1. How to Make an 8-Faucet Ferro-
Cement Hand Washing Station
Created by Jackie Powell
Agua para la Salud
Nebaj, Guatemala
June 2010

2. What is Ferrocement?
 A composite
material--in this case
using cement, rebar,
and square mesh for
enforcement
 Once the frame of a
structure is created
using rebar and
mesh, cement is
applied
Rebar &
mesh
structure
Applying
cement

3. Cement vs. Concrete
Our definitions of cement and concrete:
Cement= sand + powdered cement + water
Concrete= gravel + sand + powdered cement +
water
 We suggest using 4000 PSI powdered
cement

4. Cement Mixture Proportions
Regular= 2 sand x 1 powdered cement
using a 23 caliber sifter or ½” wire mesh
Mix in a location with no rocks
Fino= 2 sand x 1 powdered cement
Using an extremely fine sifter
Mix in wheelbarrow
Liso= pure powdered cement + water
Mix in wheelbarrow

5. Concrete Mixture Proportions
 Concrete mixture varies
depending on size of
gravel in your location
 If ¾” grade gravel is
available the mixture
should be: 2.5 gravel x 2
sand x 1 powered
cement
 Otherwise, it is a good
idea to ask nearby
concrete company for
the best mixture for the
area
 In Guatemala we use a
2x1x1 mixture

6. Steps
Placement &
Leveling
Making the Base
Laying Pipe
Making the Wall
Placing Drainage
Tubes & Clean
Outs

7. Steps Continued
 Finishing the Wall
 Making the 2000L
Tank
 Making Tank Walls
Cementing the Tank
 Finishing Touches
Four Clean Outs
35cm Sink Basin
Tank Lid
Adding Float

8. Placement & Leveling
 Before construction, think of an ideal location for the hand washing
station. If possible place in a location near bathrooms and kitchen
and not in a location that will be needed for the construction of future
classrooms, football fields, etc.
 Level an area of at least 4x4 meters and determine an area to mix
concrete and cement
4x4m

9. Making the Base
Base

10.  Make a level wooden form for base measuring
3.2 x 3.2 meters and 15cm deep. Use a line
level to level the wooden form
3.2x3.2 meters
15cm deep
15cm deep

11. 63cm
3m
3m
Make rebar base structure 3 x 3 meters

12.  To create: cut 12- 3m rebar pieces & 20 -65cm rebar pieces (creating
squares measuring 25 x 25 cm). Tie each junction with tie wire.
25cm
25cm

13. Laying Pipe
Drainage 2” PVC- enters
seepage pit or septic tank
Inflow ½” galvanized pipe-
connects to water source
1.2m
1.3m

14.  Make a one-layer, 60cm thick layer of rock with 10 cm
space between rock and wooden board frame.
60cm

15.  Overflow & Clean Out 2” PVC- enters tank,
placed above rock layer
1.2m

16. 3.2m base
3.2mbase
2.2m wall
2.2mwall
150cm
150cm
Overflow
& Clean Out
165cm
75cm
Drainage
160cm
95cm
Aerial
View of
Pipe
Placement
in
Relation
to the
Base
Entrance
½”
galvanized
pipe
35cm between tank
and wall

17. Place the rebar frame on top of rock layer.

18. Fill in 60cm rock frame with concrete.

19. Making the Wall
WALL
CLEAN OUTS

20. Make rebar wall structure with 4 rings of #cm
diameter, spaced 15cm apart bound with #
verticals measuring 56cm spaced 27cm
27cm
27cm27cm 27cm27cm 27cm27cm 27cm
15cm15cm15cm
Tie each
junction
with tie
wire.

21. 40cm
5cm
Put together the larger metal wall
form.
Place the rebar structure inside of the outer
wall and adjust to ensure a 5cm space all
around.

22.  Place the wall form and rebar on top of the
foundation.
 Fill with stones.

23. Placing Drainage Tubes & Clean Outs
Fill in with large rocks leaving 20cm from
the rock to top of wooden form
20cm
20cm

24. Cross should be placed in center of frame

25. Attach four pieces of 75cm long 2” PVC
tube from each opening of the cross
75cm

26.  Then attach a T connection 25cm from wooden form
 Add another piece of PVC tube until it reaches the end of
the form
 Attach drainage cap to T and make sure it is level with
top of wooden form should be 15cm from the top of
wooden form
Drainage cap is made
by drilling 5/16” holes
in a 2” PVC cap
25cm
15cm

27.  One drain should be connected to drainage tube using a
cross connection
 This drain should be angled slightly lower than other
drains (17cm from top of wooden form) allowing for gray
water to flow downhill into drainage tube
Drainage tube
connecting to
seepage pit or
absorption tank

