What Makes Cast Stone Different?

Three words to describe cast stone: versatile, prestigious, and affordable.
Cast Stone is defined as "a refined architectural concrete building unit manufactured to simulate natural cut stone, used in unit masonry applications". But don't confuse this material with architectural precast concrete.

Although both are frequently used for same projects, cast stone is generally used to imitate a type of real stone. Precast concrete, on the other hand, always comes in one color-concrete gray. Precast concrete is also made of similar materials and does not have the capability to replicate the look of a particular type of stone.
Cast stone is used for creating decorative products such as stone mantels, kitchen hoods, and many others. It is very flexible and is quite inexpensive compared to other building materials- which makes it the favorite option with designers and architects. It is an excellent alternative for natural cut limestone, brownstone, sandstone, bluestone, granite, slate, keystone, travertine and other natural building stones. Cast stone can maintain durable physical properties that exceed most natural cut building stones. Thus, it can be used as a material throughout a building.

History of Cast Stone Use

The history of this trendy architectural concrete goes way back!

According to records, cast stone was first developed during the middle ages. It was the material used by artists to create accurate, fine molded ornaments for castles and churches. The molds allowed masons to maintain precision in their sculpting, as well as be able to mass produce these decors in the same quality and detail. This material made several fortifications especially in Europe.

Over the past years, cast stone become more popular as a component of manors and mansions. It gained widespread acceptance in America during the 1920's, and made a huge comeback during the early 2000's.

Modern use of cast stone includes building or reinforcing house structures and more often it is used as the main material to create elegant decorative pieces for residential and commercial use such as adding special touches to the pillars of buildings, luxurious range hoods for kitchen use, and of course, fireplace mantels.

What is Cast Stone Made of?

The cast stone mixture is made from a refractory base product that is often carefully mixed with other types of stones to give it a natural appearance. It is then set in specific molds and the mixture follows the design of the mold. When the mixture dries, it is taken from the mold and becomes cast stone.

Certain types of cast stone are known to be stronger than average existing cement or concrete and can be used as building materials. These remarkable qualities make it ideal for any project. It is outstandingly strong, yet lightweight when transported, multipurpose and highly customizable, easily maintained (even if it has a porous surface) and non-combustible. It is also environmentally sustainable- making it a good choice for green living.

Cast Stone is Flexible! The Sky's the Limit when it comes to Design

The design limits are only those of your imagination.

Cast Stone is available in a wide range of colors, and uses natural aggregates and integral pigments. With Omega Mantels and Mouldings Inc., our specialists are extremely skilled and can assist you with finding the right design, color range, and texture that fits your home's current theme. Our artisans use beautiful molds, unique patterns, and computer generated coloring to produce a very natural stone look.

With a quick and effortless consultation, you can get your dream fireplace mantel created at a fraction of the cost.

Let us assist you in creating your dream fireplace cast stone mantel! Talk to us on our hotline today for a FREE consultation with our experts all around North America: 1-855-712-0123.