay) is a well-known earthy-powdery substance, which is an inevitable constituent part surface plant layer of the earth, forming, in ...
ECONOMIC BUILDINGS*
CHAMOTTA
? Does pure clay shrink when dried and fired? sit down, which breaks the connection between the particles and the product, ...
CEMENTS in the Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron.
POTTERY PIPES* in the Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron:
? there are water or sewer and drainage; of these, the first are usually glazed and used, in addition, to conduct air and ...
PYROTECHNICS* in the Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron.
SEDIMENTS* in the Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron:
? In addition to sedimentary and massive rocks, they participate in the structure of the earth's crust, usually covering the last, special formations that owe their origin to activity ...
BRICK PRODUCTION in the Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron.
KAFL in the Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron.
PENCIL, WRITING ACCESSORY in the Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron:
(crayon, pencil, Bleistift). The first use of k. belongs to the last period of classical antiquity, but, apparently, the preparation of such k. was then forgotten. …
POTTERY PRODUCTION in the Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron.
ALUMINA SITCH in the Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron:
(technical. their production and application). ? Various alumina salts are the most important mordant used in dyeing and calico printing and ...
CLAY in the Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron.
FATS AND OILS: NON-FOOD FATS AND OILS in Collier's Dictionary:
To article FATS AND OILS Non-edible fats and oils? are animal fats and oils or plant origin; they either...
MIX in the New explanatory and derivational dictionary of the Russian language Efremova:
1. carry transition Add to smth. something extraneous, foreign, stirring. 2. carry transition 1) Knead extra. 2) Knead by adding smth., ...
MIX in the New explanatory and derivational dictionary of the Russian language Efremova:
1. carry transition 1) Interfering, moving, moving some. objects or particles relative to each other. 2) Disturb the order in the location ...
CREATE in the Dahl Dictionary:
that, to give life, to create, to create, to create, to produce, to give birth. One God creates. The good tree brings forth good fruit, Matt. Create with the mind, create ...

For centuries, the skill of the stove-maker was carefully passed on to descendants. The subtleties of the device and carefully thought-out orders were carefully conveyed to future generations. craftsmen patiently taught receivers the art of building brick aggregates, revealed the secrets of the production of binders. advanced old recipes are still in use. In order for the "hot heart" of the bath to serve for many years, you need to know how to prepare a mortar for laying the stove, where to find cheap raw materials and clearly calculate the proportions.

Furnace device and correct solution

Brick bath stove - large structure, parts of which work in unequal conditions. The values of humidity and temperature acting at the base of the unit differ significantly from similar parameters near the furnace and chimney.

The temperature "fork" during the period of active operation can vary from 0º to 1200º or more. The firebox and the chimney are persistently attacked by flue gases, and the latter also has to repel the onslaught of rain, wind, and frost.

While in nature and not invented by man such mortar, which could adequately resist the listed destructive factors. Cement and lime, individually and together, are not able to withstand such an impressive temperature range. Clay below the mirror ground water, corny limp, and an overly porous lime composition passes gaseous combustion products into the steam room, washing room and rest room.

For the construction of a normally working brick oven you will need at least three masonry mortars with different properties. It makes no sense to use refractory, quite expensive binder mixtures in the chimney. They are needed for structural components subject to intense impact. high temperatures. There is no reason to use heat-resistant materials in the construction of the largest heat-storing part. Instead, relatively inexpensive ready-made clay for laying the stove or a completely free mixture mined and created by one's own hands is suitable.

Mortars for the construction of all structural parts brick oven can be purchased in factory packaging. In operation, they are extremely simple: just read the instructions on the package and add required amount water. The proportions are carefully calculated and selected. True, the cost of finished building mixtures can not be classified as humane.

Joy does not bring a solid expense. On average, 2-3 buckets are used for 100 bricks, depending on the thickness of the seam and the density of the masonry. Elementary calculations of upcoming construction are rarely a pleasure economical hosts. We want to acquaint you with the recipe for the preparation of budget masonry mortars available for hand-made production.

Types of masonry mortars

Mortars are mixtures consisting of one or two binders and a filler with water. Clay, cement, lime dough act as binders. The filler in the furnace business is silicate or fireclay sand. Water is taken without impurities and technical pollution. Clean tap, well or lake water will do. The best solvent masonry mixtures is considered a rain or melt option.

