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Transparent concrete production technology. New products on the building materials market: transparent concrete (litracon). Raw materials, components and technical characteristics of transparent concrete

Transparent concrete provided scope for design solutions during the construction of buildings, preserving strength characteristics and long service life of the usual material. The introduction of an aesthetic component into the production technology changed the components of the mixture, which increased prices for the finished product. You can reduce the cost of purchasing blocks if you make them yourself.

Such innovative development allows you to distinguish the silhouettes of objects and the outlines of people, which is a unique design solution for the construction of buildings and structures. You can make it yourself, which will reduce the cost of expensive materials. The building will receive additional lighting without reducing the strength of structures.

To ensure that light sources and the silhouettes obscuring them are visible through the frozen solution, fiber optic conductors are used as filler. The technology has retained fine-grained as a binder cement mixture, but introduced this specific component to impart light-conducting properties to the monolith.

The fiber content should not exceed 5%, otherwise the load-bearing capacity will decrease. The optimal Ø of one thread is no more than 2 mm. Transparent products require their production in a factory in separate blocks, which, after completion of the manufacturing procedure, are delivered to the installation site. Prices are set both individually and per 1 m2 for wholesale customers.

The main characteristics correspond to fine-grained concrete M250 (compression):

• strength (bending) – PtbЗ0;
• water absorption – up to 6%;
• frost resistance – F50;
• density 2100-2400 kg/m3;
• light dispersion – up to 2 m.

Compared to traditional ones, such products have higher performance thermal resistance and sound insulation. If they are used for installation in critical (loaded) structures, then when making them yourself, plasticizers are added to the mixture to increase strength. To give the desired color, pigment is poured in, the front surface is processed to the required degree of roughness or polished. The installation technology allows you to mount cement mortar, anchors, lay on adhesive mixtures.

Area of ​​use of transparent blocks

The use of translucent concrete in external walls allows you to save energy indoors daytime and receive additional lighting from the rooms adjacent to the house at night.

In addition to facade design, they are used for original interior and exterior decor. It looks impressive in the following elements:

• internal partition;
• table top;
• reception, bar counter;
• windowsill;
• ladder;
• fence;
• bench;
• lamp.

Such solutions can be successfully used both in public buildings, and in individual development.

Self-production

In order to make transparent blocks of concrete, it is necessary to purchase a fiber optic cord Ø 0.25-3 mm in a volume of about 4% of the total cubic capacity of the planned mixture.

The technology includes the following stages:

• Assemble the sliding formwork according to the right size. Some craftsmen make it long and subsequently cut the resulting timber into separate fragments.
• Prepare a solution in the proportion of 1 part cement, 3 fine-grained sifted sand, ½ water. It is possible to buy a ready-made dry mixture and mix it with water to the required consistency. Crushed stone is not used unless it is part of the designer’s creative intent. It is better to take purified water, with low content salts
• The formwork is placed on a horizontal, level plane. A small amount of the composition is poured into it and distributed in a thin layer.
• Fiberglass is cut to the thickness of the block and laid in a row, pressing it into the concrete. The threads lie parallel, with their ends facing the front edge, without bending.
• After the solution has set, the operation is repeated until the desired height is obtained. Upper layer must cover all fibers.
• Making 1 mold takes 3-5 days (the element is kept in the formwork for 2-3 days), depending on the ambient temperature and air humidity.
• For full operation of the optical fiber, the front edges are ground, obtaining a smooth, transparent surface.

Optical fiber serves as reinforcing elements, so for better adhesion, you can add a plasticizer suitable for operating conditions.

Cost of translucent material

The company that created Litracon Bt sells concrete at prices that are high for mass construction. A block with a thickness of 20 cm sells for 100,000 rubles per 1 m2. Decorative properties are used for Litrocube lamps, the price of which is 43,000 rubles and weighs 10 kg. In the Moscow region, Mosstroytransgaz - Development LLC sells 1 m2 of light ston sheet own production dimensions 30x300x900 mm at a price of 20,000 rubles.

