How to make a transparent floor from scrap materials. How to make furniture from scrap materials with your own hands in a few hours. Fabric hanger

collapse

Today it is difficult to imagine renovating your own home without high-quality flooring. Today, 3D floors – transparent self-leveling floors – are extremely popular.

Self-leveling transparent structures differ from standard themes that the floor surface represents a three-dimensional image. In this case, in addition to the base layer, a decorative one is created that forms a specific pattern. Floors of this design are perfect for kitchens and living rooms. 3D floors are also covered with a special finishing layer, which protects the image from wear and helps create a three-dimensional appearance. This floor looks most organic, of course, in the kitchen.

Advantages of flooring

3D floors will look great in office spaces, residential buildings, country cottages, shopping centers.

• Decorative floor structures can be decorated with your own hands, using any range of colors, images, photos. This technology for finishing the floor surface makes it possible to make any human fantasies explicit.
• In your child’s room, you can arrange images of his favorite cartoon characters on the floor.
• In your own bedroom, the floor surface can depict a painting by a famous artist.
• In the guest room you can create a large meadow of flowers with your own hands. For office space excellent marketing solution - image on floor surface brand name

, company logo. There are many interesting design solutions

, which can be used to finish the flooring with your own hands.

DIY installation technology Many people prefer to use the services of experienced craftsmen

, not suspecting that such finishing can be easily done with your own hands. To do this, you just need to correctly distribute the work steps, have certain tools, follow installation technology, and listen to the recommendations of specialists.

• Required Tools
• Grinding unit.
• Construction mixer (drill with mixing attachment).
• Roller, brushes, spatula.
• Solvent, varnish.
• Mixture for filling the base base.
• Transparent mixture.

Listed Decoration Materials, construction tools today can be easily purchased both in special shopping centers for construction goods and through online stores.

Preliminary work: leveling the base

Any finishing work always begins with preparing the base. Same before finishing floor, leveling and preparation of the base should be carried out - the first stage of repair work.

• Surface leveling is carried out using a special grinding equipment, but if one is not available, you can use a grinder (special attachments are sold for grinding and stripping).
• Next, all defects formed on the surface of the base are removed. This problem can be solved with any available tools. construction tools. Afterwards, all bulky debris is removed, and small debris is collected with a vacuum cleaner.
• It is recommended to remove from the concrete surface greasy spots, allow the cement screed to harden. Next, a primer layer is applied to the surface (it is recommended to use a deeply penetrating mixture). The primer should get into all, even the smallest cracks in the base.
• The primer mixture can be applied with a roller, hard to reach places with a brush. But one primer layer will not be enough.
• Before laying the next layer of primer, be sure to allow the first one to harden. Only then can you be sure that the transparent self-leveling floor will be installed with your own hands at a high-quality level. When the surface is thoroughly dry, you can perform further tasks.

Laying the base layer of mortar

The subsequent reliability of the entire floor structure will depend on the quality of construction work at this stage.

• A damper tape is fixed along the walls, and beacons are set according to the level.
• The filling solution is prepared according to the instructions that can be found on the packaging. It must turn out to be a homogeneous fluid mass, not completely liquid, otherwise the hardened concrete will lose its strength characteristics, which will lead to the destruction of the base.
• The prepared mixture is evenly distributed over the base of the floor, leveled using a needle roller (helps remove air from the solution).
• Using a level lath, the final leveling of the base layer is carried out. It may take about a day for it to completely harden.

Applying an image

A variety of methods can be used to apply images to the floor. For example, they are used various types paints, and after they are applied and dried, the surface is varnished. You can use a finished image or photo on thick material.

Necessarily! Before applying the image base surface It is primed and dries within 24 hours.

Finish coating

Using this technology for finishing are used only transparent materials, allowing you to subsequently clearly view the 3D image. The layer thickness is at least three millimeters.

All components of the transparent coating are mixed. For this you will need a separate clean container, construction mixer(drill with mixer attachment). The solution is poured immediately evenly so as not to disturb the features of the image.

Be sure to remove air bubbles from the finishing layer using a needle roller.

To make the floor as durable as possible, it is recommended to cover it with a polypropylene film. The finishing layer hardens completely in approximately two days. Then the surface is opened with a specialized varnish. It is not necessary to lay it, but the varnish will give the surface additional strength. The thickness of the varnish layer should be approximately three millimeters. This is enough to ensure the strength of the coating and protect the entire floor structure from mechanical damage.

