All you need to know about the production of Samanic brick with your own hands

Do you want to improve your abilities in home construction? Samanic bricks are a traditional building material, and making them is a useful and satisfying project. You can make long-lasting, environmentally friendly bricks that are ideal for a range of construction projects with just a few simple materials and a little work.

A mixture of clay, sand, water, and straw is used to make Samanic bricks, commonly referred to as adobe bricks. This traditional brick-making technique has been around for centuries and is still widely used today in many parts of the world. These bricks are perfect for both hot and cold climates because they are robust, long-lasting, and offer excellent thermal insulation.

We’ll walk you through every step of the manual process of creating Samanic bricks in this article. You will discover every step required to create superior bricks, from gathering and preparing the materials to molding and drying the bricks. This information will come in very handy whether you’re building a house, a shed, or even a garden wall.

Come learn about the craft and science of creating Samanic bricks with us. You’ll soon be able to make your own bricks with a little perseverance and practice, giving your construction projects a unique touch and deepening your understanding of this age-old building method.

Composition of adobe block

The primary and auxiliary components of adobe block, a building material used in civil and rural construction, are as follows:

• The main component of the adobe block is soft, fatty clay, which is mined in specialized deposits, pre-cleaned from foreign impurities and moistened with water in the required proportion.
• The reinforcing fiber is straw, which is dried and finely cut into equal pieces.
• In addition to straw, in rural areas, producers also use grass fibers, if they have sufficient strength, or pre-dehydrated cattle manure.
• To enhance strength, organic or mineral additives are also often introduced into the composition of adobe blocks, depending on the recipe.

Even though samannt blocks have been used in construction for several centuries, there is currently no one recipe for making them. This is because natural clay has distinct qualities that change based on the mining region.

Every production company creates its own technical specifications and uses a proprietary recipe to manufacture blocks. Before the product is sold to the final customer, the manufacturer is able to issue a quality certificate because every product in the batch is put through laboratory testing.

Components and requirements for them

Fatty clay, which is necessary for this building material, must meet the following physical-mechanical and functional requirements:

• The proportion of fine-grained sand in clay should not exceed 10% – 12%.
• When crushing a ball of clay with a diameter of 100 mm to the state of a cake, no cracks should appear along its end face.
• The clay should not contain foreign particles, sawdust, dust or other debris.
• The dry substance without wetting must be a homogeneous fine powder.
• Immediately after removal of moisture and high-temperature treatment, the material obtained from fatty clay should have minimal porosity and a glossy sheen.
• Clay density varies from 1900 to 2100 kg/m3 .
• Clay for adobe blocks should have a dirty yellow or brownish-red tint, without overcoloring.

The clay is tested using electromechanical stands and a specialized testing instrument with metrological scales to make sure the aforementioned characteristics are achieved before diluting with water and creating blocks.

Additional Ingredients and Excipients

As previously noted, straw or fibrous plants—which need to be robust, mold-free, and have a slight variation in the lengths and diameters of the stem sections—are also a part of the composition of adobe blocks. The following kinds of additives are also implied to be used in the production of Adobe blocks by modern technologies:

• Coarse aggregate based on crushed granite stone or crushed expanded clay. This material increases the mechanical strength of the product and also prevents severe shrinkage with subsequent cracking. When using this component, it is necessary to ensure a fraction of no more than 10 – 20 mm to avoid heterogeneous composition of the block.
• Casein or epoxy adhesive composition, which significantly increases the adhesion force of bulk ingredients and prevents the block from losing shape during its manufacture, regardless of the amount of water in the clay. The glue must be resistant to ultraviolet radiation and other aggressive environmental influences so that the product does not lose its mechanical properties over time.
• Liquid glass for outdoor use as a high-quality replacement for casein with an effective mineral additive. The share of this component should not exceed 5% – 7%.
• Air or hydraulic binders, such as gypsum, lime or cement. These ingredients effectively absorb water, which significantly accelerates the process of evaporation of moisture from the adobe block during its hardening and firing. When adding cement, it is recommended to use material with a grade of at least M300.
• If it is necessary for the block to achieve elasticity and elastic deformation without cracks, it is allowed to add a small amount of cellulose or hardwood shavings. The components must be homogeneous, without traces of fermentation, dust and dirt.