The Interpol company has opened its own workshop, where it is produced in 4 basic colors:

• white marble;
• grey;
• sandstone;
• dark grey.

When filling out an individual application, the base solution can be colored at the customer’s request. Interpol's standard Illumicon product line is available in the following sizes:

Concrete is one of the most popular materials in construction, with a long service life and high performance characteristics. The main disadvantage is that it is not aesthetically pleasing. appearance, requiring additional finishing. Transparent variety - completely New Product, which managed to combine all the best qualities of the usual composition with unique aesthetic properties.

Concrete can be called transparent rather conditionally, since only the contours of objects located behind the structure are visible through it and only when the light flow is directed from the rear side. In cloudy weather or evening time this material has no significant differences from the usual one; all its properties are fully revealed only when sunlight or when using special lighting.

It consists of two main components: fine-grained concrete and fiberglass, which serves as the basis for the operation of the reflective matrix. The diameter of glass fibers is predominantly taken to be 2 mm, and their total share does not exceed 5%.

Transparent concrete has all the structural and operational parameters traditional, such as:

• strength;
• hardness;
• water resistance;
• heat and noise insulation characteristics.

Fiberglass also performs a reinforcing function, increasing some properties of the material:

• moisture absorption - up to 6%;
• frost resistance - up to F50;
• bending strength - up to grade Ptb30;
• compressive strength - up to grade M250.

Areas of use

Thanks to the advent of translucent concrete, new opportunities have opened up in the design and engineering of buildings, especially in modern and high-tech styles.

Most often used for:

• finishing of indoor surfaces;
• construction of interior partitions;
• construction of external and load-bearing walls;
• production of plumbing fixtures (washbasins, bathtubs);
• production of decorative benches, fountains, gazebos.

Does not lose its properties and characteristics when exposed to sun rays and temperature fluctuations, and therefore can be used not only for internal, but also external work. To create blocks suitable for construction load-bearing structures buildings and meeting all safety requirements, a special production technology is required, which involves adding various building mixtures, resins and quartz flour.

For interior decoration For rooms, panels made of translucent concrete are predominantly selected. They are fixed to the wall using bolted connections or frame structures. Can also be used as a floor covering.

The main drawback due to which the material has not yet received widespread in construction, the price is too high due to expensive components. For the same reason, the products are not yet available to most people and are extremely rarely used when creating interiors.

Manufacturing technology

The production method consists of layer-by-layer application of a fine-grained mixture and fiberglass. To obtain the required characteristics, after the solution has set and gained strength, additional processing. Transparent light-conducting concrete is ground and polished to achieve the best possible smooth surface, necessary for maximum light transmission ability and achieving the greatest decorative effect.

The optical parameters of the material do not depend on the thickness of the products; the main importance is the uniformity of the fibers and their percentage V finished product. The fine-mesh structure looks more airy, conveying the edges of the object. Increasing the thread density increases the transparency effect.

The production of light-conducting blocks is impossible on a construction site, since high-quality mixing of the mixture requires special equipment. But for your own needs, you can try to do it yourself.

Making concrete yourself

The main difficulty lies in the need to introduce exactly 5% fiberglass. Threads laid strictly in one direction must be of the same length, equal to the thickness of the block.

Materials needed:

• purified water;
• fiberglass threads of the required length with a cross-section from 0.25 to 3 mm;
• a thoroughly dried mixture of cement and finely sifted sand.

The production technology includes the following steps:

• production of “floating” formwork, moving upward as it hardens;
• pouring a thin layer of the prepared solution into a mold placed on a flat horizontal surface;
• fiberglass strands are placed in the mixture and slightly embedded in it;
• after waiting the time necessary for setting, the next layer is poured and another row of fiberglass is laid;
• pouring and laying of threads is repeated until the formwork volume is completely filled;
• Once the last layer has hardened, the frame is dismantled, the edges of the block from the ends of the fiberglass should be sanded and polished.

