Marble finishing adds sophistication and prestige to both the facades of buildings and the interior of the premises. In this case, they talk about the high status of the company or the owner of the apartment. Concrete even sounds a bit rough. It’s hard to imagine that the most ordinary mixture of sand, cement and water would look chic. Nevertheless, marble can be made from it. Here's how - read on.

This technology is available to everyone, but it is necessary to have at least a little knowledge on this issue. After all, we have all seen concrete and we all know what marble looks like. At first glance, there is nothing in common between them. But it's time to dispel such thoughts.

What do you need to know?

Firstly, it is important what kind of sand to use for the solution. What forms will be needed, is it possible to make them yourself? How to pour the solution there, how to dry it all and then take it out? It would seem that these are simple questions with obvious answers, but, alas, not everything is so simple.

Without additional materials You can’t make beautiful artificial marble yourself. Therefore, it is worth buying white cement, marble chips, etc. in advance. Then the stone will really look elegant and expensive. An ordinary passerby is unlikely to guess whether the fence is made of real marble or not.

Advantages of artificial marble

1. Eco-friendly material.
2. Excellent physical and mechanical properties.
3. Much cheaper than natural marble stone. Amazingly, the prices differ by approximately 10 times.
4. Waste-free production of marble from concrete is also important.
5. Minimum complexity in processing and restoration.
6. Good heat and moisture resistance.
7. There are no restrictions when choosing color and shape.

How to make marble from concrete - technology as it is

First, let's prepare the essential materials:

• sand with cement;
• pigment;
• plasticizer (a substance that, when added to concrete, significantly increases its characteristics).

About forms and more...

To make concrete marble with your own hands, you need molds. The solution will be laid out there. A special polymer mold is ideal for this task. If you can’t find one on the farm, use any other plastic one. Pay attention to grade 500 cement. High-quality oil paint is suitable as a pigment. A wide variety of colors will give free rein to your imagination.

Marble made from ordinary concrete - step-by-step instructions

• If all required material is already standing and waiting in the wings, it’s time to take care of the vibrating table. It is not at all necessary to buy it specifically, but if you have the opportunity to borrow it, then this is a necessary thing. During vibration, air evaporates from the solution. This can be done manually - no one has canceled shaking with your own hands. This is how cheap and cheerful it is to do without a vibrating table.

• It’s time to add paint to the solution (1 part cement and 2 parts sand). There is no need to stir the mixture vigorously until smooth. Do it casually, leaving streaks, feel like an artist. Don't be afraid to experiment and add a few drops of different colors at once.

After adding paints, shake the molds or place the container with the solution on a vibrating table. By the way, you can do it yourself. Then you will become a beloved neighbor and relative. In the future, such a table will be useful in the manufacture of, for example, paving slabs. After all, buying a ready-made instrument is not a cheap pleasure.

• The last stage is the most labor-intensive. And its name is grinding. After all, after the molds have dried, the marble cubes will need to be polished. Any here mechanical processing will not be superfluous. The efforts made will inevitably affect fatigue, but it is important to pay attention to one more thing. important fact- dust. Yes, it does happen, there will be a lot of it. Therefore, take care of a couple of buckets of water in advance or connect a hose with good pressure.

Other technologies for manufacturing artificial marble

Of course, alternatives to the above-described technology for making marble from concrete exist. Some of them are even more efficient and less labor intensive. Most exclude the grinding step, which in itself is very tempting. But it is almost impossible to implement them at home. Companies involved in this can provide photos of concrete marble and offer good conditions for cooperation. Still, any deal will cost you a pretty penny.

Artificial marble in the interior

It would seem that marbled concrete is mainly used outside the living space. Indeed, fences made of such material look majestic. Nevertheless, artificial marble has found its application inside apartments.

Where you can see it:

• decoration of walls of residential premises;
• in the bathroom - an excellent alternative to standard tiles;

• countertops and other interior items in the kitchen (and in the most unexpected places, but they look unusual and rich);

• fireplace is not just a hearth home comfort, but also a luxury item (especially if it is made of marble, albeit artificial);
• floor coverings.

If you are still thinking about how to make marble from concrete at home, watch a video on this topic and get to work quickly. The result, if not surprising, will definitely please you, rest assured.

Structural cultured marble products made from conventional concrete are no less attractive, durable and strong than their expensive counterparts made from natural marble.

Technology for the production of marble from concrete appeared in Russian Federation about 30 years ago and during this time it has improved and simplified so much that it has become possible to implement it at home.

