Plastic paving slabs - choosing the best of the best

Plastic paving slabs are becoming more and more popular. This is not surprising, because such a coating costs several times less, and in terms of service life and strength characteristics it is practically on the same level as more expensive clinker, stone, and concrete tiles. Plastic building materials are divided into 2 categories: modular coating made of polypropylene and polyethylene and polymer sand tiles.

Plastic

More often it is used only as a garden covering, but is also sometimes used indoors. Does not require special preparation before installation. There is only one limitation: it cannot be installed in barbecue areas, since plastic is flammable.

Polymer sand paving slabs

- the best option for creating a durable coating. This building material contains 75-90% pure sand and up to 25% polymers. Can be made from recycled plastic. These tiles are very light, do not generate dust during installation, and are quickly dismantled. The material also has increased resistance to high temperatures and frost.

How to choose plastic paving slabs

It all depends on your wishes and soil characteristics. For a complex, periodically “floating” base, a polymer-sand building material is more suitable. And if you just want to improve the paths in the garden, then the best solution would be to buy a modular covering. But it is important to consider that before installing the material you will need to prepare the base.

Polymer sand tiles are laid on:

• sand;
• concrete with a sand cushion using mortar;
• reinforced concrete;
• crushed stone

Also, some varieties of this plastic building material can be laid on flat ground when arranging garden paths. Regular sand, cement-sand mixture or cement mortar are used as grout.

With modular cover

everything is much simpler. The material does not require serious preparatory work. Before laying, the soil is simply leveled and debris is removed. If desired, the surface is covered with sand.

Installation of plastic tiles

The process of laying plastic paving stones is simple, so you can do it yourself. For this you need the following materials and devices:

• cement mixture (PTs400);
• coarse sand;
• crushed stone;
• plastic tiles;
• border elements.

Installation of polymer products is carried out according to the following scheme:

• marking;
• extraction of 25-30 cm of the top soil layer;
• installation of border elements;
• installation of geotextiles at the bottom of a dug trench;
• crushed stone drainage device;
• laying geotextile fabric on drainage;
• powdering and compaction of the sand layer;
• Polymer paving stones are laid on the sand.

To lay thin polymer tiles in sand, you need to add cement.

At the final stage, the seams must be filled with clean and dry sand.

Top 10. NeoComposite “8 bricks”

Rating (2021): 4.45

Easy coating repair The tiles can be quickly dismantled and replaced. Removing the material does not require the use of solvents or serious mechanical stress.

• Characteristics

  Average price: 100 rub.

• Type: reinforced tiles
• Maximum load: 5 t/m²
• Installation: on cement, sand base
• Dimensions: 330/330/30 mm

Aesthetic, durable and strong paving slabs made of plastic and sand. The material contains environmentally friendly components and high-quality dye that can withstand constant contact with sunlight. According to the manufacturer, the tiles can last almost half a century and not lose their strength during this time. The material is designed for use in harsh conditions: thanks to its optimal thickness, it can withstand the weight of heavy vehicles. However, if you do not follow the laying technology and do not prepare a concrete base with a CMS cushion, the tiles will spread.

Advantages and disadvantages

• Durability up to 50 years
• Capable of supporting the weight of a truck
• Retains its shape in hot and low temperatures (down to -55 ° C)

• Poor selection of shades

Find a buyer

“The state doesn’t need us,” says Vasiliev. — What kind of official would need tiles whose warranty period is many years? Just pave the paths in all the parks once - and that’s it, no more repair work. For enterprises like ours, the state has not provided any benefits for “garbage” collections. I buy 20 thousand worth of films from the solid waste collection operator in Ryazan “Eco-Pronsk”, and he gives me a bill for garbage removal. But where will I get it from? We throw everything into the agglomerator at once.

At first, Vasiliev and his partner were going to participate in government procurement, but they quickly realized that it wouldn’t work, because all the technical specifications included concrete tiles. Now they have come up with the idea of ​​participating in a charity event to lay tiles on a playground in a school or kindergarten.

— We make tiles from food-grade plastic, it is of the lowest hazard class, so it cannot harm your health. The tile is less dangerous than regular tiles: if a child falls, it won’t even hurt his knee, it’s as if it’s springy,” Vasiliev assured. “People buy it to set up playgrounds for swings and swimming pools on their property. One woman laid tiles on her property herself, although she is not a tiler at all.

Commercial organizations purchase tiles for finishing the floors of garages, workshops and entrances to them: they are not afraid of the pressure of heavy trucks. Pavel himself used tiles to decorate the grave of his relatives. He says it’s convenient: grass doesn’t grow there anymore.