According to technology for self-production fine-grained concrete requires mixing cement and sand in a ratio of 1 to 3. Water is added depending on the amount of cement used, no more than half of its mass.

Dry ingredients are added to the mixer and mixed for a minute. After the mixture becomes homogeneous, add water and stirring continues for another 5 minutes. When making blocks, both in a factory and with your own hands, the mobility of the solution is important: the slightest displacement can lead to a decrease in throughput, but allows you to create an original pattern on the surface.

According to the technology, finishing treatment is carried out 2-3 days after pouring. To do this, the formwork is dismantled, and the resulting block is left to “ripen”, ensuring, if possible, its protection from the effects of precipitation. Incomplete hardening occurs 3-5 days after pouring.

The cost of concrete in Moscow

Prices for this unique innovative product depend on the shape and complexity of manufacturing, technical and operational characteristics.

Price of the most popular products in Moscow:

Manufacturers from Europe have the highest prices for products, and already finished goods, and the cheapest option is to purchase transparent concrete Russian companies- its cost is relatively low.

For more than 50 years, concrete has been the most popular building material. Due to its high strength, density and resistance to temperature changes, concrete bases last the longest. But this material has rather poor aesthetic qualities, which significantly narrows the scope of its use in construction. To solve this problem, transparent concrete (or as it is also called light-transmitting or “Litracon”) was developed. This is an innovative material that is just beginning to conquer the market. Let's take a closer look at what is included in this material, what properties it has and where it is used.

What is transparent concrete?

This modification was developed by the Hungarian architect Aron Losonczi, who experimented with building materials. With him light hand 15 years ago, light-conducting concrete was born, which consists of:

• cement;
• fine-grained sand;
• fiber-optic fibers (thread diameter 0.5-2.5 mm), which act as a light-transmitting filler;
• specialized additives that improve the formability of a low-moving solution.

Coarse fillers are not used in the production of translucent concrete.

Fiber optic glass threads must be certified. The documents indicate that the material is environmentally friendly.

It’s worth saying right away that the cost of high-quality transparent concrete is very high; if you have the opportunity, it is better to order the material from Europe. Nevertheless, domestic producers have already begun to master the production technology of this unique composition. True, this did not reduce the price much.

Cost of transparent concrete

Today on Russian market selling this unique material Two companies are involved: Litracon and Lucem. However, it is worth considering that these companies are not manufacturers. These are intermediaries of official European companies that produce luminous concrete. Accordingly, the price does not take into account delivery costs.

However, you can order decorative slabs of any size, shape or color. You can even purchase canvases in which fiberglass fibers will be laid out in the shape of a logo or product, as well as blocks equipped LED backlight. Of course, the cost in this case will be many times higher.

If we talk about the price of “standard” panels made of transparent material, then:

• A Litracon Classic prefabricated panel measuring 1200 x 400 mm and 25 mm thick will cost at least 90,000 rubles. If the thickness is increased to 200 mm, then it will cost 320,000 rubles.
• A Litracube Lamp block measuring 221 X 175 X 175 mm and 25 mm thick will cost a little less. You can pay for it from 54,000 rubles.
• A lightweight concrete slab from Lucem (1250 X 650 mm) with a thickness of 15-50 mm will cost at least 90,000 rubles.
• The Lucem luminous tabletop measuring 1200 x 600 mm will cost 89,500 rubles.

Shipping costs are added to all prices.

Many believe that due to its transparent structure, such concrete has very low strength and other characteristics. Let's take a closer look at them.

Properties of transparent concrete

Despite its transparency, this material has the same properties as ordinary concrete. Moreover, in some indicators it even surpasses its “gray brother”. This is explained by the fact that it contains fiberglass, which is an excellent reinforcing material.

The luminous material has the following characteristics:

• strength: compressive strength in the range of 20-35 MPa, bending strength 30 Ptb, and tensile strength not less than 2;
• density – 2300 kg/cm 3 ;
• thermal conductivity – 2.1 W/(m∙K);
• frost resistance up to F75;
• waterproof - W4-W8;
• sound insulation properties - 46 dB;
• water absorption within 6%.