Solutions differ in porosity, gas conductivity and thermal properties. Them general characteristics should be ease of application, easy-to-work plasticity and stable strength after curing. According to the classification of old stove-makers, masonry mortars are divided into the following groups:

Fatty - with excellent plasticity, but cracking after drying.
Normal - characterized by medium ductility and strength, suitable for reliable masonry.
Skinny - characterized by fragility, low plasticity and strength, crumbling after drying.

If only one binder, such as cement or clay, appears in the mixture, the mortar is classified as simple mortar and is indicated by a 1: 1 type ratio; 1:2.5 or 1:3, etc. The ratio tells about the proportions in which the components are taken. The binder component is indicated first, the second digit indicates the volume of aggregate. If there are two binder components in the solution, the ratio looks, for example, as in a complex cement-lime version 1:2:8. In the first place, the proportion of the most effective binder is indicated.

It is clear that stove-makers need solutions with normal plasticity and the same strength. However, fat and skinny should not be abandoned. The fatty variety is brought to normal by increasing the sand content, the lean variety is brought to normal by enrichment with an astringent component.

In addition to pouring the reinforced concrete base under the foundation, the following solutions are used in the construction of furnaces:

Lime. It is used in laying the brick foundation of the stove and. Those. suitable for the construction of those parts of the bath unit, which are not to be exposed to heating more than 450º-500º. The seams are strong, but not fireproof enough. But the elements of the pipe attacked by atmospheric phenomena, laid out with the help of a lime composition, are quite wear-resistant.
Cement-lime. Applicable only in the construction of the foundation, because. not heat-resistant enough for chimneys, able to resist temperatures not exceeding 250º.
Cement fireclay. It is kneaded from cement with heat-resistant fireclay sand and water. It is used in the construction of the furnace sector, because. withstands temperatures up to 1300º without destruction of the substance. Flue gases do not pass, but do not prevent the exit of condensate. It is heat-resistant, fireproof, easy to use, but expensive, therefore, zealous owners of baths most often give preference to its analogue with a clay component instead of cement.
Clay fireclay. It is used in the laying of fireboxes, the properties of the solution are similar to the previous representative, but cheaper due to an inexpensive or completely free binder component.
Clay. It is used in the laying of the main part of the furnace, which accumulates heat and transfers it to the treated room. The clay composition is distinguished by an average heat resistance. The seams created from it withstand temperatures up to 1100º. The solidification of the mixture occurs by evaporation from the composition of the water. When wetted, the solution again acquires plasticity and makes it possible to sort out the furnace for the purpose of repair. The clay composition is used in the construction of the source of the chimney. However, it cannot be used for laying parts that extend beyond the building due to the likelihood of soaking from atmospheric moisture.

The predominant part of the furnace is built using a clay version, which attracts with a budget cost. The relatively low price of a factory-made product can mercilessly deceive. The expense is impressive.

The components of this mixture can be obtained for free. We literally trample on them. Therefore, it is better to learn how to make a clay mortar from sand for laying the stove with your own hands, and how to save a hefty amount without putting too much effort. In addition, the clay component can be useful in the production of a mixture for the furnace segment.

Homemade mortars

Before starting the manufacture of masonry mixtures, it is necessary to stock up on a simple tool for stirring. Among the stove-makers, it is called a vesyolka, because it really resembles a rowing device. This is a board hewn on both sides with an original carved handle. You will need a shovel, a mixing container, ideally wooden barrel or a tub, for lack of a metal one will do. It will take 5-7 buckets, a trowel to determine plasticity, two sieves with cells of 3mm and 1.5mm, as well as components of future building mixtures.

We get cheap clay

Those wishing to minimize costs should stock up on clay and sand. They are not only part of the main mortar for laying the furnace body, but are also used to adjust the plasticity of the mortars. Clay is useful for the refractory mixture used in the furnace device.

Clay is a natural finely dispersed material that acquires plasticity when saturated with water. Its plasticity depends on the content of fine and silty particles in the rock: the more of them, the fatter the clay. If the clay contains more than 40% sand, then it is called sandy or lean.