28. Four clean outs at
each end of drain
Clean outs can be
placed before or
after pouring
concrete. SEE
SLIDES # 59&60

29. Glue all tubes together!
Angled slightly
downhill

30. Aerial view of wall form
Inner Form
Rebar
frame
Outer
Form
10 cm

31.  Put together the smaller metal form for the
inner side of the wall and place on top of
stones.
 Fill in 10cm space with concrete and smooth
top

32. Making the 2000L Tank
Tank
Faucets

33. Screw together circular metal form

34. Measurements for circular metal form
15cm
5cm
40cm
40cm
40cm
40cm
40cm
Distances
between faucet
slots

35.  Place circular metal form 35cm from inner wall of
metal form, making sure it’s level.
35cm
Level!

36.  Make two rebar rings to fit into circular metal form
 Rings should have a diameter of 128cm, using a 4.35m
piece of rebar allowing for 35cm of overlap should work
nicely

37.  Cut 16 pieces of 60cm long rebar
 Tie 16 pieces onto rings 25cm apart
60cm rebar pieces tied to
rebar rings
25cm
apart

38. Fill in with rock and concrete to top of
circular metal form

39. Place ½” galvanized steel
faucet pipes in 8 openings at
a slight angle
15cm
20cm

40.  Fill in circular metal form with concrete and level
off with wooden board leaving the center a bit
lower than the edges
Level
with
board

41.  Add a 140cm ½” galvanized pipe to existing pipe

42. Making the Tank Walls
 Cut 16 pieces 2m rebar pieces
 Bend 40cm into a 40˚ angle
40˚ angle
40cm 2m

43.  To check 40˚ angle, place bars 128cm apart and
the opening should measure 50cm
128cm
50cm

44.  Tie each 2m long bent rebar pieces to 60cm rebar
stakes in tank base
 about 5cm of the 2m long piece should be pushed into base as
well
Tie in
two
places
Attach ½” elbow to
connect ½” float valve

45.  Make a 50cm diameter rebar circle and attach to
top of tank
50cm

46. Make 6 rebar rings with diameters of
128cm each and tie them 25cm apart
Rebar
rings
placed
25cm
apart

47. Also, add one rebar ring to top of tank
Adding
rebar
ring to
top

48.  Make several 100 -10cm long U-shaped wire
pieces

49.  Using U-shaped pieces to secure, place one layer of ¼”
square mesh on rebar structure and tie securely with tie
wire.

50. Inflow ½” galvanized pipe needs to be
have an extra layer of mesh tied around it
from the inside of the tank

51. Cementing the Tank
 Add first layer 2x1 cement mixture from inside
tank and allow to dry overnight
Pay special
attention when
covering this
pipe with cement

52. Add layer of 2x1
cement on top of
tank the next day

53.  Apply three layers of cement on the outside of the tank
allowing for time to dry in-between applications.
 Two regular layers and finish with a fino layer

54. Finish with a fino layer

55.  Apply four more layers of cement inside the tank.
Two regular, one fino, and one liso

56. Finishing Touches:
Four Clean Outs
Clean Outs

57. 2” male or female threaded adaptors with
appropriate cap can be used for clean outs
Female with male cap Male with female cap

58. Take off metal forms and attach clean outs
on each drain

59. 35cm Sink Basin
Sink Basin

60. 10cm
wall
Tank
Fill in sink
with
cement
Make indentations to hold soap
35cm

61.  Unscrew the circular metal form and allow it to expand in the sink
basin. Fill in the corners with concrete.

62.  Create sink area by filling in with cement. Cover the drainage caps
with PVC or plastic to keep cement from entering.
10cm

63. The sink level should be about 1” higher
than the drainage cap
1”

64. Tank Lid
Lid

65.  Make a rebar lid structure and
cover it with ¼” square mesh.
50cm
16cm
17cm
50cm
17cm
7cm
3cm
Cover with
mesh

66. Lid rebar structure with mesh and tie wire

67. Cut out a
cardboard circle the
size of the opening,
approx. 50cm in
diameter
Lay down a piece
of plastic and then
lay down the
rebar/mesh lid
structure.

68.  Fill in the rebar/mesh structure with the 3 to 1 cement mixture
 Use a trowel to make sure there are no air bubbles and the lid is
smooth and rounded.
 To make sure the lid is always placed on the tank correctly, make
an arrow on the lid and on the tank so they can always line up
Make marks so lid always fits tightly

69.  After the lid has time to cure, remove plastic and
cardboard
Clean off bottom of
lid for a good fit

70. Adding Float
Connect float to elbow on entrance ½”
galvanized pipe
Float
140cm
entrance
pipe
5cm galvanized
pipe connecting
elbow to float