Perspective Invest cannot yet spend its earnings on an advertising campaign. The first buyers learned about the new material for covering sidewalks from social networks. Pavel rarely wrote posts, but with the opening of production, “the children forced him.” He immediately appreciated the possibility of quick feedback, the benefits of likes and spreading information, and now he was going to master TikTok and Instagram.

Top 9. Europlast "Parquet"

Rating (2021): 4.49

Best price per piece This is the cheapest polymer sand tile in the selection. But at the same time it has high strength and is designed for a long service life.

• Characteristics

  Average price: 90 rub.

• Type: polymer sand tiles
• Maximum load: 3-4 t/m²
• Installation: screed, cement mortar
• Dimensions: 330/330/20 mm

Paving slabs from a manufacturer from Moscow. The material looks no worse than paving stones, and its strength is on par with concrete-based building materials. With the help of this tile, an even and beautiful coating is formed on almost any substrate. The front side of the material is resistant to mechanical stress and shock. In winter, the material behaves well: the surface is easily cleared of snow and remains non-slip. However, when choosing this tile, it is important to take into account that it cannot simply be laid on the ground. It will not hold, since there are no lugs on the back side. Even for garden paths, the base will first have to be covered with sand, and only then proceed with the installation of tiles.

Advantages and disadvantages

• Easy to install/dismantle
• Service life up to 30 years
• Adequate price for 1 m²

• Can only be laid on a prepared base

Features of choice

Polymer, like any other material, has its advantages and disadvantages that must be taken into account before starting construction work. When choosing paving plastic, you need to consider the following indicators:

1. Size and thickness of elements. The smaller the perimeter of the tile, the higher the strength of the product.
2. Stability of the material when exposed to high and low temperatures.
3. Features of laying technology. To install some types of plastic surfaces, a special base must be prepared on which the cladding is laid. During the work process, it is necessary to attach the bases to the plastic elements and then lay the tiles on the surface.

The reputation of the manufacturer of polymer products is also important when purchasing polymer facing materials.

Top 8. POLIMERSAD

Rating (2021): 4.50

Affordable plastic tiles for the garden The domestically produced material is universal, reliable, and quite inexpensive.

• Characteristics

  Average price: 85 rub.

• Type: garden cover
• Maximum load: 20 t/m²
• Installation: manual
• Dimensions: 250/250 mm

This inexpensive material can easily replace paving slabs when arranging paths in the garden and greenhouses. In terms of strength, it is not inferior to more expensive plastic coatings. The tiles are quickly and easily assembled by connecting locks and are available in 2 color variations: green and terracotta. The shades are easy to combine. True, the material can only be used for garden paths, since a lot of dirt will accumulate under it indoors due to the peculiarities of the pattern. Also, tiles cannot be laid in the barbecue area, like any other plastic building material. The coating has no critical flaws, except for rather weak locks. But this problem occurs with many modular plastic tiles.

Advantages and disadvantages

• Ideal for garden paths
• Does not change shape when heated in hot weather
• Installs quickly

• Limited scope
• Locks may break during installation

Peek, start and almost despair

- So I take a sledgehammer... And - smack on the tiles! And she's all intact. So I drop it on the concrete floor - oops! The result is the same. Any other tile would have already shattered into pieces,” Pavel assures. “It’s mostly made of concrete, and it breaks during transportation.” And mine is indestructible: it doesn’t burn in fire... What, does it sink in water? Haha. Drowning. But it does not allow moisture to pass through, so it does not crack.

Advertiser from God. I want to buy the tile right away, even if there is nowhere to fit it. But for now this is impossible: Pavel’s orders are booked until December.

Pavel is 42 years old, he is lean, wiry, active and talkative. All his life he was a hard worker: he laid heating mains, built houses, and renovated apartments. Now I decided to be a director - a real one, who wears a white shirt and gives commands while sitting in a chair. There is a chair, a shirt too, but for now you often have to change into work clothes and work hard yourself.

Pavel works with his long-time friend and partner, CEO of the micro-enterprise Gleb Mayer. They named the tiles after his last name - Mayer. They brainstormed the idea of ​​opening a plastic processing plant together.

— He and I are non-drinkers. I had saved up some money and wanted to create something of my own; I couldn’t spend forever renovating apartments. I saw the idea on the Internet, on YouTube,” said Pavel. — We got on the train and went to Samara. We bought equipment and manufacturing technology there, rented this premises on the former territory and prepared to launch.