Strength, dependability, durability, fire resistance, and water resistance can be achieved with additional ingredients, if they are of a high enough quality and fulfill all the necessary conditions. This greatly broadens the product’s application range in the building and installation sectors.

Ingredient proportions

Prior to creating adobe blocks in a factory or at home, a recipe must be created and the characteristics of the final product after the first firing must be examined. Experts typically advise utilizing the following components in various ratios:

• Fatty clay with selected consistency – up to 75% – 80%.
• Fine quartz washed sand for the ability to regulate the fat content of the clay base – up to 10% – 15%.
• Straw pre-moistened in clean water – from 14 to 20 kg for every 1 m 2 of clay-sand mixture.
• Lime or cement binder – up to 5% – 7%.
• Casein, cellulose, liquid glass, wood chips and other additives that improve the physical and mechanical properties of the finished material – up to 3% – 5%

The ultimate formula is arrived at through experimentation and is contingent upon the final product’s operating conditions within the building structure. You may omit extra ingredients if you plan to use the block as rough masonry for partitions. These blocks need to be strong and stable, which calls for the addition of additives, if building a load-bearing wall is the intended use.

Stages of preparing the mixture

The process of creating adobe blocks is straightforward and can be coordinated without the need for sophisticated machinery or automated production lines. The following detailed instructions must be followed in order to obtain this building material:

• A clean area for mixing the clay mixture is fenced off. This area must be swept and dust-free to prevent foreign ingredients from entering the product.
• When mixing dry clay, water is added in portions, no more than 0.5 – 1.0 liters for every 1 m 3 of dry material.
• While adding water, the clay is mixed until the composition reaches homogeneity and plasticity.
• Next, the straw is cut until pieces up to 50 – 70 mm long are obtained.
• Straw is soaked in clean water and added to the clay dough.
• According to the recipe, glue, cellulose, liquid glass, lime or cement are also added to the clay in the required proportions, and the kneading is repeated.
• The raw materials are thoroughly mixed again so that the filler evenly occupies the entire volume.
• Clay along with straw is placed in a dark and damp place to achieve plasticity for a period of at least 48 hours.
• During the technological curing and settling of the clay composition, it is necessary to prepare forms that will be 10% – 15% larger in all three dimensions in order to compensate for the shrinkage of the clay composition during hardening and obtain blocks with the required dimensions.
• The inner surface of the molds is lubricated with oil or lined with a thin polyethylene film to allow quick removal of finished blocks after they have hardened.
• The finished raw materials are divided into portions and compacted tightly into each mold to fill all internal corners, which will affect the quality of the finished product.
• The forms are exposed to the sun and dried. This process takes from 2 to 7 days, depending on the dimensions of the finished product.
• After gaining strength, the building adobe blocks are removed from the molds.

It is advised to choose prototypes from the batch and test their strength after receiving the final product. This can be accomplished by taking one or two blocks and observing how well the structure holds up when they fall freely onto a concrete or asphalt surface from a height of 1.5 to 2.0 meters.

Equipment and industrial machines

Large industrial settings are frequently used to manufacture adobe blocks, necessitating the use of specialized, high-performance equipment such as the following:

• Molds with punches for the manufacture of products with the same dimensions.
• Molding brick presses that allow minimizing the porosity of blocks and providing them with the required strength.
• Industrial mixers for mixing clay raw materials after adding all the necessary ingredients.
• Extruder for feeding plastic dough into molds.
• Water dispenser, which helps to achieve the optimal consistency of raw materials before molding adobe blocks.
• Agricultural crusher for straw, with which the optimal filler length for blocks is achieved.
• Drying ovens for rapid strength development after block molding.
• Industrial scales for the ability to accurately measure the amount of all ingredients, according to the company’s recipe.
• Transport trolleys for the ability to move raw materials and finished products around the workshop or warehouse.
• Laboratory stands for testing finished blocks.
• Marking and packaging technology for the formation of shipping marks and product and units.

It is advised to buy industrial machinery in sets, as identical equipment can be serviced as a unit at a single service center. Consumables, fuels, and lubricants should be bought in bulk, in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations and warranty requirements.