After varnishing the transparent floor structure, the finishing work can be considered complete. And after her completely dry rejoice in a work of art you have organized on the floor with your own hands.

The amount of garbage that each person “produces” is growing every year. The problem is becoming global, as plastic bags are flying and lying everywhere plastic bottles They've already become an eyesore for everyone. I’m grieving, it turns out that you can help, and even for your own benefit. In any case, this applies to plastic bottles. You will be surprised how diverse and, importantly, useful crafts You can make one from plastic bottles in just a few minutes. Well, or a watch... Depends on the scale.

The buildings

PET (polyethylene terephthalate) is a thermoplastic from which bottles are made. It will be useful to know its physical properties:

• density - 1.38-1.4 g/cm³,
• softening temperature (t size) - 245 °C,
• melting temperature (t pl.) - 260 °C,
• glass transition temperature (t st.) - 70 °C,
• decomposition temperature - 350 °C.

Plastic bottles are very convenient to use, but are harmful to the environment, since the polyethylene from which they are made takes more than 200 years to decompose. This same property allows the use of almost waste raw materials as construction material. Craftsmen already even build houses from plastic bottles, as well as sheds, dachas, greenhouses, greenhouses, and fences. Worked out various technologies- the approach is quite serious.

How to build a house from plastic bottles

The main idea is to pour into bottles bulk material, screw them on with lids and use them as bricks. Fill the bottles with sand and soil. Sand is preferable because there is too much plant debris in the soil that can rot. It must be sifted, dried, filled into bottles, compacted well, and topped up. The result is a kind of brick.

To build a house from plastic bottles, you will need a solution that fills the gaps between the “bricks”. There are options here too. It could be ordinary solution, which is used when laying brick walls, you can make a clay mortar. To keep the “bricks” in the wall until the mortar sets, they are tied with twine on the side of the lids. Later, these “grids” will come in handy when you plaster the walls. They turn out uneven, so you can’t do without leveling.

We make a greenhouse, barn, greenhouse

You can build a greenhouse or greenhouse from plastic bottles. In this case, only transparent plastic is used, since it is necessary for sufficient light to pass through. For the construction of a shed, on the contrary, it makes sense to choose darker plastic - it will be less visible what’s inside.

The first technology - one to one

The second requirement for bottles as a building material is an even shape. This one, you know, without recesses. Otherwise, folding the walls so that they retain heat will not work - it will “siphon” into the curly cutouts. Remove labels from bottles and dry. You also need to prepare pins or rods - bottles are strung on them. Their diameter is small so that the neck passes freely. Now you can start building a greenhouse/shed from plastic bottles.

To build a greenhouse or shed, pillars are dug in the corners. Frames are assembled from timber according to the size of the walls. These frames will be the base for the bottle walls. We collect them (frames) on the ground and in finished form We attach it to the dug-in pillars. When you make the frames, don't forget the doorway and windows.

We build a frame, cut off the bottom of the bottles, and string them onto a pin. From such “columns” we assemble walls, roof

The construction process begins with cutting the bottom. We string the cut bottles onto pins, pointing the necks in one direction. We insert the bottles with force so that they become very tight. Having collected a row of the required height, we attach it to the frame. You can fasten it with clamps, strips cut from metal, nails... In any way available to you. We press the second row against the first so that there is a slight deformation. We fasten it in this position. So, row by row, we assemble all the walls, then the roof.

Using the same technology you can make a gazebo. But here there is no need for tightness, so you can collect shaped and colored containers. This will make it even more interesting (example in the photo).

Second technology - sewing plastic

Bottles will also need to be smooth, transparent or yellow. The central part is cut out of them, obtaining a piece of plastic square shape. The pieces are sewn together into long strips. In the strip, the pieces are placed so that they curl in one direction. Then the strips are sewn into canvases. To make the canvas even, the strips are positioned so that they curl in different sides. As a result, they equalize each other. The finished canvases are nailed to the frame. This completes the construction of the greenhouse for plastic bottles.

This type of “cladding” for greenhouses withstands winters well; it does not need to be removed. Due to the firmware (many small holes), there is no absolute tightness, which allows you to regulate humidity. You won’t be able to heat such a greenhouse, but it will delay autumn for you and speed up the arrival of spring.

You can sew plastic for a greenhouse by hand, but it is not easy. It will be easier for those who have non-capricious Sewing machines. Old Podolsk machines cope with this task. There may be problems with others.

