Slag blocks

Now instead of traditional bricks, other construction materials are used, and primarily slag blocks. The main component of these blocks is concrete, and aggregates are slag, ash, gravel crushed stone, sand, expanded clay (haydite) and other construction waste. The blocks are made by the vibration compaction method, so special equipment for slag blocks is needed to obtain high-quality products. The finished products are characterized by high quality, durability, resistance to frost and physical influences.

Production of slag blocks – myths

1. This is unreliable material, which will quickly crumble, because it is composed of various waste products, and they can’t guarantee the quality and strength of the products.
   It is known that the current garage at the Hermitage is a hundred years (built in 1911). This is one of the oldest slag block (!) structures.
2. The manufacture of slag blocks and their subsequent exploitation is a dangerous process as harmful raw materials are used.
   The composition of the blocks includes well-known safe materials — concrete, wastes of brick, concrete and granite, gravel crushed stone, ash, expanded clay and sand. These materials have been used in the construction industry for long and have proved to be excellent. Therefore, the slag block is absolutely harmless material that doesn’t have any detrimental effects on human health. No radioactive wastes have been ever used in the manufacture of slag blocks, and their use is not planned.
3. Cheap building material can’t be good.
   Low price of slag block is due to the use of cheap locally available materials. The quality depends on the equipment of slag block and adherence to technological process, but not on the cost of raw materials.
4. The equipment for slag block is optional. The production of the material is simple, why pay more?
   Many craftsmen build home-made machinery for their own needs. They make metal molds, insert glass bottles into the matrix to make voids in the rocks, and carry out drying on the pieces of rubber dampened with a kitchen detergent. But thanks to such self-mades the myths about fragility of slag blocks appear. The absence of compacting press doesn’t allow the mixture to evenly distribute in the mold. The inaccurate mix of ingredients reduces the frost resistance and increases thermal conductivity. In the houses, built of home-made slag blocks, it is damp in winter and hot in summer. Artisanal slag blocks require minimum three months to dry, unlike four-week period for factory products (even if it is a mini-plant).
5. Houses made of slag blocks are cold.
   Indeed, we cannot say that it is a highly heat-retaining material. So, solid blocks are generally intended for foundations, basements and non-residential premises. However, hollow stones retain heat indoors much better, and the use of cuttings as filler significantly improves the heat-insulating properties of slag blocks.
6. Slag blocks are suitable only in low-rise construction.
   Slag block is an ideal building material in one- and two-storey houses. In high-rise construction, it is used efficiently in that case, if the main load is taken by the reinforced concrete framing.

The main advantages of slag blocks are the cheapness of the production process and high quality products. Brick making machine for the production of blocks creates durable, cold-resistant, heat and sound insulated products made of concrete and ancillary materials.A large size of blocks helps to speed up the pace of construction and at the same time to facilitate the process, as the weight of the stones is much less than, for example, the bricks. Another factor in favor of slag blocks is their resistance to fire, high and low temperatures. The material does not crack or crumble, neither in cold nor in heat.

The use of facing bricks will help to get rid of the increased hygroscopicity. Most big companies, engaged in the manufacture of slag blocks, choose Rifey equipment. Manufacturers point out its high speed, automation of process, and excellent quality of finished products.Rifey brick making machines make it possible to organize effective production of quality and reliable construction materials.

Manufactured slag blocks:

Hollow wall stone SKTs-1 (Code: 101) Equipment for the production of slag blocks: Rifey-Buran M Rifey-Polus Rifey Udar Rifey-05 М1 Kondor Bikondor Trikondor Rifey-04Тs Rifey Universal Rifey-Luch/Varyag