Reconstructed, Reconstituted, Artificial and Synthetic Stone
About our reconstituted or cast stone
It’s no just bricks that ET Clay Products are famous for, we have a vast range of cast stone and it really is taking off in a way we knew it always would!
Cast Stone is often referred to by different names such as reconstructed stone, reconstituted stone, artificial stone, synthetic stone, manufactured stone and art or artistic stone. The two most popular names the buying public use for this product seems to be reconstructed stone and reconstituted stone, but the industry term for it remains ‘cast stone’.
Our cast stone products always add a touch of distinction and value to a building project and when you consider how affordable it is, you’ll see why it is in such high demand. Reconstituted, or cast stone really has caught the imagination of architects, builders and their clients because it allows them to recreate the look and feel of all manner of architecture from years gone by right up to the present day. Our cast stone can literally transform a rather plain facade into something very special indeed.
So what exactly is reconstituted or cast stone?
Cast or reconstituted stone is any material that is made with natural aggregates and a cementitious binder that is intended to resemble and be used in a similar way to natural stone. Cast stone is made by using one of three main manufacturing methods, semi-dry, wet-cast or fibre reinforced. Our cast stone meets the stringent requirements of the United Kingdom Cast Stone Association.
Cast stone is the ideal building material for architectural dressings that demand fine detail around entrances, openings and gables. Cast stone can also take the form of garden ornaments, where it is often referred to as reconstructed stone.
Reconstituted or cast stone is kinder to the environment than quarried natural stone
Cast stone is used as an alternative to quarried natural stone which it stands alongside in appearance and performance, because it is far easier to source and costs much less. Another reason why so many people shy away from natural quarried stone is the fact that there are some pretty awful quarries in places like India, that treat their workers very poorly indeed. Some of these quarries have a workforce made up from 25% children aound the age of ten who are given no protective clothing and have to live in very bad conditions. Clearly, we don’t do business with such suppliers as there are many other ethical suppliers to choose from.
Cast stone can equal, or in many cases, out perform quarried natural stone on strength, moisture penetration, colour and consistency. Our cast stone is free from imperfections and stratification too. Many independant studies have shown that cast stone can weather much like natural stone does and it looks pretty much the same.
So where would you use reconstituted or cast stone?
Cast stone gives a sense of timelessness which suits any type of large construction, it really doesn’t matter wether it is used for a domestic dwelling or a large stone office development. Cast stone is an extremely versatile material, suitable for period and contemporary styles. Cast stone complements a whole range of building cladding materials such as brick, quarried natural stone and right through to rendered building exteriors.
And it is not just put to good effect on the outside of buildings either! Cast stone is often used internally and externally for newbuild projects, extensions and existing building refurbishments. This is particularly useful when you consider how many areas are subjected to certain planning constraints or where quarried natural stone is the predominant building material used.
Cast stone is nothing new!
Cast stone has been sought after as a building material since Georgian times in the United Kingdom. Today it is being widely used for mouldings, columns, gables, cornices, balustrading and keystones. In many modern housing developments, cast stone is being used to great effect on architectural details such as porticos, window heads and sills.
ET Clay Products can supply the very finest cast stone, that is produced with a much better composition than ever before. The material provides a very close match to quarried stone and a much wider range of design possibilities.
In fact, cast stone has been a premium building material for literally hundreds of years. The earliest known use of Cast stone dates about to the year 1138 and was seen at Carcassonne in France. This is the city which contains probably the finest remains of medieval fortification to be found anywhere in Europe. Cast stone was first used extensively in London in the 19th century.
Even archaeologists and Egyptian scholars have speculated that the Egyptian pyramids were formed using a form of cast stone, rather than being from cut blocks.
A well known variety of cast stone is Victoria stone, which is composed of finely crushed Leicestershire granite and Portland cement. This is carefully mixed by machinery in the proportions of three to one, and filled into moulds of the required shape. When the blocks are set hard the moulds are loosened and the blocks placed in a solution of silicate of soda for about two weeks for the purpose of indurating and hardening them. Many manufacturers turn out a material that is practically non-porous and is able effectually to resist the corroding influence of sea air or the impure atmosphere of large towns.
So if you are looking for that extra special finish to your building project and would like to take advantage of this versatile material, why not give us a call at ET Clay Products. We also have pages dedicated to reconstituted stone and stone in stock by Forticrete on this website.