Requirements for organizing a production workshop

When planning your own large-scale production of adobe blocks, you will require a separate workshop that is furnished with several crucial details that must be considered:

• The minimum workshop area must be at least 150 m2 .
• The height of the workshop should ensure the placement of the main technological equipment, ventilation, as well as lifting mechanisms for transporting raw materials.
• All machines must be arranged in sequence to ensure a continuous cyclic production process.
• The workshop should be equipped with two areas for unloading, as well as storage facilities for storing raw materials and finished products.
• The workshop must provide the required air exchange rate to reduce dust concentration.
• It is recommended to install a filtration and recycling system to allow reuse of purified primary production waste.
• If there is high humidity in the room, it is recommended to additionally install a dehumidifier to prevent the straw from rotting or rotting.
• Each equipment must be powered by a separate three-phase cable, which is connected to a separate cell in the panel through an aluminum busbar.
• Electrical power must be provided with a margin of at least 15% – 25%.
• The workshop must be supplied with clean tap water, which first passes through a multi-stage filtration system to remove impurities and soften its composition.
• For large production volumes, a line automation system is required, as well as the installation of conveyor belts that ensure continuous transportation of products between stations.

It is advised to create a working project for future production in advance, in accordance with the business plan and technological map, before selecting and outfitting a workshop. With the help of drawings and specifications, you can determine the ideal space-planning parameters with accuracy and consider the potential for future production expansion as your business grows.

Home manufacturing technology

Adobe blocks are produced automatically in accordance with the following technology when full-scale production is organized:

• Raw materials in the required proportions are fed into the mixer after pre-weighing.
• The material is mixed with a constant continuous dosage of the required amount of water.
• The plastic mass is checked for compliance with the recipe and fed into molds through an extruder.
• The punches are lowered into the mold by a press, after which a vibration process occurs.
• The molded blocks are transported to a drying cabinet until the moisture has completely evaporated.
• Finished products are tested on laboratory benches.
• The blocks are formed into a batch, sorted with the removal of defective products, after which they are marked and packaged.

The commodity unit that is ready for shipment is moved to the warehouse at the end of the process, following verification, and a quality passport is printed for the batch of blocks.

How to make: instructions

Since these building materials can be created with your hands almost anywhere and in everyday circumstances, purchasing expensive equipment is not necessary in order to make adobe blocks. The technology needed to make Adobe blocks by hand with only a few basic tools and equipment is described in detail below.

With improvised means

Adobe blocks are the least expensive technology because they are simple to make and can be assembled with unconventional tools:

• Clay of the required consistency is mixed with straw and other ingredients on a pre-prepared bedding to prevent debris from getting in.
• Mixing is done with shovels, wooden rammers, an electromechanical mixer for plastic masses, provided that an industrial drill is available.
• Forms for blocks are assembled from laminated plywood, coated on the inside with oil, or from high-quality planed boards, provided they are upholstered with oilcloth or film, which eliminates the adhesion of raw materials to the walls.
• The raw material is placed in plastic form into a mold with a shovel, after which it is bayoneted with a steel rod.
• Each mold used to make adobe blocks requires a lid-shaped punch and a heavy weight to provide pressure while molding. The clamping force must be at least 200 – 300 kg.
• The blocks dry for at least 3 – 4 days in sunny weather outside, or in a warm and dry room.
• When removing the block from the mold, it is recommended to first cut it around the perimeter to prevent chipping of the corners.

If you do not have access to a covered room with an air dryer, it is advised to avoid creating adobe blocks during rainy weather as water vapor entering the clay structure will greatly slow down the setting and strength gain process.

On the machine

Their manufacturing technology is greatly simplified when one purchases a manual adobe block making machine that is both affordable and efficient:

• The machine is assembled into working position according to the instructions included in the kit.
• At a separate station, clay with the necessary components is mixed.
• Some of the raw materials are poured into a movable hopper using a shovel.
• The bunker moves along rails to the unloading location.
• The bottom of the hopper opens and the raw materials are poured into the mold.
• The hopper rolls back to be filled with a new portion of raw materials.
• The form is covered with a lid.
• A long lever with a stop is driven, exerting pressure on the punches.
• Pressure is released after 10 – 15 seconds of exposure.
• The lid of the form hinges.
• The lever moves to the reverse position, which allows you to quickly remove the finished molded raw material without damage.
• The molded adobe block is placed in the drying area to gain strength.

It is advised to completely rinse the inside of the machine molds after every use because the quality of the building materials produced can be impacted by dried clay particles with polymer additives drying out on the walls.