Fence and enclosure

You can make a fence from plastic bottles different ways. If you need a serious monolithic fence, you can use bottles as bricks. The technology is the same as when building a house. To avoid plaster (after all, there is a high risk that it will collapse) - select the color of the plastic to obtain the required Rusinka. But in this case you will have to look for “building materials” of the same diameter or from different sizes lay out patterns. In general, the process is creative, no matter how you look at it.

You can also make filling for the fence from plastic bottles. Make a frame, say, from wood, and come up with a beautiful filling from shaped containers and their parts.

Furniture from scrap materials: recycling plastic bottles

Not only can you make a house and a fence from plastic bottles, they are also used as the basis for upholstered furniture. The idea is to use plastic containers rather than wood for the frame. With the lids screwed tightly on, they have a high bearing capacity, and assembled into blocks, they are quite capable of withstanding loads of up to 100 kg or more.

A bed made of plastic bottles... needed good mattress, and the base is not too difficult to make

Although they make different furniture, general algorithm the actions are the same:

• Select “building material” that is the same height and tighten the lids well.
• Assemble blocks of the required size, securing them with tape.
• Having assembled the base of the required shape, sew the cover. For softness, adding furniture foam.

The trick is to ensure that the bottles fit very tightly against each other and do not move. The slightest play can lead to destruction of the structure. Therefore, assemble the blocks slowly, carefully securing them. You can stack bottles in layers, securing each layer in several places. For inner layers It is better to use double-sided tape - the fixation will be more reliable.

Ottomans/banquettes

The easiest way is to make an ottoman or banquette from plastic bottles. We proceed in the order described above. You need to find bottles of the same height. It’s better if they are the same shape - it’s easier to assemble. From plastic containers With the lids tightly screwed on, we assemble the base in the form of a cylinder. It is advisable that the radius of the base be greater than the height of the bottles - this way the bench will not tip over.

Next, you need to cut out two circles from fiberboard, which will be slightly larger than the resulting radius of the base - this is the “bottom” and the base of the seat. We secure them with tape. We take furniture foam rubber and, according to the dimensions obtained, cut out the necessary parts. We sew the cover from furniture fabric in a color that matches the interior.

Such a banquette can be not only round. It is quite possible to make it square. And so that this furniture is not too light, it can be made heavier by pouring water. But water is not very reliable. It's better to pour sand. Both heavier and more reliable.

Sofas, chairs, armchairs

If you need furniture higher than one bottle, proceed as when creating walls for a house. Find “material” of the same shape and height. Leave the first bottle intact, screw the cap tightly (you can add sand to prevent it from turning over). The bottom of the other is cut off and one is placed on top of the other. The bottle goes a certain distance and does not move further, no matter how much effort you make. If the resulting height is enough, great; if not, put on the next one. This is how you assemble rows of the required height, then fasten them into blocks.

There is another way. It is more reliable in the sense that the bottles are not held by compressed air, but due to mechanical stop. And they have double walls, which is also important. Disadvantage: more work large quantity raw materials are needed. The whole process is illustrated step by step.

1. Take the bottle and cut it approximately in the middle of the height (the upper part with the neck is smaller).
2. We insert the upper part of the neck (the lid is screwed on) until it stops into the lower part.
3. We take a whole one, the same size and shape, and insert it bottom down into the prepared structure.
4. Cut the third approximately in half and bottom part put on top (with lid).

From such modules we assemble blocks of the required configuration, fastening them with tape. Don't skimp on scotch. You can first fasten two bottles together, then assemble larger blocks from the double ones.

As you understand, with this technology there are a lot of bottle tops left (half of the third bottle). They can be used to make other crafts from plastic bottles: flowers, more practical things for the household.

Flower making methods

The most common crafts made from plastic bottles are garden figurines and flowers. About garden figurines read There are other interesting ideas, but there are a lot of collected interesting animals and insects. And we’ll tell you about flowers made from plastic bottles below - these are probably the crafts made from plastic bottles that bring the most pleasure. The process is simple, there are a lot of possibilities, the result is amazing.

You've probably noticed that the bottom of a PET bottle looks like a flower. All you need to do is find a bottle of a beautiful color and cut off the bottom. Now you have a nice flower. In the middle you can add petals cut from the central part, a core from plastic strips cut into noodles, or glue beads inside, but more on that in a little more detail.