At the same time, the material, which freely transmits the light beam, is not affected by UV radiation. However, there is a risk of minor alkali silicate reactions occurring in the event of heavy rainfall. Therefore, it is better to choose products with a thinner thread section, then damage will be minimal.

The thickness of transparent concrete slabs usually does not exceed 20 cm. However, this indicator does not in any way affect the light transmittance of the material. Even if the wall thickness is 2 m, light will still pass through it freely.

During the day the slabs skip natural light, and at night - artificial, thanks to which you can achieve very unusual design solutions both in the interior of an apartment and during the construction of a country house.

Scope of application of transparent concrete

Since the blocks are available in any size and color, polished or matte, their scope of application is unlimited. Products of this type can be used in construction. They are optimal for interior decoration, as well as for the construction of:

• partitions;
• stairs;
• inserts and much more.

The luminous panel can be used along with products made from standard concrete. However, the cost of transparent building material is so high that it is used only in the construction of buildings of special architectural significance.

If we talk about ordinary citizens, they often use this unusual composite for the manufacture of:

• benches;
• countertops;
• shells;
• decorative fountains;
• illuminated niches in the walls.

If you spend money on small panels, you can make a cube out of them and place a lamp inside it. Thus, you will get a very unusual lamp.

Also, you can make a bar counter from transparent concrete, which will separate the kitchen and bedroom in a studio apartment.

Of course, no one wants to buy panels costing 90,000 rubles for an ordinary night light. In this case, you can try to make a transparent composite yourself.

How to make transparent concrete

First of all, it is worth saying that the production of such a composite requires specialized equipment. Since the components of the composition are laid in layers, processing is required after each subsequent layer. However, there are artisanal methods that allow you to prepare a material that resembles transparent concrete with your own hands.

To do this you will need:

• 1 share PC;
• 2.5-3 shares of sand (it should not contain loam and dust);
• light-conducting filler - (no more than 5% of the total mass of the batch);
• modifying additives.
• 0.5 parts running water.

The solution is mixed in a forced mixer (it is better to prepare concrete in small portions). First you need to displace the sand and cement. After this, water is added to the mixture and the solution is mixed for at least 6 minutes. At the following stages, the following operations are prepared and performed:

1. A layer of concrete about 0.5-1 cm high is laid in the formwork.
2. A layer of fibers is placed on it (they need to be pressed a little into the solution).
3. After this, you need to wait until the layer “sets”.
4. The procedure is repeated until the formwork structure is completely filled.

After this, you need to wait about 72 hours and remove the formwork. For a week, the workpiece must be stored at a temperature of +20 degrees and air humidity of at least 95%. After 7 days, the concrete will gain maximum strength, then it will be possible to grind the surfaces. For finishing, it is best to use diamond blades.

Finished blocks are installed using standard masonry mixtures. For gluing products, you can use epoxy resin with quartz filler.

In custody

Transparent concrete- This is a very expensive pleasure, so no one uses it to build houses. However, if you use it for decorative purposes, you can achieve a stunning effect.

Concrete is one of the most common building materials, which is associated with its strength, durability and a number of other advantages. However, its aesthetic component leaves much to be desired, therefore concrete surfaces always subject to additional finishing. The exception is light-conducting concrete, which, in fact, is what this article is devoted to. In particular, we will take a detailed look at what this material is and how to make transparent concrete with your own hands.

General information

Transparent or light-conducting concrete (Litracon) was invented in 2001 by a Hungarian architect. The fine-grained structure of this material includes fiber-optic glass threads. As a result, the material is a durable substance permeated with thin glass fibers.

It should be noted right away that the price of transparent concrete is very high, which is due to the technological complexity of its production. Therefore, it is produced exclusively to order in the form of rectangular panels, the dimensions of which are selected in accordance with the wishes of the customer.