Using straightforward methods and easily accessible materials, you can produce natural, sustainable building materials by hand-making Samanic brick, which is a fulfilling process. You will be walked through all of the necessary steps in this article, from gathering and preparing materials to molding and drying the bricks. Gaining an understanding of the fundamentals of Samanic brick production will enable you to confidently take on environmentally friendly construction projects, regardless of the size of the project—a tiny garden structure or a large home.

Cost price of homemade material

The cost of blocks can vary depending on the production region, which influences the availability of clay and other ingredients. The following amounts represent the average costs for this technological process and the primary ingredients when creating your own handmade adobe blocks:

• Dry clay – from 600 – 900 rubles. per 1 t.
• Premium straw – 300 – 400 rubles. per 1 bale of 10 – 15 kg.
• Wood shavings – free of charge, as production waste, or within 20 – 30 rubles. per 1 kg.
• Casein or epoxy glue – from 700 – 1000 rubles. per 1 kg.
• Crushed stone – from 1700 rubles. per 1 t.
• Cement 350 – 500 rubles. per 1 bag of 50 kg.
• Lime – up to 150 rubles. per 1 bag of 25 kg.
• Washed sand – from 900 – 1100 rubles. per 1 t.

The total cost of the ingredients for one block, measuring 400 by 200 by 200 mm and weighing roughly 30 kg, will be:

• clay – 21 rubles.;
• straw – 7 rubles.;
• shavings – 1 ruble.;
• casein – 11 rub.;
• fine crushed stone – 10 rubles.;
• cement – ​​8 rub.;
• lime – 4 rub.;
• sand – 9 rub., that is, 71 rubles.

The amounts shown are predicated on buying ingredients at retail. When purchasing in bulk, the quoted prices may be as much as 20% to 40% less.

If the blocks are subjected to higher operational requirements, costly polymer additives will be added to their composition, which will raise the production process costs considerably.

The cost of the building material is determined in the estimate, which also includes overhead and profitability, based on the intended use and extent of its application. The manufacturer then determines the selling price for each batch of products.

Pros and cons of such production

Because of a plethora of indisputable benefits, the production of adobe has always been popular. Today, many small factories or private workshops frequently use this technology, making blocks by hand:

• Lowest production cost.
• No need to involve professionals.
• The consumer can choose the dimensions and configuration of the unit himself.
• Manufacturing is carried out at the site of further installation, which eliminates expensive stone logistics.
• The master can independently dose the ingredients and, if necessary, change the recipe.
• Every summer resident or farmer can easily master this simple specialty.

However, in spite of its benefits, this process of manufacturing building materials has a number of drawbacks, which is why many manufacturers and consumers are turning to more sophisticated technology:

• Ingredients are significantly more expensive than when purchased in bulk.
• The required density of the material is not achieved.
• Difficulty in conducting tests to accurately determine the strength characteristics of blocks.
• Increased labor intensity of mixing clay manually.
• Work is carried out too slowly, and, to accelerate, you need to attract additional staff and increase the number of forms.
• Significant discrepancies in the dimensions of blocks are possible due to the low quality of forms.
• There is a high probability of marriage formation.

Given that Samanic blocks, which are mass-produced in numerous large factories, have long since supplanted clay bricks, this type of building material is used as needed, and its drawbacks are offset by the distinctive qualities of its constituent parts and final goods.

Possible difficulties and errors

Many challenges could arise during the production of saane blocks, which would be detrimental. It is advised that you take the following steps in order to prevent such consequences:

• Low-quality clay – before starting kneading, it is necessary to roll a ball from the raw material, and then flatten it on a hard surface. If no cracks form along the edges of the cake, this indicates high plasticity and fat content of the composition.
• Incorrectly selected recipe – it is recommended to select the necessary ingredients in advance, and, after approving the composition of the material, produce a test batch of adobe blocks that should be tested by throwing them onto a hard surface from a height to check the strength characteristics.
• Incorrectly assembled form, or lack of lining for convenient removal of the molded product – it is recommended to make dismountable equipment or provide folding sides.
• Insufficient pressing force of the punch, which leads to increased porosity of the building material – the load for molding must be at least 200 – 400 kg.
• Removing the finished block from the mold by impact – there is a risk of block damage, cracking or chipping.
• Insufficient exposure of the block to the molding field – up to 100% strength gain. It is recommended to store the product in a dry and sunny place for at least 48 hours.