Using the power of fire

To work, you will need a marker, a lighter or a candle (it’s more convenient with a candle). If available, take pliers, tweezers or pliers to hold the workpiece while processing. You will also need acrylic paints, glue and beads may be needed. The entire manufacturing process comes down to a few steps:

There are a lot of options here. Just start doing it. It may not work out perfectly right away, but you will understand what and how you can fix it. Check out some more pictures from step by step photos process of making flowers from plastic bottles.

The simplest

For beginner crafters, you can try making flowers from plastic bottles simple shapes for garden decoration. In this case, you can also use milk containers. To avoid painting plastic, look for colored ones. And it doesn’t matter so much whether they are transparent or not. They can be combined to produce flowers of different shapes.

To create such flowers, use the part near the neck. It is cut to form petals. Next, warm it up a little, adding desired bend petals, a little paint, a core from a melted piece with a thread (a bottle of a smaller diameter, a pharmacy bottle will do). So it turned out to be a buttercup.

Another option is to cut from the neck into strips of equal width - 1-1.5 cm, bend them (warm up a little at the base). Make a middle whisk from the side of a milk bottle or paint clear plastic with acrylic paint.

The middle is any bright. Here is a piece of cork, but you can cut it into thin noodles, roll it up and then heat it. You will get a shaggy core.

It's all about the form... Despite the imperfections, they decorate the site

The topic is actually inexhaustible. A variety of flowers are made from plastic bottles. From simple and uncomplicated to very realistic. It's not so much a matter of skill as different tastes and desires.

Useful ideas for the home

PET containers turned out to be so good material that they make a lot of useful things. In this section we have collected useful crafts made from plastic bottles that can be used around the house.

For the kitchen and more

If you cut off the bottom of a bottle with a capacity of 2–3 liters, you get a bowl or a bowl, and so that its edges are even, they can be melted on a heated iron. But so that you don’t have to clean the sole later, use a special silicone pad. If you don't have one, you can do this through a sheet of baking parchment.

Container for food. The plastic is food grade...

From the same bottle we cut off the threaded part. There should be 1-2 cm of plastic left around the thread (we melt the edges using a well-known technology). Now it won’t be difficult to seal any package hermetically: we pass it through the cut neck, wrap it outward, and screw on the lid.

The bottom of the bottles attached to the bar makes an excellent newspaper shelf (photo on the right). You can also store umbrellas.

From plastic cut into strips you can weave different shapes containers. Bottles need an even shape, with thick walls. They are cut into strips of a certain thickness. You need to cut in a spiral - the result is quite long strips. If their length is not enough, they are sewn perfectly.

Lampshades

You can even make a lampshade, but under one condition: you will use similar crafts from plastic bottles in lamps - only they hardly heat up. Plastic is incompatible with other lamps. We will describe three ways to make a lampshade from a plastic bottle.

First. You need a large capacity bottle. We draw it into strips of equal width. At the beginning and at the end of each strip, we make holes with a heated soldering iron or a nail heated on fire. We insert scissors into this hole and cut. The result is smooth stripes.

When the strips are cut, we also make a hole in the bottom, pass a thick fishing line through the neck, bring it out through the hole in the bottom, with reverse side we attach the decor. Maybe a button, maybe a pebble of a suitable color. Now, by pulling the fishing line, we get interesting shape shade. You can put a low power light bulb in it.

Another lampshade was made using a similar technology. But then they cut part of the bottle with the neck into strips, wrapped the strips and secured them to the neck. To give the desired shape The bend area can be slightly warmed over the flame of a candle or lighter. We attach the resulting “flowers” ​​to the base. So we get an unusual design.

They also make lampshades from the bottoms. You need to find a sufficient number of identical bottles, cut off the bottom of them, and glue them together using universal glue (choose transparent). The main thing is that it glues the plastic and hardens quickly.

Flower vases

Making a vase from a plastic bottle - what could be easier... Just cut off the neck and you're done. But there is a technique that allows you to get patterned walls. You will need a soldering iron with the thinnest tip possible. Its power should not be too high. Then everything is simple: use a heated tip to burn out the patterns.

Magically! To make the drawing appear brighter, take acrylic paint and paint the resulting beauty. The paint can be in a regular can, but it’s faster and more convenient to work with a spray can.

These are the options...