Before you begin making a “marble-concrete” countertop, window sill or other product, you should prepare following materials:

• grades M400-M500 without additives: PC400D0 or PC500D0;
• Form for filling. Any plastic container of suitable size will do;
• Plasticizer S-3 or Glenium No. 51;
• Water;
• Multi-fraction sand: fractions from 0.14 to 5 mm. Sand fineness module from 2 to 4 (Mkr = from 2 to 4);
• Polyethylene film;
• Pigments for concrete: red lead, soot, chromium oxide, titanium dioxide and others;
• Reinforcement: steel wire or mesh;
• A hammer drill or electric drill with a mixer attachment;
• A container of suitable volume for mixing concrete.

As you can see, from a non-standard material, for the production of marble from concrete, a pouring mold-matrix is ​​required. In this case, you can purchase a ready-made form, or make it yourself.

So, to fill a window sill from scrap materials (waterproof plywood and boards) a tray of the required size is made, and to fill a table top you can use plastic panels, fastened together into a single whole.

Technology for the production of artificial marble from concrete

Carefully sift the sand through a fine mesh and remove all foreign impurities. In a clean container, mix sand and cement in proportions depending on the type of artificial marble product:

• Products for textured brick, foam block, cinder block or shell rock: 1 part cement to 1 part sand;
• Balusters, window sills, table tops, steps: 1 part cement to 2 parts sand;
• Paving slabs, curbs, plinth slabs and facing panels: 1 part cement to 3 parts sand.

Next, a pigment or mixture of pigments is added to the mixture in an amount of 1 to 5% by weight of cement, depending on the type of pigment. For example: red lead and ocher - 5% by weight of cement, chromium oxide - 3-5%, soot - 3%, titanium oxide - 2-4% by weight of cement, etc. The resulting composition is thoroughly mixed for 1-2 minutes, after which plasticizer C3 is added in an amount of 1-2% by weight of cement or Glenium No. 51 in an amount of 1-1.5% by weight of cement. Everything is thoroughly mixed for 7-10 minutes.

The mixture is ready to add water, which is added at a ratio of 1:2 in relation to the dry component. In this case, 80% of the water is first poured in, mixed, left for several minutes, after which the remaining 20% ​​is added and mixed thoroughly again.

Liquid “Concrete Marble” is ready to be poured into molds. Volumetric products such as countertops, steps, curbs and slabs are reinforced with steel wire or a special steel mesh to give strength.

After filling, the form closes plastic film until the product is completely set. After hardening (7-14 days), the finished products are removed from the molds and sanded to mirror shine special equipment or an angle grinder (grinder) equipped with special diamond discs.

The question of why marble is made from concrete could probably only be asked by some ancient ruler, for whom this luxurious building material was mined and brought by slaves, and completely free of charge. In modern times, real marble, given the cost of its difficult extraction and delivery from the deposit, is not affordable for everyone. Meanwhile, today, as in ancient times, external or interior decoration The marble building gives it a magnificent, noble, even regal appearance. Therefore, it is not surprising that our practical contemporaries, armed with new technologies, have learned to make artificial marble from concrete. And, as it turned out, this does not require large industrial capacities and indeed no serious production at all. It is quite possible to make such building material at home and with your own hands.

It should be noted that “concrete marble” is made using different techniques, as a result of which the resulting material is called differently: decorative (or colored) concrete, systrom, artificial marble, etc. When making decorative concrete, for example, marble chips of a certain shade are sometimes added, which allows you to give the material a unique “marble” pattern . However, the principle and essence of the production technology do not change: despite the different names, they are the same material.

Solid advantages

If a person is not a snob, for whom natural marble is preferable only because it is a sign of luxury and wealth (that is, a reason for superiority over others), then he will definitely appreciate all the advantages of concrete marble. And this wonderful material has quite a lot of them. In short, the advantages of “concrete marble” are as follows:

• accessibility - as we have already said, artificial marble does not need to be transported from distant marble quarries, where it is not so easy to obtain, and therefore this material is many times cheaper and more accessible natural material;
• environmental friendliness - not only of the material itself, which is as safe for others as natural stone, but of its production: the production of marble from concrete is practically waste-free;
• low thermal conductivity - thanks to this, artificial marble can not only perform finishing and aesthetic functions, but also serve as a good additional insulation;
• moisture resistance - allows the material to maintain its quality for a long time and perform certain protective functions;
• strength - thanks to the use of “heavy” grades of cement and special plasticizers, this characteristic of an artificial building material is in no way inferior to the strength of natural stone, especially since the strength of “concrete marble” can be further increased by using metal mesh reinforcement;
• ample opportunities for creativity - unlike natural marble, the color, size and shape of which are largely determined by nature, artificial marble has those properties that are set by the manufacturer during the manufacturing process (using fillers, additives, including colored ones, molding, etc.) P.).