Initially, it was possible to purchase light-conducting concrete only abroad, as a result of which high price shipping costs were added to the material. However, recently domestic manufacturers have also started producing it. Moreover, they began to offer this material at much more favorable prices.

Material properties

Characteristics

Despite a certain external extravagance, clear concrete has the structural characteristics of traditional concrete, including:

• Durability;
• Water resistance;
• Noise and heat insulating properties.

Moreover, fiberglass has a reinforcing effect on the material, as a result of which some of its indicators are even higher than those of ordinary concrete:

Note! Transparent concrete can be considered not only decorative, but also construction material, capable of withstanding heavy loads. Moreover, its optical properties do not depend on thickness.

Peculiarities

The components used in the production of light-conducting concrete are certified and undergo an environmental assessment before use. As a result ready material guaranteed to be environmentally friendly and safe for health.

The disadvantages include the fact that the technology for the production of transparent concrete does not allow it to be obtained in formwork directly on construction site. Litracon is manufactured at industrial enterprises who have the appropriate equipment.

The production of the material is carried out by layer-by-layer application of fiberglass and. After the solution has set and gained strength, the surface of the blocks is further processed to obtain good light-conducting characteristics.

In the photo - a lamp made of transparent blocks

Application area

For the first time, transparent concrete was used to make a fancy cube-shaped lamp. Weighed this item interior more than 10 kilograms. Gradually the scope of its application expanded.

Recently, Litracon has been used in modern architectural compositions, to implement various design solutions in urban construction, as well as to create unusual elements interior

It must be said that the imagination of designers at the moment is limited only by very high price material.

Manufacturing

Main difficulty self-made is that transparent concrete technology requires the inclusion of exactly 4 percent of optical fiber in the structure of the total mass of the material. Moreover, all its threads must be located strictly in one direction.

Materials

So, to create a lythrocon yourself, you need to prepare all the necessary materials:

• Dry fine-grained cement mixture;
• Clean water;
• Fiberglass with a diameter of 0.25-3 mm. The length of the fiber must correspond to the thickness of the slab.

Manufacturing technology

The instructions for making light-conducting panels are as follows:

• First of all, you need to make a structure that resembles a box. In essence, this is a floating formwork, which, as the solution sets, should smoothly move upward.
• The resulting box should be placed on a flat horizontal surface and a small amount of solution should be poured into it, spreading in a thin layer.
• Fiberglass is evenly laid across the freshly poured layer and slightly recessed.
• After the solution has set, the next portion of the solution is poured in doses and a layer of fiberglass is also laid on top of it.
• This procedure is repeated until the formwork is completely filled.
• When the last layer of mortar has hardened, you need to remove the formwork.
• Then the side surfaces of the block, to which the fiberglass is located perpendicular, are ground and polished.

Advice! The formwork can be made from plywood, plastic or other sheet material.

This completes the manufacturing process of this material. Of course, this work requires some time, perseverance and perseverance, but the result justifies all these difficulties. After gaining some experience, subsequent samples may be of higher quality.

Conclusion

Transparent concrete is modern material, which, in addition to high strength, has excellent decorative properties. Perhaps its only disadvantage is its high cost, however, you can get Litracon at home, without special costs ().

From the video in this article you can glean Additional information on this topic.

Litracon, litracube, illumikon, lyutsem are fabulous names for a building material, about which, as many believe, almost everything is known. Durable, gray and heavy concrete could provide complex, intricate shapes and scale, but aesthetically the concrete structure still lost. We owe an unexpected look and the collapse of the stereotype about this most common building material to an architect from Hungary. The invention of transparent concrete dates back to 2001.

Fiber optic threads, when incorporated into a fine-grained concrete mixture, make the concrete transparent, airy and stunningly decorative. An evenly distributed optical fiber within 4-5% is required, and subsequent “cutting” is practically the whole idea.