Prior to beginning the production of Adobe blocks, you should familiarize yourself with master classes and video lessons from professionals who frequently share their training videos with other users in the public domain. This is in addition to studying the comprehensive recipe for producing Adobe blocks.

Is certification necessary??

When any of the following circumstances arises, certification of any building material is necessary:

• Sales of a commercial batch of blocks in retail outlets.
• Manufacturing of load-bearing structures from adobe blocks.
• Application of material at critical facilities.
• Working with government contracts.
• A certificate may also be required as one of the components of the marketing policy of a reliable company.

Therefore, certification is not required if an own-production adobe block is used for low-rise private construction, as long as the block is used for enclosing non-load-bearing structures and is not subject to official commissioning by government agencies.

Official certification is necessary for building materials that are intended for distribution through a network of retail outlets or are being prepared for use by a contractor to build the load-bearing frame of a civil building.

total cost

Total cost of making adobe sides at home with common manual tools, computed using the formula below:

• The cost of ingredients is given above.
• The cost of a manual machine ranges from 45 to 75 thousand. rub., depending on productivity, maximum permissible clamping force and the availability of interchangeable molds with punches to expand the product range. The service life of this machine, subject to timely maintenance, will be up to 10 – 15 thousand. cycles.
• Consumables for servicing the machine (lubricant, machine oil) – no more than 1000 rubles. for every 400 – 600 production cycles.
• Construction mixer for mixing clay – up to 5 – 8 thousand. rub.
• High-quality steel shovel – from 600 rubles. bayonet, from 800 rub. Soviet.
• Brushes for cleaning molds – from 200 rubles. for 1 piece.
• Work gloves, polymer mat for kneading clay and designing a surface for drying the product – up to 2 thousand. rub.

You will need to spend between 7 and 9 rubles per product when creating adobe blocks by hand in small amounts, in addition to the price of the materials needed to arrange the technological process.

A manual machine can produce a block at an average speed of 30 seconds, meaning that 80–100 units can be produced in an hour. The best course of action would be to rent a manual machine for 1000 rubles per day rather than buy one if the customer only needs the blocks produced for their own use and not for later sale.

When a large batch of products is to be produced for mass distribution and full-scale automated production is planned, a commercial offer is made at retail locations owned by dealers of machine-building enterprises, and the machines’ power is chosen based on the overall requirements of future production.

A brick press with a force of 50 to 250 tons can cost between 0.5 and 2.5 million rubles, and the average cost of a mold and punch can range from 40 to 100 thousand rubles. A production company can spend between 10 and 15 million rubles in total, assuming they buy domestic machinery that can produce 25 to 50 pallets of finished goods in a shift.

Useful video

Useful advice on self-production:

Step	Description
1. Gather Materials	Collect clay, sand, straw, and water for making the bricks.
2. Prepare the Mixture	Mix clay, sand, and straw in a large container until well combined.
3. Shape the Bricks	Form the mixture into brick shapes using a mold or by hand.
4. Dry the Bricks	Let the shaped bricks dry in the sun for several days.
5. Fire the Bricks	Bake the dried bricks in a kiln or an open fire to harden them.

Not only is creating your own Samanic bricks an affordable solution, but it’s also an enjoyable experience. Simple ingredients like clay, straw, and water can be combined to make long-lasting, environmentally friendly building blocks. The procedure is simple and doesn’t call for specialized knowledge, so anyone with an interest in sustainable building can do it.

Preparing the mixture, shaping the bricks, and giving them enough time to dry are the crucial steps. Since the drying process can take several weeks, patience is crucial. When bricks are properly dried, they become stronger and less prone to cracking, which makes them ideal for constructing a variety of structures.

Working with Samanic bricks is a wonderful way to support environmentally friendly building practices and establish a connection with traditional building methods. These bricks are renowned for having superior thermal qualities, which act as organic insulation to help keep interior temperatures comfortable.

Learning how to make Samanic bricks can be a useful skill, regardless of whether you want to build a small shed, an outdoor oven, or even a larger structure. It gives you the power to oversee your building projects and encourages environmentally responsible and sustainable building methods.

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