It is not suitable for the manufacture of masonry mixtures in its natural form, the seams are too fragile. The optimal content of sand particles 37-38% is the norm. If there are fewer of them, the rock can be “normalized” by mixing simple or fireclay sand.

There are three ways to harvest clay:

Soak factory-made raw brick. To do this, unfired building material is placed in a tub with clean water. The soaked mass is filtered using a fine sieve, then sand is mixed into it. The required consistency is achieved by adding water.
Buy broken rock from the local population, probably dug up in the garden. To obtain suitable raw materials from it, you will have to work hard. Typically, such material is heavily contaminated with organic matter, which is removed by repeated soaking, sieving and filtering.
Get it on your own. Clay deposits are everywhere. Having gone deep to 4-5m, it is quite possible to dig it on your own site. However, it is better to walk along steep river banks, ravines and similar outcrops. Having looked closely at the section (cut of the coast or ravine), without any problems, one can single out individual rock layers.

Measure from the surface approximately 5 m and pinch off a piece of rock for "field" testing. Remember the lump, it should crumple like plasticine, without sticking to your hands. Try to roll thin flagella like "sausages" out of it. If you managed to roll up a flagellum 5-7 cm long and 4-5 mm thick and bend it into an arc without breaking it, you have entered the right path of the harvester. If not, keep searching suitable material in the exposed outcrop or find a similar site.

The color of the rock does not matter, it depends on mineral inclusions, which practically do not affect the plastic qualities of the material. However, the most suitable is considered white clay, called kaolin. It can be used in the manufacture of clay mortar for laying fireboxes. sauna stove. The most common are gray, bluish and greenish-gray clays. There are frankly chocolate and earthy breeds. Don't be afraid of a rusty or brown tint, this is just evidence of the presence of iron oxides.

Experienced stove-makers without laboratory tests can determine clay with suitable plasticity. Beginning masters will have to find out the suitability empirically. For this, equal 5 portions of the rock should be selected, approximately 0.5-1 liter each.

Stock up on free sand

Packaged or bulk sand, sorted by grain size into fractions, can be freely purchased on the construction market. And you can get it and prepare it with your own hands for introduction into the future mortar for laying the furnace. It is advisable for buyers of the finished product to give preference to the mountain or lake version, because the roughness and angularity of their grains of sand will improve the adhesion of the mixture.

Regulated seam thickness kiln masonry 2-3mm, which means that you should buy a material of fraction no more than 1.6-1.8mm. Stove makers recommend, in addition to sand with the indicated size, to purchase also smaller material. The solution with different-grained filler seizes stronger.

Those who want to dig up the sand themselves, for sure, will find options in the vicinity: abandoned quarries, ravines, river banks, outcrops of steep banks, etc. It must be taken from a depth of at least 1-1.5 m, so as not to bother with washing organic matter. If, nevertheless, sand with foreign inclusions is obtained, it should be washed running water, for this:

We pour sand in portions into a bucket, which we then fill with tap water from a hose.
We stir the soaked material in a tub with a cutting board or a paddle and drain the muddy slurry that has floated up.
We repeat the process until the newly filled water becomes transparent and absolutely clean.

The washed and dried sand is sifted through a sieve with a mesh size of 1.5 mm.

Methods for determining the plasticity of clay

Now is the time to recall the clay samples taken to determine the plasticity suitability. We put them in different containers and knead with water. We add it gradually so that we get a cool clay dough that does not stick to the palms.

We mark the samples with serial numbers in order to know how much sand was added and how it affected the plasticity:

Let's leave the first one as it is.
In the second mix 10%.
In the third 25%.
In the fourth serving 75%.
Let's add 100% sand to the fifth sample, i.e. an amount equal in volume to clay.

Sand is introduced in several steps, gently mixing after each addition. When introducing a large amount of sand, you will have to add water. From each sample it is necessary to make prototypes: two or three balls Ø 5 cm and the same number of cakes 2-3 cm thick. Samples according to the numbering should be laid out to dry in a room protected from drafts. After 8-10 days, cakes with balls should be checked and determined in which of the samples the optimal composition was obtained.