In other words, marble made from concrete is practically not inferior in its quality characteristics natural stone, and in some ways it even surpasses its “prototype”. Finishing with such modern building materials looks no less noble and aesthetically pleasing than finishing natural stone, and sometimes gives more possibilities designer for his creativity. And at the same time, it is distinguished by strength and durability, and also, importantly, a very reasonable cost.

Preparation for production

Any technology involves a preparatory stage of production, namely the selection of materials and tools. It should be emphasized that the availability of artificial marble production is ensured, first of all, by the simplicity and low cost of the materials necessary for this. Each of them can be purchased at any hardware store. The following materials will be needed:

• water – of course, clean, this is the only requirement for the natural solvent that will be used for the production of “pseudo-marble”;
• plastic film - needed only at the end of the manufacturing process building material, however, it should be at hand so that at the most crucial moment you don’t have to look for it;
• fine sand - the finer and cleaner it is, the better; It is advisable to initially take the finest sand and without foreign impurities, so as not to waste time on additional cleaning;
• filler – gravel or small pebbles can serve this role, and the filler, like sand, must be sufficiently clean and uniform so as not to spoil the noble “marble” texture;
• paint - it should be oil-based and of very high quality; with its help you can give artificial marble the desired color, and experts often use several shades, but here you need to maintain a sense of proportion;
• plasticizer - a special additive to increase strength and other quality characteristics concrete;
• cement is perhaps one of the main components of manufactured building materials, the basis of the future concrete mixture, for which in this case cement marked M500 or M400 is most suitable.

Please note that thoroughness and accuracy are preparatory stage will help you avoid disappointment in the end.

Tool preparation

It is clear that all of the listed materials will need to be mixed somewhere, so in order to make marble from concrete with your own hands, you will need a suitable container. This can be a special concrete mixer, or any other container in which the mixture can be made using conventional drill with mixer attachment. You will also need special forms for concrete “castings”. You can buy them ready-made, polymer, but in the case of a non-standard “order” you can actually make them yourself, using suitable clean plastic containers or designs.

Manufacturing stages

So, the materials and tools are in combat readiness, the “marble from concrete” technology has been studied - it’s time to get down to business. The production of “concrete marble” involves several stages.

1. Preparation of concrete mixture. It is initially prepared by the most traditional way, based on a 1:3 ratio, only the highest quality cement is used (as already mentioned, it is better to take the M400 or M500 markings), and the sand is very fine and clean. If necessary, it can be pre-sifted through a fine mesh, like through a sieve. All this should be mixed very well and only then add filler (small pebbles, crushed stone, marble chips, etc.).
2. Coloring. The color of the future product is given by the addition of pigment - oil paint. At this stage, when adding colors to the dry mixture, it is important not to overdo it with mixing - in this case, heterogeneity and stains only improve the quality of the material, since they are the ones who create the unique “marble” effect.
3. Adding water. It should be taken at a ratio of 1:2 to the dry mixture, but not poured in immediately. First, about 80% of the total water is added, and this is where thorough mixing is necessary. After this, a plasticizer is added to the solution (about 1% of the total volume of the mixture), everything is thoroughly mixed again and left for a few minutes so that the solution thickens a little. And only after that the remaining water is added.
4. Molding. To give the final appearance to future “concrete-marble” products, forms must be prepared in advance. You can even make them yourself (for example, by fastening plastic panels together to create a simple slab of artificial marble), but it is better to purchase polymer molds at a building market. The prepared solution is poured into them, which must be covered in time with plastic wrap - before it completely hardens. If ready material for some reason it must have special strength; after filling the molds it can be immersed in the solution metal mesh, which will become a kind of frame for artificial marble.

After complete hardening and drying, the finished parts can be used immediately or subjected to grinding and polishing with a special tool to give them the shine and beauty of the marble “prototype”.

Despite obvious advantages natural materials, they are expensive pleasure, for this reason, many people pay attention to artificial marble. Exist various ways how to make it yourself, simplest technology available at home - this is casting in molds.

A tabletop made of cast marble is durable, moisture-proof and perfectly imitates real stone. The only difficulty is correct selection parameters, since a thin product will have increased fragility, and a thick product, despite its modest size of one meter, will have heavy weight. Any color can be selected for the material - snow-white, blue, gray, black with piercing veins, giving it a granular-crystalline structure.

What are the characteristics of the material?

