Why is liquid soap add to concrete? Liquid soap for concrete: instructions, proportions, reviews

The proportions of the use of liquid soap for concrete.

Content

Liquid soap is a means for personal hygiene that allows you to remove the tissue, and put your body in order. However, not everyone knows that the detergent can be used for other purposes. One of the unusual options for using soap is to add it when preparing concrete and cement mixtures. In the article we will tell you why they enter liquid soap into concrete, and in what proportions this must be done.

Why add liquid soap to concrete?

Experienced builders when preparing a concrete mixture add plasticizers to it. These are special tools that are sold in construction stores and can improve the plasticity of cement. When preparing cement, a lot of labor and effort is spent on its mixing. This is due to the fact that the fractions that make up the mixture are poorly mixed with each other. Perhaps the formation of voids, bubbles that do not improve the characteristics and quality of concrete. However, they can be improved, reduced by the number of voids, bubbles, introducing a small amount of liquid soap or plasticizer. The advantages of the use of liquid soap in the preparation of concrete can be found below.

Why add liquid soap to concrete:

Improving the plasticity of the mixture. The mass becomes consistent similar to thick sour cream, and is easily mixed, in general, the characteristics and properties of concrete improve.
The number of voids in the finished solution is reduced, which contributes to the better redistribution of the cement mixture in the formwork, during pouring.
Adding liquid soap to cement allows you to reduce the amount of water added, as a result of which the mixture is thicker and more plastic. It is worth noting that when adding liquid soap, it is possible to improve the properties of the mixture.

Why is liquid soap add to the screed mixture?

The fact is that liquid soap contains fatty acids, as well as alkalis. The detergent has a pH level, which is close to the alkalinity of concrete, so the level of acidity of the finished mixture is not disturbed.

Why is liquid soap add to the screed mixture:

This is one of the advantages that allows, with minimal costs, time, to achieve good plasticity and viscosity of the mixture, reduce the amount of water added. Builders argue that the addition of liquid soap improves adhesion between cement particles. Thus, they stick better and contact each other.
When using liquid soap, it is possible to obtain a viscous mixture, which is well distributed, when solidified it becomes almost iron, since the soap improves gluing between the particles of the finished mixture.
But the benefits are observed only if the detergent is added in a small amount. Liquid soap is introduced not only into the cement mixture, but also when plastering walls, preparing masonry solutions for screed.

Liquid soap for concrete: disadvantages

When adding soap, it is worth highlighting the disadvantages.

Liquid soap for concrete, disadvantages:

The quality of concrete worsens
The term of its hardening slows down
The number of capillaries that contribute to the withdrawal of moisture is reducedout

Please note that after adding soap, in no case should you shake it so that the bubbles do not form. There are many ways to introduce liquid soap, but the main rule is to introduce directly when preparing the mixture. That is, in a semi -finished product at the initial stage. Builders argue that when adding liquid soap to an already finished mixture, it is possible to significantly disrupt its structure, and reduce the strength of the mixture. Therefore, the option with soap is better not to use if concrete or cement is used to build a foundation or formwork.

Why add to concrete for structures with thickreinforcement?

If you do not exceed the permissible amount of liquid soap, resistance to cracks is observed, and the finished mixture is not relaxed for the components for a long time. Thus, you can extend the construction period, and you can knead cement or concrete with large doses, which can significantly save time and effort. Liquid soap is considered an additive that is difficult to replace with something when preparing such solutions.

Why add detergent to concrete:

Concrete for design with thickreinforcement require the best penetrating characteristics
For the preparation of expanded clay concrete. The composition contains a lot of large fractions, and heavy concrete, which worsens the mixture of the components of parts with each other. In order for the mixture to be convenient to work, it is necessary to add a large amount of water, which is undesirable due to an increase in the solidification period.
When preparing plaster, masonry mixtures using Portland cement. This is an indispensable supplement during the installation of porous blocks, which requires high fluidity of materials, flowed into almost all the cells of the block.

Plasticizer for concrete: Composition

Beginning builders believe that there is no need to spend money on the purchase of plasticizers, because they are much more expensive than liquid soap. According to inexperienced builders, the composition of the plasticizer and liquid soap is almost the same.

Plasticizer for concrete, composition:

Indeed, the composition contains surface-active substances that envelop solid particles, thereby improving the plasticity of the mass and simplifying its calculation. However, few people know that plasticizers contain superficial-active substances based on phosphorus, and in the composition of chlorine-based liquid soap.
Chemical compounds with chlorine negatively affect the quality of concrete after its solidification. This is confirmed by a number of tests conducted in mechanical laboratories. In the course of research, concrete with plasticizers and liquid soap succumbed to the influence of the mechanical press.
It was found that with the same composition of the mixture, but an increase in the amount of water and the addition of liquid soap, the quality of concrete is significantly reduced. Despite the fact that the plasticity of the mixture during the calculation is quite high and comfortable, after solidification the concrete is completely fragile. It is impossible to deny its excessive crumbly, and the formation of a large number of cracks, as a result of the temperature difference.

Which is better, plasticizer or liquid soap for concrete?