The first masterpiece, created from transparent concrete, was a ten-kilogram lamp for interior decoration, and this item immediately caused a rush of demand. The cost of transparent concrete is still quite high, which mainly restrains the imagination of designers. The main use of clear structural concrete is to bold and original design in urban projects and exclusive interior decor. The production of transparent concrete is available in many countries, and domestic producers are also not lagging behind, and prices, as they say, are much lower in our country. There are also enthusiasts who have mastered the small-scale production of luminous concrete at home, although this process cannot be called simple - just grinding and polishing along the edges of fiber optic threads requires painstaking perseverance. And “concreting” is an artistic extreme, because every thin layer of pouring concrete mixture you need to do it along neatly and evenly laid fibers, and also calculate the setting time.

The technology of light-transmitting concrete is innovative and very expensive. Large aggregate is excluded from the composition, but nevertheless, the strength and associated characteristics of transparent concrete clearly define this material as a structural material. All basic parameters are preserved - compressive strength, frost resistance and water resistance. 5% fiberglass strands work similarly to fiber reinforcement. Transparent concrete has low tensile strength and decent flexural strength.

For designers, the potential of this material is enormous - after all, blocks and panels are not completely transparent, they are anisotropic and provide a lot of interesting light and shade and effects. The patterns within the concrete magically change as the intensity and direction of the light changes. There is something fabulous in the way the dense and heavy material of the supporting structures instantly becomes transparent. Made from illumicon and litrakon load-bearing walls, quite traditional. But as soon as light falls on the concrete surfaces, the stone becomes transparent, patterns that are not repeated are visible in it, and silhouettes of people in neighboring rooms or on the street are visible behind the stone. Very decorative are light-conducting concrete panels, several centimeters thick, fixed in profile frame and illuminated with ordinary fluorescent light or LED strips. Dynamic multimedia lighting from LEDs connected to the control unit will correspond to the rhythm of steps or the beat of music, and at the same time LED lightening most economical.

Raw materials, components and technical characteristics of transparent concrete

Concrete is produced using a cement binder. Fillers of coarse fractions, crushed stone, gravel, etc. are not used due to the specificity of the process. Fine aggregate – sand (size module 2-3). Optical fiber, protected from the alkaline environment of concrete, in an amount of 4 to 5% and plasticizing additives-modifiers, sometimes rheological additives - hardening retarders. It is possible to introduce plastic resins, as well as special coloring pigments that are resistant to alkalis. normal concrete properties:

• specific gravity about 2250-2350 kg/m3
• grade compressive strength M250 – M350
• thermal conductivity coefficient 2.105 W/m*deg C
• frost resistance within F50 - F75
• water resistance W4 – W8
• water absorption up to 6%
• sound insulation index 46 dB
• non-flammable, NG group
• absolute UV resistance

There are always risks of destruction of silicate fiber optic strands in the alkaline environment of cement, especially in the presence of moisture and atmospheric water, but in in this case they are minimal, since the cross-section of the threads is very small. Theoretically, it is possible to fill slabs of any thickness and even massive structures, but in practice they are limited to a thickness of 200 mm and slightly higher, due to the specific layout of fiber optic threads. It is believed that the main improvements in the production of luminous concrete are yet to come. Concrete reacts to both sunlight and artificial lighting, and always look different, especially if they are tinted with pigments.

Main Applications

The main colors of the produced blocks and slabs are grey, white and black, and the surfaces are processed by polishing and grinding until glossy or matte shine. The use of products is decorative, for interior or room decoration. Fixed partitions and illuminated cladding are possible. Stairs on rails with steps made of transparent look great concrete slabs. Popular original items decor and furniture - chairs, benches, table tops, window sills, floor slabs and tiles, sinks and lamps. full-fledged frames and monoliths made of transparent concrete are not yet available both in price and technology, and are used only in unique projects.

The blocks are connected according to the type of masonry on cement-sand and lime mortars with additive epoxy resin, polymers and filler made of quartz sand or mineral chips, additives of dyes are possible. According to the standards fire safety In terms of strength and stability, this masonry meets all the requirements for the construction of load-bearing wall structures. Fasteners are made on anchor bolts and frame anchors.

