Gypsum is widely used in many industries. Especially often this material is used in construction, medicine and architecture. But working with gypsum requires certain skills and knowledge. How to make gypsum products is described in this article.
Features of gypsum
Gypsum is considered a unique material that is easy to process and is able to take any shape. Almost any figure can be made of liquid plastic gypsum. After solidification, the product looks especially beautiful.
When dry gypsum is combined with water, a mass is obtained that is similar in texture to dough. It hardens quickly and perfectly retains its desired shape. During solidification, the solution slightly increases in size and releases a small amount of heat. This feature is very important. The fact is that the expanding gypsum begins to fill all the recesses, repeating the form with maximum accuracy.
Another important property of gypsum is its environmental friendliness. So, for the preparation of the basis for modeling only dry gypsum and ordinary water are required. Ease of use and environmental friendliness have made gypsum particularly popular.
Various architectural decorations, decor elements, figures are made of plaster. To create products using special forms. They are made of wood, cement, plastic, epoxy, plasticine, metal. But the most convenient and practical in use are silicone molds for pouring gypsum. They are in great demand and allow you to create unique gypsum products.
What is a silicone mold for gypsum
Silicone molds have many advantages. Firstly, gypsum mortar does not stick to its surface. This is very important because the integrity of the product is not violated. Thus, gypsum crafts poured in silicone form have an ideal appearance. No other material has such properties. Secondly, the silicone mold for gypsum is very flexible and durable. It can be used many times without compromising integrity. Thirdly, the silicone mold is easily separated from the frozen product. This means that the silicone mold for gypsum does not require lubrication before pouring. For masters it is very convenient and greatly simplifies the work.
How to make a silicone mold for gypsum
Ready-made silicone molds can be bought at hardware stores. But you can make it yourself. In this case, the master has the opportunity to create a form according to his own creative idea.
The manufacture of silicone molds for gypsum is carried out according to a certain technology.
First you need to make a container for filling. To do this, you can use wood, chipboard, fiberglass and any other material. Or you can take a ready-made container. Then it is necessary to carefully glue the details of the form so that they hold well and there are no gaps.
At the next stage, you need to take the sculptural clay and evenly lay out up to half the container. This should be done carefully so that the surface is smooth and free from defects.
Then, in the plasticine, you need to place the model under which the form is made. It is very important to make small holes in the clay with a pencil so that parts of the mold do not move during casting.
Now you need to measure the volume of the required silicone. You can calculate the amount of material needed by the size of the container.
Then you need to lubricate the surface of the model with soapy water or wax grease. To create silicone, you need to mix a liquid solution of silicon dioxide and an acid hardener according to the instructions on the package and pour the mass with a thin stream onto plasticine with a model. When the upper part of the mold has hardened, plasticine can be removed. But this should be done carefully so as not to damage the surface of the mold.
Now you need to re-lubricate the surface of the model and the mold, prepare the silicone mass and make the mold for the top of the model.
Silicone mold for gypsum is ready.
The cost of finished silicone molds
Today, many companies produce finished silicone molds for gypsum. The price for them, depending on complexity and size, is from 200 rubles and above. So, for a simple form for decorating a room in the form of a shell or a leaf, you need to pay 290-320 rubles. More complex forms of large size are much more expensive. For example, the price of a mold for the manufacture of decorative stone ranges from 900 to 1,500 rubles per square meter. m. There are intermediaries who offer molds made of Chinese-made silicone at wholesale prices.