Suitable for masonry is a solution that meets the following conditions:

If a ball dropped from a height of about 75cm-1m above the floor does not break and does not color when pressed.
If the dried samples do not have perceptible cracks.

Two or three samples were made so that the experiment could be carried out several times.

There are two more methods of determination with a similar division into five parts and equivalent preliminary preparation, according to which:

Each sample should be rolled into balls Ø 5cm. Prototypes are alternately placed between two planks that act as working bodies of the press. When the boards are compressed, the ball of plastic clay will decrease by 1/2 of the diameter with the appearance of minor cracks. A sample with medium plasticity will "sag" by 1/3 with the formation of noticeable cracks. Skinny material will only shrink by 1/4 or less and fall apart.
From each sample, it is necessary to roll flagella-sausages with a thickness of about 1.5-2 cm and a length of 25 cm. They should be slightly stretched and bent around a wooden rolling pin or a shovel handle Ø up to 5 cm. A sample of lean clay breaks almost immediately, does not stretch. A sausage of medium plasticity will break when the area of tension and deformation decreases in thickness by 20%. It will crack on the folds. A tourniquet made of plastic clay will not break and will stretch smoothly.

The simplest tests should indicate to us the proportions of the mixture of medium plasticity, according to which we will prepare the masonry mortar. Masonry mortars will need 1/10 of the volume of the stove or a little less.

How to prepare clay mix step by step

Before kneading the solution, immerse the mashed clay in a barrel or similar container and fill it with water. She needs to soak for a day, preferably two. If lumps remain after a two-day soak, you can extend the procedure for another 24 hours. Mix the softened rock thoroughly to get a mass resembling sour cream. If necessary, add water, strain the dough before use.

From creamy clay dough and sifted sand, we prepare the mixture in the following order:

In accordance with the proportions verified empirically, we measure the clay with sand in buckets.
Pour the ingredients into a convenient container in portions, distributing them so that the raw materials fit into several layers.
Repeatedly and intensively mix the components of the mixture with a shovel, adding water if necessary.

Mix until the masonry mortar resembles a homogeneous loose dough. We check the consistency of the mixture with a shovel: the solution should seem to slide off the bayonet without spreading. You can store it in any container under the "lid" of a piece of roofing material, polyethylene, plywood, etc. You don’t need to part with the solution left after work, its shelf life is unlimited - just add water.

Second folk method require the application of physical force. In fact, the raw materials will need to be beaten with a board or a oar. Because vegetable debris and inclusions of gravel will still be knocked out of the mixture, they do not need to be sieved beforehand. Sand according to the proportions of the bed lay out on wooden shield with an area of 1.5 × 1.5 m. Bed width up to 35cm, height up to 25cm. In the middle of the beds we will make a recess and fill it with soaked and mashed clay.

We shovel the laid raw materials, pouring sand into clay from the edges until the mixture becomes homogeneous. Then we again form a bed, which we “chop” with force with the edge of a wooden oar. We strike often to break up all the lumps. At the end of processing, add water, if required.

How to make lime mortar

The lime mixture is used when laying the furnace foundation and chimney outside the roof. A container for cooking needs such a volume that it can accommodate lime that increases three to five times during the slaking process.

The source material is poured with water and waiting for thickening, periodically mixing and breaking up lumps with a merry-go-round. The resulting lime dough is diluted with water so that it becomes similar in consistency to sour cream. Then sand is introduced in portions until clots of the solution begin to stick to the oar.

The mixture is stored for several days, when the consistency changes, water is added to it. To save yourself the hassle of making lime dough, you can buy it ready-made.

Mix for laying firebox

For the manufacture of a refractory solution, plastic white clay is needed, slightly yellowish or gray is suitable. Fireclay sand or a cheaper mixture of quartz and fireclay sand is used as a filler. You need to take them in equal proportions. Plastic clay does not need to be tested before cooking, it can be immediately kneaded with clean soft water.

Video instruction on working with the mixer

A video on the topic “How to prepare a mortar for laying a furnace with a mixer and how to make it right” will clearly present the manufacturing process:

The simple methods and recipes of masonry mortars for the stove that we have described will help to significantly reduce the costs allocated for the construction of the main bath unit.

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