Photo ideas

Crafts from plastic bottles is such a broad topic that it is impossible to talk about everything. What’s nice is that if you know a few tricks, you can easily find out how and what to do just by looking at photographs. So here we have collected a few ideas that we found interesting.

You can even make a boat...

And this is just decoration...

Today, the choice of decorating your home is limited only by your imagination and the depth of your wallet. However, even in an age of abundance and diversity, we remain ourselves and continue to look for new things and experiment with what we have already found. Naturally, such experiments do not bypass the field of floor coverings.

In this regard, we invite you to familiarize yourself with the list of original floor coverings with which you can decorate your own home without much difficulty and expense.

Wood floors.

The reasons why lumber is harvested by sawing a tree trunk along, and not across, are simple and understandable even to a child. However, our first example suggests going against banal logic for the sake of originality.

The technology is simple: cut blanks of the same height, lay them on a flat floor and glue them. Next, all that remains is to sand the surface of the discs, fill the space between them with grout or smaller discs and cover everything with polyurethane.

Now imagine what beauty can be achieved using discs of different types of wood!

Floor made of coins.

Have you spent a whole year putting the change that had accumulated in your pockets into a piggy bank and are now ready to break the overflowing piggy bank and have a wild ride? Don't rush to spend your savings on all sorts of nonsense. There is more for them original way applications. However, what kind of coins they will be - new or already out of circulation - is up to you to decide. You can develop the idea and replace the “trifles,” for example, with buttons or bottle caps.

Unlike a floor made of wooden disks, the work here is not at all dusty, but VERY painstaking. Special attention It is worth paying attention to leveling the surface. Cracks and irregularities should be repaired with cement and putty.

You can lay out the currency (in the literal sense of the word) mosaic right away on the floor, but it is much easier to first divide the floor area into squares, work on the table and assemble the pattern in parts on self-adhesive paper. And then transfer this unpretentious puzzle to the floor. Finally, we fill it all with epoxy sealant with a UV blocker and leave it to dry. When ready, you can act out an episode from the cartoon “Golden Antelope”, rolling on the floor and asking “That’s enough!”

Paper stone floor.

Everything ingenious is simple. Unlike previous methods, here negligence in work is not only not forbidden, but rather encouraged. We take regular wrapping paper, crumple it and leave it under pressure overnight.

Then we straighten the paper blanks and coat them with glue mixed in half with water. Be sure to overlap the joints of the sheets so that they do not unravel when they dry out. When laying the dampened paper on the floor, press it as tightly as possible. Let it dry, cover it with stain and the next day treat the floor with the same glue solution. We wait for the surface to dry completely and cover everything with parquet varnish. Ready.

Fabric floor.

In general, the technology for making such a floor has been around for many, many years. That's just last decade it ceased to be in demand and fell out of sight. Well? Everything new is well forgotten old. As you might guess, a special feature of this floor is a textile fabric with a pattern or design.

Strips of cut fabric are attached to the floor using PVA glue (in the case of a solid fabric, it is enough to glue the material around the perimeter). When processing, it is important to get rid of wrinkles and expel air, because... any unevenness on the surface will inevitably lead to rapid wear and tear - it will simply crack. It is also advisable to iron the glued fabric. Now for two weeks, every 2-3 days we cover the floor with parquet varnish. 5-7 layers of varnish will give your floor sufficient strength and durability.

As you can see, such floors look very original and unusual.

Of course, it is impossible to talk about all types of floor coverings in one article. By the way, we didn’t even try to do this. We just offered you a few interesting solutions in the hope that now your wild imagination will tell you how else this list could be expanded. But before you get started, take a look at the section“Floor and Floor Coverings”on our forum. There will definitely be some there experienced specialists who will tell you good advice and will help you avoid mistakes when bringing your ideas to life.

Self-leveling 3d floors are one of the most current trends in design. Moreover, if previously they were used exclusively in public buildings, then now apartment spaces are also being conquered.

The secret of this popularity lies, first of all, in its performance characteristics - durability, ease of maintenance, and environmental friendliness. But designers also fell in love with this technique because it allows them to create exclusive, embody the most bold decisions, give standard layouts a unique chic. And the owner of the apartment will be absolutely sure of the uniqueness of his interior, especially since it was made.

The technology of 3D floors is very complex and is a full-fledged artistic art object. The design is applied to the base, then covered with a special polymer transparent coating, the thickness of which determines the depth of the image. It is possible to use photographs, natural materials, specially designed three-dimensional images, or even just wallpaper. This allows you to visually expand small rooms, realize any fantasy of the customer, use it as advertising, gallery, etc.

