DIY paver slabs

Has anyone made their own pavers? I want to replace our horrid small red and yellow ones with imitation stone but the price is eye watering! After much research I see it is a totally possible project to DIY. The recipe I’ve found to give a limestone look is 0/6 calcaire and white cement. Just found some moulds on LBC 45x45 and requisite 40mm depth. He is selling in lots of 10 which means we can churn out about 2.5m2 a day. We have all the equipment ie cement mixer, wheelbarrow so won’t be mixing by hand or anything!

The guy is obviously a pro as he is selling all sorts of concrete made things so I’ll also ask him for advice once he comes back with post price but wondered if you guys have had any experience?

Don’t forget your vibrator :relaxed:

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Just fell off my chair :flushed: :flushed: :flushed: :flushed: :flushed:

A,and here I was thinking I’d get some sensible advice :rofl: I think it got left in Oz :rofl: Will a big bang to settle the air bubbles not be enough?

How little you know me :joy:
Ahh the double entendre. It is a serious point vibtrating tables are essential to make a strong paver. No one enjoys a quick bang…sorry here all week! :kissing_heart:

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They also need to be allowed to fully cure before use, perhaps 28 days.

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I’ve made many over the years - all by hand as I don’t have a cement mixer or a vibrator (qv @Corona ).
Adding a reinforcing layer (such as wire mesh) increases the durability enormously. Also, allowing a decent curing period before installation really helps. The longest I’ve left them is 14 days, and the ones I made and laid 20 years ago are still going strong.

(edit to add) I have always made my own moulds. Plywood for the base and scaps of whatever is lying around for the sides. Add random lengths of gardening twine, wood offcuts etc to provide some surface texture and off you go. 10 minutes work produces a mould, and you can turn out a slab after about 4-6 hours depending on mix and temperature so at least 2 slabs per mould per day.

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Its money saving if you use white cement for the top surface and grey for the rest, grey is reputed to be a bit stronger as well as lower cost.

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Minimal and a pain to achieve, standard grey cement is usually 35N strength and white 32.5N so very little difference and with a slab at 40 mm thick and separate mixes you will loose any gain in cost with less strength.
Edit: should say any saving in cost

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Not sure I follow that last part?

Because you would be using 2 different mixes placed on top of each other rather than a fully fused single mix.
Sorry, should also have said any saving in cost!

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It would be 2 wet mixes so will fully fuse.

We will have to agree to disagree.
50 + years hands on in the building industry tells me it isn’t a practical method.
Its too hot to chip in any further with advice, Im off for an evening swim.

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Enjoy the swim but next time you are in a brico take a look at the edge of a comercial paving slab. Its how they make them. I watched a stress test on white cement vs grey and it did come up stronger.