High-quality cast marble is obtained by mixing polyester resin with pigment mineral dyes and hardeners. A simpler manufacturing method involves using a cement-concrete mixture with the addition of large or small quartz crushed stone, pebbles, and tinted sand. To master the mixing technique and obtain the desired color, texture with stains and stains, you will first need to practice and try to prepare cast marble in small volumes.

Artificial stone not only perfectly reproduces the appearance of natural material, but also has such positive characteristics, How:

• resistance to heat and open fire;
• high dielectric properties, since it is not a conductor of electric current;
• resistance to processing by any detergents, except those containing abrasive substances;
• high hygienic and environmental characteristics.

This is largely due to the homogeneous structure, which does not delaminate over a long period of operation, but outer surface, treated with gelcoat, has good decorative and protective functions.

Manufacturing technology using concrete filler

The method is very simple, accessible and requires minimum investment, therefore it is widely popular. Tabletops and cutting boards made using this technology have high strength and environmental characteristics.

To make them, you will need a mold made of plastic, polyurethane, gypsum, etc. suitable material. If there are no special complaints about the matrix, then you can make it yourself from any metal corners, wooden blocks, using a glass blank as the bottom. The basic requirements for the design are that the surface must be perfectly smooth, dry, and, for ease of removal of the finished product, also detachable.

Having prepared the mold, the inside is coated with gelcoat - a special gel-like substance that differs in color, as well as in the medium of use, so you should choose a moisture-resistant option. When it is completely dry, the matrix can be filled with a solution made from concrete or gypsum. If necessary, to increase fluidity and normalize hydration processes, slaked lime and clay are used as a plasticizer.

The mixture is prepared in a mixer from sand and cement in a 2:1 ratio, using crushed stone and pebbles as filler. When a homogeneous mass is obtained, pigment dye begins to be added to the container in different portions and continues mixing until veins and spots form.

After this, the prepared mixture is poured in small portions into a mold placed in horizontal plane. At this stage, it is important that the mass evenly fills all the voids, so it is added slightly more than the required volume. Wait a little until it spreads and remove the excess with a spatula.

Finally, the filling is covered with plastic wrap and left to dry in natural conditions at above-zero temperatures for at least 24 hours. In some cases, depending on the thickness of the workpiece, the time increases. After removing the dried slab from the mold, it is processed grinder, then with a transparent polish, which forms a durable and elastic film on the surface.

Polymer-based cast marble

In terms of money, this option will cost a little more, but ready product it turns out durable, lightweight, resistant to physical and chemical influences, and its texture perfectly imitates natural material.

The production of polymer concrete for pouring into molds can be carried out in several ways:

• Made from polyester resin, one part of which is mixed with 4-5 parts of filler. Quartz sand, another neutral colored mineral, crushed into fine crumbs, is well suited for these purposes.
• Using a two-component mixture of AST-T with butacryl (self-hardening plastic). The powder and liquid included in its composition are diluted in a 1:1 ratio and, depending on the volume obtained, the same amount of crushed stone and quartz sand is added. Coloring in desired color produced with acrylic-based pigments.

Having prepared the solution, fill the mold with it, and level the surface with a spatula. Then, applying force, they are compacted using a special blank. It can be cut from a chipboard board, the dimensions of which should be smaller than the contour of the matrix. The product is left to dry. Next, it is removed from the mold and subjected to further processing - cut, ground, polished, prepared required holes or carry out other types of work.

Gypsum based material

Gypsum is an affordable, easy-to-work material, so making artificial marble from it at home will not require special costs and effort. First, prepare a container and pour water into it, in which dry plaster with wood glue and resin dissolved in a heated turpentine bath are mixed. All components are thoroughly mixed and, without stopping the process, they begin to gradually add acrylic dyes and pigment, trying to obtain stains and veins.

To give artificial marble a milky color, white gumax, rubber-based glue and latex are added. But if brown shades are needed, coffee tone, then add orange humilax. A pronounced black polish can be obtained using aniline dye.

The prepared mass is poured into a mold made of plastic or polyurethane. To speed up the setting process and remove from the mixture excess water, additionally sprinkled with dry plaster on top. Usually after 8–10 hours the product is removed and left to dry completely.

You can give the front surface waterproof characteristics by treating it with potassium silicate, for which the workpiece is lightly immersed in a bath of solution or applied with a brush. When the base has dried, they pass over it with soft felt, then add polish of the desired shade, polish until perfect result.

How to care for artificial marble?