And then the pandemic happened. What to do, how to move around the city during an almost complete ban on going out, where to get garbage, and at the same time workers - there was no end to the series of these questions. But it was impossible to retreat from a business in which more than 1.5 million rubles had been invested. We had to wait for some time. The workshop started operating only at the beginning of July 2022.

Top 7. Tetto "Old Town"

Rating (2021): 4.51

Durable coating on difficult soil The tiles do not deform even on a “capricious” base. To form a durable coating, the material is laid on a reinforced concrete screed and DSP.

• Characteristics

  Average price: 150 rub.

• Type: polymer sand tiles
• Maximum load: 4 t/m²
• Installation: on mortar, concrete
• Dimensions: 320/320/20 mm

A building material that is ideal for forming a durable and non-fading coating. These impact-resistant paving slabs are not demanding in terms of location. It can be used for parking, pedestrian areas and not worry about durability. The material does not absorb moisture and is available for order in 10 shades. Resistant to temperature changes, heat and mechanical stress. And these tiles can be laid directly on top of vegetation without serious preparation of the base. Garden paths are still durable due to the presence of lugs on the back side. But you still have to tinker with the arrangement of the parking lot: a concrete foundation is required.

Advantages and disadvantages

• Inexpensive
• Beautiful colors
• High impact resistance

• Requires careful adherence to installation technology

Factors to consider

Paving slabs are a material that is used to cover paths, courtyards and paths. Its main task is to give a civilized appearance to a suburban or private area. The choice of paving slabs should be based on the following factors:

• A large selection of shapes and colors, which will allow you to realize any design ideas;
• Easy to install. The tiles should be laid using simple technology, using standard tools, this will allow anyone to install it. It should also be possible to replace damaged elements without much difficulty;
• Ecological cleanliness. In the summer, the sidewalk will be very hot from the sun. In this regard, its composition should not contain substances harmful to humans that will begin to be released when heated;
• Durability. This is one of the main factors. The laid material must hold tightly and reliably and withstand the effects of temperature changes, mechanical loads and atmospheric influences. High-quality material that meets these requirements will last a long time.

Top 6. Plasto Rip

Rating (2021): 4.53

Maximum flat surface This plastic tile has no flash. You can safely walk on the finished surface barefoot.

• Characteristics

  Average price: 900 rub.

• Type: garden decking
• Maximum load: 25 t/m²
• Installation: manual, without tools
• Dimensions: 400/400/18 mm

One of the best plastic tiles for garden paths and recreation areas in the country. It is easy to assemble, and you can also combine several shades at the same time: green, gray, brown, red, black. Sold in packs of 1 m², each containing 6 pieces. The surface of the material is characterized by high-quality processing, it is safe and does not require additional trimming. The tiles are laid on a flat, prepared base. Before you begin installation, you will have to remove roots, weeds, and grass. After such preparation, the coating can last for several decades.

Advantages and disadvantages

• Smooth plastic without nicks or flash
• You can combine several shades
• Does not release hazardous substances into the environment

• Before installation, the base must be leveled

Top 5. Polysand "Puzzle"

Rating (2021): 4.54

Non-standard form factor Puzzle-shaped tiles are the best solution for creating a bright and beautiful coating. This non-standard option can become a real decoration of the garden and personal plot.

• Characteristics

  Average price: 300 rub.

• Type: polymer sand tiles
• Maximum load: 5-6 t/m²
• Installation: on mortar, sand base
• Dimensions: 600/400/40 mm

Paving slabs made of polymers and plastic with the addition of sand. Available to users in 11 color variations. This plastic-sand tile is suitable for arranging garden paths, country parking, and recreation areas. If the installation technology is followed, it can last for at least 20 years: during this time it will not lose either its original shade or strength. Building materials are sold individually. The tiles are easily cut and adjusted to the size of the area being developed. True, despite the original design and good strength, it is not very popular due to its rather high cost.

Advantages and disadvantages

• Many shades
• Does not deform after years of use
• Safe materials

• High cost of 1 tile

Production technology

Equipment for the production of polymer tiles includes the following equipment:

• crusher for grinding plastic raw materials;
• extrusion apparatus for melting and mixing ingredients and squeezing out the finished mixture;
• molding press.

The entire technological process is relatively safe, but is carried out in rooms with good ventilation using respirators and protective gloves.

The manufacturing technology is quite simple and consists of the following steps:

• the polymer material is crushed into small pieces;
• When the ingredients enter the extrusion machine, the molten viscous plastic envelops the grains of sand, everything is mixed repeatedly, and a dough-like mass is obtained. At this stage, dye is added;
• the extruder extrudes the mixture, the temperature of which is 200 degrees, it is cut in the required quantity and placed in molds.
• Under the molding press, the product is given its final form and simultaneously cooled.