If you decide to repair and in quality flooring If you choose self-leveling 3D floors, you should carefully study the technology of this process and comprehensively soberly assess your capabilities. And choose a drawing very thoughtfully - after all, it will stay with you for a very long time. long years. For many interiors, such a floor generally becomes a central component.

Modern materials have made the production of 3D floors more affordable. But the installation process itself is very labor-intensive and requires certain skills. Therefore, it is still better to entrust the work to professionals. And if, nevertheless, the creative itch pushes you to take an adventure, you should punctually follow the advice of experts.

Now you can begin to actually create a masterpiece . It is somewhat reminiscent of a multi-layer cake, and the final ideal result depends on the quality of each layer.

Installation begins with pouring the base . Since most of the floors in houses are concrete, a screed is made. Before this, the overlap is leveled grinder, repair cracks and chips, then thoroughly clean the surface of dust and debris and degrease it.

The leveling solution is evenly distributed over the entire surface and treated with a special needle roller to release air bubbles.

After drying, the screed is sanded and even the slightest dust is carefully removed. Then they are coated with a special primer that has very deep penetration. The quality of the drawing and its durability directly depend on the quality of the primer.

Laying the base layer . A correctly executed screed can already serve as the basis for applying a pattern. But it is better to add a special polymer composition, which is laid according to the level and rule, completely squeezing out air bubbles. To give a certain roughness, add quartz sand. The layer must completely harden, this will take at least a day.

Applying a paint layer . This is where your imagination and craving for creativity can unfold in full force. There are three types of execution of this stage: working with natural materials, painting with paints and sticker of the finished image.
Artistic painting a very expensive pleasure and increases the cost of the floor several times. Using a ready-made image simplifies and reduces the cost of the process. But just print the photo in larger format not enough, the drawing will turn out flat and inexpressive. Remember that there is a special technique for voluminous large images. Art workshops will help you choose such an image and transfer it to vinyl film.

The image size must be more area floor, so as not to join individual parts, which may also move during the pouring process. The drawing is glued special glue, carefully leveled, pressed, additionally primed.

But if you are a good artist yourself, you can try to paint the floor yourself by hand. This will not only save a lot of money, but will also give scope to your creativity. Hi-tech lovers especially like this method, because it allows you to realize any ideas. You can also use multi-colored decorative sand, river and sea pebbles, shells, leaves, buttons... In short, create and express yourself!

Finishing layer . All components of the transparent layer are thoroughly mixed and poured onto the drawing, maintaining an equal layer thickness over the entire surface. To give an artistic effect, you can add glitter, coins, and grains to the mixture.

The mixture is leveled using the rule. Use a needle roller (or special shoes with spikes) to remove air bubbles. The depth of the picture and its perception depend on the thickness of this layer. After initial hardening (15-30 minutes), the surface is covered plastic film for a few days. Time may vary depending on indoor humidity and temperature.

After final drying, the surface of the transparent layer is polished and coated with a protective varnish. This will protect the floor surface from mechanical damage and direct impact sun rays, from high humidity. The floor can also be given anti-slip properties. The surface coated with such varnish requires the most ordinary care, including the use of detergents.

The entire process of making 3D floors takes from a week to two . To his undeniable technical merits We include durability, immunity to moisture, lack of dust emission, and ease of cleaning. And, of course, originality and individuality that make your home unique.

However, it is worth mentioning some of the disadvantages of self-leveling artistic floors. This high price, first of all . And the difficulties that you will encounter during possible dismantling: the polymer composition adheres so firmly to the base that it is extremely difficult to remove it.

Refined and well-groomed garden path at your favorite dacha, it pleases the eye with its splendor and aesthetics, allowing you to conveniently move around the territory, admiring the beauty of the local green corners.

To arrange country alleys you can use not only traditional materials: stone, brick, gravel, concrete, paving stones or wood, which we have already talked about, but also quite original building structures.

Therefore, today we will tell you about the advantages and disadvantages of other materials, mostly available and inexpensive, from which you can lay out a comfortable and beautiful garden path.

Ceramic mosaic

Paths made of colored mosaics- This is a sophisticated, delicate and very beautiful masonry, an excellent way to decorate a landscape with a wide variety of possibilities for improvisation. For mosaic country path fragments of old ceramic or tiles. You can also buy special mosaics in the store.

