The
earliest known use of Cast Stone dates about to
the year 1138 and was seen at Carcassonne, France,
the Cité which contains the finest remains
of medieval fortification in Europe. Cast Stone
was first used extensively in London in the year
1900 and gained widespread acceptance in America
in 1920.
Today,
Cast Stone is a truly superior alternative to
natural cut building stone. Combined with its
ability to simulate or reproduce an almost limitless
variety of natural stones, Cast Stone offers many
advantages over cut stone. Cast Stone can be integrally
reinforced with steel and precisely colored through
aggregates or mineral oxides. Mix designs have
tested engineering values which result in a predictable
durable life. Strength and weathering qualities
are consistently better than natural stone because
the manufacturing process is controlled. Properties
such as these cannot be assured in a quarried
building stone. Repetitive treatment, either as
trim or ornament, can be achieved quite economically
in Cast Stone.
The
ability of Cast Stone to replicate deteriorating
natural stone on existing buildings makes it an
ideal material for the remodeling or restoration
of old structures. |