By Robby 
Why Precast
The question of why use precast stone over cut stone is a topic that has come up many times. The outcome has pretty much always been the same, the use of precast stone in one of its formats, wet cast or the dry tamp method of architectural precast wins hands down. It has been pointed out of the many key points, in its favor, the 2 biggest are cost and flexibility of design. Followed by color and finish.
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Products That Can Have Advantages Over Cast Stone.
There are 2 areas where this is the case, they are countertops and flooring materials, more commonly known as “hard surfaces” in the industry it’s hard to beat some of the natural beauty that real granites and marbles present to the world. But with modern manufacturing techniques and finishes, architectural precast is making some great advances with them too.
Making Advances.
Countertops in particular are advancing.
Using recycled materials as part of the mix and one form or another of countertop clear coat resins makes precast countertops a very viable option and the potential for a great return does exist. There are so many raw materials suitable for this application. There is a learning curve, but the biggest advantage must be to have a large enough and perfectly level pouring table/bench.
Flooring.
Flooring materials. These have also made some headway with the same approach, with man-made tile or poured-in-place and finished products, but when you look at an area of some of these floors, You can see and understand the potential drawbacks, with at least maintaining consistency and final finish while still being competitive. It could also be viewed as being similar to the days when terrazzo floors were the craze, with the methods needed to get a great finish. Today when they are brought back to their original quality, They still look great but are a pain to patch up if you are remodelling, taking down walls etc. And this would still be a problem with these new over-laid finishes.
My Company, at one time owned a separate division undertaking hard surfaces, a huge workshop, machinery and set up with stock, but this was not a good investment. Any form of precast business is a far better option.
Advantages.
When considering materials for architectural projects, precast architectural stone offers several advantages over natural stone. Here are some key reasons to choose precast architectural stone:
- Cost: Significantly less expensive.
- Design Parameters: Available in a wide range of colours and shapes, and can be fully customised, allowing for aesthetic beauty and design freedom.
- Durability: Precast stone is as strong and long-lasting as many natural stone products.
- Elements: It withstands more freeze-thaw cycles than most other building materials. It is resistant to fire, moisture, UV rays, and natural wear and tear, making it ideal for exterior applications.
- Scheduling Predictability: Predictable timelines streamline installation, optimizing construction timelines.
- Weight: Lighter than natural stone for the same finish.
- No Additional Footings: No additional footings are necessary in the foundation.
- Installer Friendly: The modular nature of architectural precast and cast stone simplifies the installation.
- Ease of Use: Easier to cut if required and no dressing of stone.
- Waste Disposal: Considerably less stone waste.
- Availability: Uses by-products of other quarrying operations or recycled materials.
- Maintenance: Precast stone requires minimal maintenance.
- Some of the points here can vary depending on geographical area and how your plant is set up
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Author Rob