Liquid soap is administered in a diluted form, in no case should it be poured into the mixture directly from the bottle. When preparing the initial mixture, it is advisable to prevent active mixing so that the bubbles do not form. These bubbles can significantly affect the quality of concrete, worsening its properties, increasing the period of hardening, and contributing to the formation of cracksat solidification of the mixture.

Which is better, plasticizer or liquid soap for concrete:

Liquid soap is not able to completely replace plasticizers, due to the fact that various processes are observed when the introduction of these funds into concrete. The main purpose of liquid soap is the improvement of plasticity, and the rapid redistribution of the components of the mixture in the finished solution.
When soap is added, shrinkage, water resistance, as well as freezing cycles do not improve. The strength really improves, but not directly, but indirectly. This is due to a decrease in the number of voids, bubbles, improve the homogeneity and quality of mixing.
It is impossible not to note the shortcomings of the introduction of liquid soap into the mixture. The enveloping of cement may be violated with water, the number of capillaries also changes, which prevents normal frost resistance andmoisture resistance the finished mixture that froze.

Liquid soap as a plasticizer for concrete: proportions

That is why you can not add a large amount of liquid soap, you can worsen the characteristics of the finished mixture. When preparing the solution, it is necessary to dilute a small amount of soap in water, but at the same time do not shake. If a small amount of foam is formed when components mixed, you must wait until the bubbles are shown. Only after that you can introduce other ingredients for the preparation of the mixture.

Liquid soap as a plasticizer for concrete, proportion:

50-70 g of liquid soap per bucket of Portland cement, with a strength of M400. At the same time, four more sand buckets are found in the mixture. This is an ideal amount when preparing a solution for masonry.
About 30 ml of liquid soap per 25 kg of cement, if expanded clay concrete is used.
It is worth noting that soap is used in case of capital construction, when there are not enough funds for maintaining expensive plasticizers. They can be replaced with liquid soap.
Please note that it is best to introduce cheap soap into the finished concrete, with a minimum number of essential oils, fragrances and additional components, in the form of glycerol. These means can worsen the plasticity and characteristics of the finished concrete mixture. Below you can find out in what quantities liquid soap is added when preparing various mixtures.
10 ml per 10 kg Portland cement. Typically, this ratio is used in the preparation of plaster mixtures and masonry compositions in order to level the surface. This is an ideal amount in the manufacture of screed, and leveling walls.
50 g on a concrete mixer of medium volume. This amount is used in the preparation of a mixture of fairly coarse filler. It is advisable to use liquid soap in such quantities when using crushed stone or gravel, in the case of a monolith structure, including the foundation. This allows you to reduce the amount of fluid, accelerate the work.

When you can’t add liquid soap to concrete?

The builders are sure that the larger the fraction is, the more advisable the introduction of liquid soap.At the initial stage, when preparing these mixtures, liquid soap is mixed with water, and only then is found in a solid fraction. Thus, it is possible to reduce the amount of foam to a minimum, improve the strength characteristics. Liquid soap performs the role of a kind of glue, which adheres to each other large particles, which are difficult to mix with each other.

When you can’t add liquid soap to concrete:

It is worth noting that liquid soap is not always a good plasticizer, sometimes its use is unacceptable.
Do not introduce liquid soap when preparing solutions with sand and high clay content, extraneous impurities. In this case, all the fractions are quite small, mix well, the additional introduction of liquid soap can worsen the fastening of the mixture, extending it, which negatively affects the construction.
Often flooded liquid soap, when preparing the last collapse. It is introduced directly into the concrete mixer, in order to quickly clean it. Thus, after adding liquid soap, the concrete mixer is well washed from the finished mixture.
The plasticizer is usually administered at the end of the preparation of building mixtures, but it is best to add liquid soap at the initial stage of mixing. Usually it is mixed with water with water, introduced immediately into a concrete mixer, and only then adds a fiber, Portland cement and sand.
This allows you to reduce the number of bubbles, as well as contribute to the formation of a large number of capillaries to drain water. There is no need to wait after preparing a cement mixture with liquid soap. If you enter it in a diluted form, without the formation of foam, the quality of the masonry does not deteriorate.

Liquid soap for concrete: reviews

Below you can familiarize yourself with the reviews of builders who used liquid soap as a plasticizer.

Liquid soap for concrete, reviews:

Oleg. I am not a professional builder, so there is no way to use expensive plasticizers. I made a screed at home, but since the mass is thick, it was difficult to cook it, I wanted to add more water. My cottage neighbor suggested adding liquid soap. After adding this product, the finished mixture became homogeneous, with an ideal consistency, which was well leveled, it could be easily redistributed on the surface.

Alexei. I am engaged in professionally construction and are the foreman of the construction brigade. We use a concrete mixer for the preparation of concrete, add liquid soap not as a plasticizer, but so that the mixer is washed well. We introduce this tool with the last preparation of a concrete mixture.

Alexander. I am for any innovations, but still prefer to use traditional plasticizers, despite a high price. I believe that liquid soap can increase the amount of cracks in frozen cement. It is considered permissible to add it to the mixture only if a large fraction, crushed stone or expanded clay is used. In this case, it is difficult to achieve uniform distribution of the components of the mixture, without adding plasticizers and liquid soap.

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Special tools must be purchased in construction stores and they cost decent money, in order to save money they use liquid soap.