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How to choose wood chips for wood concrete

When creating wood concrete, itโ€™s essential to pick the right wood chips to get the best results. To do this, the right size chips should be chosen, and the type of wood should be considered based on the desired strength and durability of the concrete. Proper mixing and curing techniques should also be employed to get the most out of the wood chips. When making the right choice, wood concrete will be strong, dependable, and aesthetically pleasing.

For wood concrete, which is 75โ€“95% wood chips, the choice of this base is very important. The quality of the wood chips directly depends on how the house from wood concrete as a whole will turn out. Our site of advice will tell you how to choose wood chips for wood concrete, in particular, wood concrete walls.

How to choose wood chips for wood concrete

Sawdust, woodworking waste, is a valuable material and is widely used in various fields:

  • In gardens and orchards for mulching beds, flower beds, tree trunks. Decorative mulch is made from painted wood chips;
  • Particleboard, fiberboard, gypsum board and cardboard are made from small fractions;
  • For the production of pellets, pellets for solid fuel boilers and fireplaces;
  • For smoking products, including at home;
  • For insulating attics and hollow walls.

In this article, we are interested in wood chips that are used to create wood concrete blocks and wood monolith walls.

How to choose wood chips for wood concrete

Letโ€™s start with the type of wood. Spruce and pine are ideal. You can also use birch, poplar, aspen and oak. Sawdust from larch and beech are not suitable for wood concrete โ€“ they contain a lot of sugars, which have a detrimental effect on the quality of wood concrete. For cement, sugar is poison. In any case, when preparing a mixture for blocks or pouring monolithic walls, they will have to be neutralized by adding liquid glass, aluminum sulfate or calcium chloride. But the less sugars the wood contains, the better. Therefore, choose coniferous sawdust โ€“ from spruce and pine.

Important! Chips cannot be made immediately after cutting down the tree. The wood must be aged for at least three to four months.

How to choose wood chips for wood concrete

Now about the size of the chips:

  • Thickness is not more than 5 millimeters;
  • Width should not exceed 10 millimeters;
  • Length โ€“ up to 30 millimeters.

The optimal size of wood chips for wood concrete is 5 millimeters wide and 20 millimeters long.

Important! In Russia, GOST 54854โ€“2011 is in force, which regulates the production of lightweight concrete based on organic fillers of plant origin. It was he who established the optimal chip sizes for wood concrete. The previous GOST was less strict and allowed the use of sawdust up to 40 millimeters long.

The bark chips should contain no more than 10%, and leaves and needles โ€“ no more than 5%. The requirements are quite strict, but such a selection is necessary for the wood concrete to be of high quality.

How to choose wood chips for wood concrete

In order to make wood chips for wood concrete with your own hands, special wood chips are used. They can be drum, disc, rotary. Loading of wood in any case is done manually, so the process is quite time consuming. Chippers can work both on electricity and on gasoline, it all depends on the model.

A variety of wood waste can be used for the production of wood chips: slabs, twigs, branches, boards, trimmings. It is only important to remember about the ratio of the amount of bark, needles and leaves, to clear the material from earth, clay and sand. In winter, wood should be cleared of snow..

How to choose wood chips for wood concrete

A finished chip cutter costs about 80 thousand rubles. Some DIYers make them with their own hands. If you decide to build a house from arbonolite or make blocks with your own hands, be sure to monitor the quality of the main material โ€“ wood chips.

The portal has already written about the pros and cons of houses made of wood concrete blocks.

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Comments: 4
  1. Hadley

    When it comes to choosing wood chips for wood concrete, what factors should one consider to ensure the best outcome? Are there specific types of wood or size requirements that are more suitable for this application? Any advice or recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

    Reply
    1. Riley Morris

      When choosing wood chips for wood concrete, several factors should be considered to ensure the best outcome. Firstly, it is important to select the right type of wood. Hardwoods like oak, maple, or ash are generally preferred as they are denser and provide better durability. Softwoods like pine or fir can also be used, but they may be less resistant to weathering and decay. The size of the wood chips is another crucial factor. Smaller chips or sawdust blended with concrete can help improve the uniformity and strength of the final mixture. The moisture content of the wood chips should be checked as well, as excessive moisture can affect the curing process. Properly dried wood chips with a moisture content of around 10-15% are ideal. Lastly, it is recommended to mix the wood chips with the concrete thoroughly to ensure proper distribution. Following these guidelines can help achieve a more suitable wood concrete mixture for your intended application.

      Reply
  2. Luna Thompson

    What factors should be considered when selecting wood chips for wood concrete? Are there specific types or sizes that work best?

    Reply
    1. Owen Wagner

      When selecting wood chips for wood concrete, several factors should be considered. Firstly, the type of wood used plays a significant role in the final quality of the product. Hardwoods like oak and birch are generally preferred due to their strength and durability. Secondly, the size of the wood chips should be uniform to ensure consistent mixing and distribution in the concrete mixture. Smaller chips may provide better bonding with the concrete, while larger chips can add strength and stability. Additionally, the moisture content of the wood chips should be monitored to prevent mold growth or discoloration in the final product. Ultimately, the specific type and size of wood chips that work best will depend on the intended use of the wood concrete and the desired characteristics of the finished material.

      Reply
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