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Abstract

A plant and method for the manufacture of cementitious products, viz. cast concrete roof tiles (T), the plant comprising a mixing station where the constituents of a cementitious composition, less an air entraining agent, are admixed under atmospheric pressure and further mixed under a partial vacuum of 200 to 340 mBar after the addition of an air entraining agent, the plant also comprising a moulding station where the tiles (T) are cast in a gang-mould before being cured in a conventional autoclave for up to 10 hours at 45° C. The cured concrete roof tiles (T) are de-moulded after curing and conveyed to a surface preparation zone where a primer coat of a water based epoxy and a surface coating of a water based emulsion paint are applied to at least an upper surface (in use) of the cast concrete roof tiles (T). The admixed cementitious composition has a Ford Cup flow of between 40 and 60 seconds and a slump test of between 180 and 220 mm. In an alternative method, instead of applying a primer coat, the upper surfaces, in use, of the roof tiles T are subjected to abrasion by grit-blasting to remove a thin layer from the upper surfaces thereby facilitating the subsequent application thereto of a surface coating.

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First Claim