Tile molding press

This applies to production on an industrial scale. Handicraft production of tiles in small quantities will require only a melting machine and a molding press. In this case, the polymers are first melted without preliminary crushing, then this mass is mixed with sand and dye.

This stage is very important, as good mixing is required. Now all that remains is to put the mixture into molds under a press and cool. If you don’t have a press, you should just wait for the tiles to cool in the molds. It usually takes 1-2 days to dry completely depending on conditions and temperature.

The output is products of the same shape as cement tiles. At the request of the manufacturer, they are given different dimensions, color shades and textures.

Top 4. HELEX HLZ

Rating (2021): 4.55

16 reviews from resources taken into account: Yandex.Market, OZON

Original drawing The shade does not fade under the influence of UV rays. The pattern on the installed tiles changes from different viewing angles.

• Characteristics

  Average price: 1159 rub.

• Type: garden plastic covering
• Maximum load: 25 t/m²
• Installation: manual
• Dimensions: 400/400/18 mm

Inexpensive plastic tiles available in two shades: terracotta and green. The material is suitable for creating durable garden paths in the country, and can also be used as a base for a swimming pool. The coating is frost-resistant, does not change color during use and looks aesthetically pleasing. Among the advantages, users note the high strength of the tiles: they do not move apart or deform under the weight of the car. Installation of the material is extremely simple: prepare and level the base, lay the modules and connect them with locks on the sides. And if you want to prevent grass from sprouting, then users recommend laying agrotextiles under the tiles.

Advantages and disadvantages

• Supports vehicle weight
• No professional skills required for installation
• Universal to use
• Suitable for forming a base for a swimming pool

• There are only 6 pieces in the package
• Not suitable for soft ground
• Does not control grass and weed growth

Get big and become wiser

Over the course of a year of work, entrepreneurs learned several important operating principles. For example, they began to respect word of mouth: according to Pavel, this is the main channel for disseminating information about them - both positive and negative: if the quality of the tiles suddenly changes, this will immediately affect their reputation. Another lesson is labor relations. The partners decided that workers would be paid by the piece, because, as it turned out, a fixed salary reduces productivity. Drinkers are prohibited from entering the enterprise: the power of the crusher is 30 kW, sobriety is a basic safety precaution.

Pavel and Gleb share their experience with everyone and talk about technology.

— Guys came to us and were interested in tiles. For some reason it seemed to us that they were not interested in the tiles, but in the production itself. We shared with them - they opened their own production. We don’t feel sorry, we have no competitors: there is enough garbage for our lifetime, and there will be more left for our descendants,” says Pavel. One of the main motivating factors, he says, is the realization that the business benefits people. — We can process a ton of garbage in a day. Imagine: a ton of plastic will not take up space at a landfill, will not burn in a waste incineration plant, releasing a lot of toxic substances into the atmosphere, but will become a useful product.

Top 3. LAATTA

Rating (2021): 4.60

11 reviews taken into account from resources: Petrovich.ru

Reliable coating Durable tiles are suitable for arranging parking lots near a private house and garden paths. The material is not inferior in strength and durability to concrete coating.

• Characteristics

  Average price: 129 rub.

• Type: polymer sand tiles
• Maximum load: 4.5 t/m²
• Installation: on cement mortar, sand, concrete
• Dimensions: 330/330/38 mm

One of the best materials that deserves the attention of a summer resident. Paving slabs are made of sand and plastic, polymers, and are easily mounted on a flat base. It is used for arranging coverings in dachas, vegetable gardens, and personal plots in private homes. The manufacturer produces tiles in gray and red-brown colors. The material is unpretentious in work, it is laid on hardened concrete, granite screenings, cement-sand mixture, special glue. To arrange a parking lot, the manufacturer recommends using a concrete base, and ordinary sand is also suitable for paths in the garden. Frosts do not affect the tiles in any way. According to reviews, it does not absorb water and can easily withstand even the harshest winters. But in summer, when heated, the material expands, so when laying it is better to leave thermal gaps of 3-5 mm.

Advantages and disadvantages

• Does not collapse under the influence of frost
• Easy to clean
• Resistant to mechanical stress
• Can be installed on verandas and other enclosed spaces

• Strong plastic smell in some specimens
• Not suitable for arranging barbecue areas

See also:

• 20 best gardening products from AliExpress

Components of the material

To make paving slabs not only from plastic bottles, but also from other polymers, you will also need sand and a dye. The raw materials are ordinary bottles, which do not even need to be cleaned of labels and food residues. All excess ingredients burn without a trace. There is no need for sorting either.