Making transparent concrete blocks with your own hands

Quite profitable idea– after all, the components for transparent concrete are not at all more expensive than for regular concrete, as are the formwork and mixing equipment. The main difficulty is to lay fiber optic threads into the structure and orient them in a strictly defined manner - almost in one line. You will need a fine-grained dry mixture for concrete (you can independently select a composition from Portland cement M400, quartz sand and plasticizer), pure water and fiber optic threads with a cross section of up to 0.25; 0.5; 1.0 mm and length corresponding to the thickness of future blocks or slabs. The maximum thread thickness is called 2.5 mm. The basic composition is C:P:W = 1/3/0.5.

It is necessary to mix with a concrete mixer or a construction mixer, in small portions, the homogeneity of the mixture is very important, which is almost impossible to achieve by hand mixing. The mixture should be mobile, but not flowing and without signs of separation. Water is introduced after mixing the cement binder and sand, the total mixing time is at least 6-7 minutes. It is optimal to take ready-made dry mixtures with precise dosages and select the water-cement ratio yourself.

The formwork must be constructed in the form of a box, but according to the principle of sliding formwork - the walls must be able to smoothly move upward as the lower layers of the fill set. The formwork can be of any configuration, but for the first experiments it is not advisable to take complex forms, better cube or rectangle. It is important to have a stable and level position of the formwork, with strict alignment of the horizon.

The first layer of concrete mixture is poured thinly - up to 1 cm, only to fix the “cushion”, and therefore the optical fiber is immediately distributed over the layer, recessing it a little. You can style it in bunches, draw pictures or logos - after acquiring minimal skills. As soon as the bottom layer has passed the first setting phase, the next dose of liquid concrete mixture is carefully poured and the optical fiber is laid again. The bottom layer must not be damaged. Compaction of the mixture is practically impossible, and the addition of a plasticizer is necessary for the mobility of the mixture. The algorithm is repeated, gradually moving the box until the desired size of the product is achieved. After the last layer has set, the formwork is removed. The holding time depends on the hardening conditions, and it is better to set them to the optimum - air humidity of at least 95%, temperature from 25⁰C. The product should be kept in the formwork for at least a day, possibly up to three days. After the required strength for mechanical work has been achieved (normatively seven days under normal hardening conditions), grinding and polishing of the edges of the product, perpendicular to the cross-section of the fiber optic threads, begin. Grinding is necessary, this process is also carried out in production, in order to open the cross-sections of the optical fibers covered with cement film and mortar. Finishing Requires grinding using a diamond disc.

The time spent pays off, since handicraft transparent products turn out to be exclusive and of decent quality, and with the acquisition of some skill, you can make very artistic things. It is possible to produce countertops, decorative elements and practical things - lamps or slabs for cladding floors and walls. Do-it-yourself transparent concrete is a labor-intensive and painstaking process, but manufacturers’ price lists, which indicate prices of up to hundreds of thousands of rubles for one product measuring 1.2 * 0.6 m, definitely inspire work.

There is nothing complicated in the process - layer-by-layer laying of optical fiber and a fine-grained moving mixture, and after gaining strength, sanding - for maximum decorativeness and optimal light-conducting effect. It is interesting that the optical characteristics do not depend at all on the thickness and dimensions of the products, but only on the accuracy of the position of the fiber optic threads and their percentage in the composition. Although it should be noted that fine-cell concrete has more illusory airiness, products made from it show all their edges, corners and structure “through and through”. The denser the light guides are, the greater the light transmitting effect.

Another interesting effect, which is worth experimenting with - defects in work in the form of random displacement of optical fiber threads (as a result of too much mobility, fluidity of the mixture or from mechanical stress during pouring) will lead to a decrease in light transmittance, but the transmission patterns will be unique. But in any case, each product is unique.