Advantages of a mosaic path . The mosaic path is attractive with its spectacular elegant patterns. Thanks to small sizes elements, the most bizarre and fantastic patterns are laid out on the surface.

This material is most suitable for constructing paths of varying degrees of tortuosity. In addition, ceramics are very strong, frost-resistant, durable, not afraid of moisture, do not fade over time, and can withstand heavy loads.

Flaws . Among the negative aspects is the relative shortage Supplies. It’s good if you have stocks of ceramics or tiles left over after tiling the bathroom or kitchen in the house. Purchased mosaics are more convenient, but will cost more. In addition, mosaic laying is quite a labor-intensive and painstaking task, since each fragment needs to find its “own place.” Finally, ceramics do not like strong impacts.

Adviсe. Ceramic mosaics can be combined with concrete, stone or brick. Place the largest mosaic fragments with smooth edges along the edges and in the center, and lay the elements irregular shape- into the voids between them.

Glass bottles

One of the most effective, affordable and original scrap materials for garden paths are glass bottles. You can also use ordinary bottles to make a nice frame for the border of a flower bed, a small bed, or an elegant glass border for a path.

Advantages of a track from glass bottles . Glass is a very beautiful material, transparent, durable, it is not afraid of the whims of the weather, it is safe for health. Country path made of glass bottles is inexpensive way landscape decor, and the installation process is considered one of the easiest.

Flaws . Regular bottle may break due to careless handling - fragility is a minus. Therefore, it is not advisable to drop on bottles heavy objects. You should also remember that glass conducts heat.

Adviсe. Choose bottles of the same color and size (although they can be spray painted). After marking, dig a trench approximately to the height of the bottle. Fill the containers with sand or small gravel, place them bottoms down, tightly to each other. The cracks are sealed with mortar or earth and sand. Fill bottles under glass borders halfway with sand.

More detailed technology for laying garden paths, borders and fencing for flower beds with examples.

Plastic tiles

Sidewalk plastic– it is inexpensive, quickly installed and convenient option paths. It can be laid either straight or with various offsets.

Advantages plastic track . Among the advantages of polymer tiles are light weight and quick installation, as well as many variations of shades. Plastic never rots, does not rust, is quite beautiful and has a low price, and is easy to care for. Also, polymers do not absorb moisture, and the special ribbed shape of the tiles prevents slipping. This is why plastic works well for walkways around a pond or pool.

Flaws. Ordinary plastic tiles do not withstand heavy loads, wear out quite quickly, can crack, sometimes fade in the sun, and even crumble from frost after a couple of years. Therefore, it is advisable to choose polymer-sand tiles like "PlastDor"- it is more expensive (220-250 rubles per “square” 570 * 570 mm), but more rigid and resistant to various harmful effects. Finally, any polymers are not very aesthetically pleasing and can sometimes have a specific smell.

Adviсe. It is best to choose plastic tiles for arranging temporary paths, for a path by the pool, as a substrate for garden furniture or near outbuildings, where aesthetics are not important. Plastic tiles instantly “sticks” without solution into flat surface and is joined using clamps.

grass lawn

The naturalness of the landscape and charm - this is how we can characterize country path from. A neat and well-groomed grass path looks very attractive if it is bordered by a variety of different shades.

Benefits of a grass path . A path in the shape of a green lawn increases the fertility and drainage of the surrounding soil and creates its own special microclimate on the site. The grass never generates dust, produces a lot of oxygen, and does not interfere with the penetration of moisture into the soil.

Even on the hottest day, the grass paths remain cool; it is pleasant to walk along such paths barefoot. In addition, the green grass path is very beautiful and goes well with any natural components of the country landscape.

Flaws . Grass is not as practical and less resistant to various loads. This type the covering is only suitable for secondary paths, since even the most durable type of grass will still be trampled down over time. In addition, the lawn needs constant care: it needs to be trimmed, watered, fertilized, loosened, etc.

Adviсe. For sowing, select tough varieties of grass (fescue, bluegrass, ryegas, etc.), and it is advisable to increase the seeding rate by at least 30% of that indicated on the package. The soil - you need to dig everything up and fertilize it with rotted soil to a depth of 5 cm. Herbicides cannot be used! In the spring, before adding seeds, do not forget to carefully level the soil.

Plastic lids

Regular plastic bottle caps are very functional, cheap and practical material. Original garden path made of plastic covers Overall they look cozy, colorful and attractive.