In addition to bottles, craftsmen recommend adding plastic bags or film, parts of plastic boxes and canisters. It is even advisable to use polyethylene, because with it the products will have shine.

Granular polyethylene

In addition, soft polymers impart plasticity to the finished tile. Without them, she will be more fragile. You just need to comply with the following requirement:

• soft plastic – 40%;
• solid polymers – 60%.

This is necessary in order to ensure optimal rigidity of the plastic tiles. The use of this technology almost completely eliminates polymer waste. The addition of polycarbonate or fluoroplastic, as well as rubber, is not allowed. After all, these ingredients are not capable of imparting improved properties to products, but the structure of the material is disrupted, losing its homogeneity.

The sand is cleaned of impurities (their content, including clay, is no more than 1/5). The drier the sand, the less time is spent on making one tile. The quality of the finished product will depend on the uniform mixing of sand and plastic. Mixture proportions:

• sand – 90%;
• polymers – 9%;
• dye – 1% (if added).

It is preferable to add inorganic dyes. Without them, the products will turn out to be a dirty gray color.

Business idea in the garage

Top 2. ERFOLG Home & Garden

Rating (2021): 4.70

15 reviews from resources taken into account: Yandex.Market

Optimal price-quality ratio The material is sold at an affordable price and has good strength characteristics. This tile is also versatile and easy to install.

• Characteristics

  Average price: 938 rub.

• Type: modular tiles
• Maximum load: 80 t/m²
• Installation: manual
• Dimensions: 330/330/16 mm

Easy to install plastic tiles with heavy-duty locks. It is assembled as simply as possible: like a construction kit. Judging by the reviews, after fastening, nothing hangs loose anywhere, the material fits tightly, without gaps. The tiles are intended for garden paths in the country, for arranging areas around the pool, and for forming a durable coating in greenhouses. It can also be used on loggias and balconies. The package contains 9 pieces: enough material for almost 1 m². The tiles do not lose their strength when exposed to frost and do not require special care. Users also praise it for its low thermal conductivity - even in very hot weather it is comfortable to walk on barefoot. The only point: after installation, you need to cut off the flash from the surface of the tile, otherwise there is a risk of injuring your feet.

Advantages and disadvantages

• Strong locks
• Suitable for installation on uneven surfaces
• Forms a coating designed to withstand heavy loads

• There is a flash

See also:

• 10 best Russian-made walk-behind tractors

Production of paving stones industrially in factories

There are several types of paving stones, which differ in the material from which the products are made:

1. stone (granite);
2. concrete;
3. clinker

Stone paving stones are made from granite, marble, basalt. The technology for producing granite paving stones is simple: the stone is sawed or split into fragments of the desired shape or size.

Clinker paving stones are made from clay. At its core, it is the same brick, but of a slightly different shape and with higher strength.

Concrete paving stones are made from high-strength concrete. Let's look at the technology of its production in more detail.

Differences between paving stones by type of production

Stone (granite) paving stones

Clinker paving stones

Concrete paving stones

Equipment for the production of

The list of equipment used includes a special brick press, which is used to compact the mixture, concrete mixers for preparing the mixture, a drying chamber and a loader. Also, special molds are required for the production of paving stones.

There are forms of various configurations on the market: both ordinary rectangular and figured or embossed. They can be made of various materials, such as silicone, plastic, polyurethane:

• Silicone molds can be matte or glossy. They are easy to use and quite durable.
• Polyurethane molds allow you to make paving stones with a relief surface, and it is easy to remove the material from them. They have good durability, but their service life is much shorter than that of silicone molds.
• Plastic molds are usually square or rectangular in shape and may have a textured surface. Their service life is longer than that of plastic ones, but shorter than that of silicone ones.

The cost of molds depends on their volume, configuration and manufacturer. Plastic forms can be purchased for 25-65 rubles. for 1 piece A set of polyurethane molds for the production of 20 products will cost 4-5 thousand rubles.

Mixture composition

To produce 1 m3 of concrete mixture you need:

1. cement grade 400 or 500 - 500 kg;
2. crushed stone – 1 t;
3. sand without impurities – 1 t;
4. plasticizer – 2 kg;
5. coloring pigment;
6. water – 250 l.

A plasticizer is added to the mixture to increase the strength and wear resistance of products. It prevents the appearance of air bubbles and makes it possible to produce paving stones even at low temperatures.