Although created with your own hands artificial material It is highly durable, resistant to various influences, and requires special care. By following the tips of specialists, you can significantly extend its service life. According to them:

• Do not use cleaning products that contain drying oil or silicone;
• sponges, brushes, and other coarse-bristled products are not suitable for cleaning as they can damage the top protective layer marble;
• The surface should be wiped using soft fabric using, instead of abrasive products, exclusively gel-based products, and for regular cleaning - regular soap;
• To maintain the original glossy shine of the product, it must be wiped with a composition made from liquid soap dissolved in water, and then with a clean towel.

Artificial marble is a wonderful and affordable decoration for your home – kitchen, bathroom and other rooms. By approaching its manufacture with all responsibility, and then properly caring for it and protecting it from adverse influences, it will be possible, while maintaining an attractive appearance, to extend its service life.

Artificial marble is a good alternative to natural stone, the cost of which not everyone can afford. The production of marble from concrete allows you to obtain a product that is not inferior in characteristics natural material, but at the same time having more affordable price. Organization of production does not require large financial investments and special knowledge from the entrepreneur.

Our business assessment:

Starting investments – from 50,000 rubles. and higher

Market saturation is average.

The difficulty of starting a business is 5/10.

Business benefits

Producing artificial marble from concrete at home has many advantages:

1. Consistently high demand for products.

1. Low level of competition.
2. Low costs at the opening stage.
3. No rent.
4. You don’t need to hire employees, you can do it yourself.
5. Simple technological process.
6. The ratio of cost and selling price of the finished product.
7. High profitability – up to 300%.

Any person who is not related to construction can open an enterprise whose activity is the production of artificial marble from concrete.

But before making marble from concrete with your own hands, it is worth considering in detail all aspects of such production: discovery stages, risks, manufacturing technology, financial costs.

The process of making artificial stone

Many people think that it is very difficult to make a good imitation of natural material.

But the technology for producing artificial marble from concrete is simple and consists of several stages:

• Mixing the components according to the standard recipe for preparing concrete mortar.
• Adding dyes and polyester resins to the mixture, on which the basic qualities of the material depend.
• Pouring the solution into prepared molds.
• Compaction on a vibrating table.

Next, you need to wait until the mixture has completely hardened, and then remove the finished stone from the molds. The resulting product, subject to production standards and requirements, will meet established standards and have high quality characteristics.

Equipment for the production of artificial material

Vibrating table for production

Buying equipment for the production of artificial marble is not difficult: setting up a workshop will not require large expenses. The machines used in the manufacturing process are cheap and easy to operate.

Rotary concrete mixer

The technology for making marble from concrete involves the use of the following devices:

• special molds for the production of artificial marble - from 1000 rubles. a piece;
• vibrating table – from RUB 30,000;
• mixer for mixing the solution (minimum volume 250 l) - from RUB 25,000.

The minimum number of molds required to create an assortment is 10 pieces. The total price of equipment for making marble from concrete is 65,000 rubles.

Nuances of artificial stone production

If you don’t have enough money, you can refuse to buy a concrete mixer. The solution can be mixed by hand. Vibrating table and molds are the main equipment, without which it is impossible to open production artificial stone. At the first stage, you can do all the work yourself. With an increase in the customer base and an increase in the volume of manufactured products, it will be necessary to hire one or two partners.

Before making marbled concrete, you need to decide on the type of product to be produced. It is best to immediately buy molds for making tiles, borders, paving stones, balusters and other things. It should be remembered that the larger the assortment offered to the buyer, the higher the profitability of the enterprise. Moreover, it is very convenient to buy tiles, paving stones, and borders in one place.

Examples of finished products

You can try to make exclusive forms yourself, because their cost is much higher than conventional devices: from 23,000 rubles. for 1 piece. But you can accept orders for the production of original products, and buy molds only after prepayment.

By the way, the best option will be the purchase of polyurethane molds. Their advantage is high quality, affordable cost and durability.

The raw materials for making marble from concrete are the following materials: sand, M400 cement, dye (pigment), polyester resins (plasticizer).

Calculation of profits from the production of artificial material

Every month you can produce about 1000 m2 of artificial marble, which costs on the market from 370 rubles. per m2 and above. The price depends on the thickness of the product, its appearance and quality of execution. That is, the minimum revenue will be about 370,000 rubles. The costs will be about 100,000 rubles. per month. An entrepreneur can earn more than 250,000 rubles. per month. All investments will pay off within 30-50 days after the start of production.

The payback and profitability of an enterprise depends on the competent organization of sales of finished products. You can sell marble through specialized outlets or online stores. Advertising in the media will allow you to work to order. But the main point of attracting buyers and expanding the client base is the high quality of the products offered and attractive prices.