Advantages of a track from plastic caps . The most important advantage is that the lids do not require any material investments, the main thing is to collect the required amount of them, and best of all - different color. Also, the lids do not slip, are not afraid of moisture, and are easy to replace. Paths made from lids turn out to be very interesting due to the wide variation in the choice of ornament or pattern.

Flaws . Of course, in terms of aesthetics, prestige and durability, the covers will be inferior to natural landscape elements. It is also worth noting the relative labor intensity of the work and the shortage of material (for 1 sq. m of track it will take about 700-1000 pieces of covers).

Adviсe. Do not dig a continuous trench, but break it up into rectangles. Use wooden formwork and gravel backfill. In order for the lids to hold more firmly and not jump out, it is better to place them not in wet sand (although this is allowed), but in a special solution, for example, “cement - tile adhesive - sand” (1: 1: 3).

Plastic bottles

Ordinary plastic bottles, perhaps the cheapest and waste material for garden paths. This is a symbol of practicality, reasonable economy and ingenuity of the summer resident. Of course, they are not suitable for the central alley, but between the beds or along your favorite flower bed it will be “the most delicious.” Bottles can be placed either horizontally or with their necks down.

The advantages of such a track . The main advantage of this material is its absolute low cost. In addition, they are safe for health, light in weight, and do not get wet. Bottles can be effectively decorated by placing multi-colored stones, finely cut foil, candy wrappers, etc. inside along with sand. Such a path is easy to lay and care for.

Flaws . The negative aspects are the same as those inherent in plastic in general - low strength, poor aesthetics, risks of rapid wear, sensitivity to mechanical damage and the extreme vagaries of the weather.

Adviсe. Fill the bottles with soil, sand, fine gravel, etc., and shake each container well so that everything is compacted. Place them in the trench as tightly as possible, making sure that the necks go to the edges of the path.

You can also bury the bottles vertically, leaving only the bottoms on top: it will be more beautiful, but you will need more material. The gaps are usually filled with sand and dry cement, which are then watered with water.

Pebbles

A beautiful and elegant design will help bring a bit of freshness to the garden. river or sea pebbles. With this wonderful material you can carefully cover the entire surface of the path or lay out graceful shapes in mosaics - spirals, curls, ornaments. Interesting effect it turns out when you combine pebbles different shades or alternate it with other materials.

Advantages of a pebble path . A garden path made of pebbles is absolutely natural and environmentally friendly, it goes well with other natural elements. A pebble path is especially good for paths in the garden, near a pond or between flower beds. This material itself is extremely beautiful, strong, very durable, not susceptible to frost and moisture, dries quickly and does not get particularly dirty. Pebbles are easy to paint.

Flaws . Here the issue of shortage comes to the fore - you need to pick it up on the river or buy it required quantity material of approximately the same texture. If you buy it, the material will be quite expensive (8-20 thousand rubles/t). You should also remember about the labor intensity of laying such a path.

Adviсe. Mix the solution little by little; for strength, it is advisable to make a reinforced base. Pebbles can be placed flat or on edge, but try not to move the stones. The pebbles are trimmed with a rubber hammer. It is better to lay out patterns in fragments, under a template, and if it is a complex “carpet” pattern, start laying from the center of the figure.

Tires

Don’t throw away your old car cameras - they will still come in handy in the garden for creating an original and practical country path. True, for the formation tire tracks Not the entire chamber is used, but only its protectors in the upper part.

Advantages of a track made from tires . It’s not a problem to get old tires, so this type of path is considered budget-friendly. Tires are an almost eternal material, they are not afraid of damage, tires are not afraid of bad weather and do not slip. Finally, using rubber tubes is one of the easiest DIY garden path installation options.

Flaws . Artificial rubber material is not as beautiful and aesthetically pleasing as stone, gravel or wood - tires are less compatible with the natural landscape. To add a touch of sophistication to your tires, you can paint them with stone chips or another similar product.

Adviсe. Use a knife or file to remove the sidewall of the tire, then open the material into grooved strips. Sink thick wooden blocks into the ground the size of the tire sections. The tread strips, 2-4 pieces each, are nailed parallel to the block. Leave gaps between them - they will then be overgrown with grass, it will be beautiful and additional fixation will appear.

Thus, using imagination, economic ingenuity and creative design approach, from various available materials you can make an original and practical, and most importantly, inexpensive, garden path!