Want to add a little panache to your home?
Custom Cast Stone – pool copings, family crests, windowsills, balustrades, venetian palace, statue of your dog?
“Cast Stone” is made from crushed limestone and white cement, the closest product to real honed limestone (beware of imitators, who just acid wash regular precast to imitate cast stone). Custom molds are designed and the material is poured to your exact specifications. A huge benefit of cast stone is that it is stronger than traditional concrete, so it can be thinner and weigh less. For example, as pool coping, concrete would need to be at least 3” thick, compared to cast stone which can be as thin as 2”. Or, adding it as windowsills avoids weight problems that come with concrete (may require a plywood substrate depending on the overall size).
Cast stone with smooth sand-like texture is perfect for pool coping since it is nonslip and cooler to the touch than GFRC (Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete).
Cast stone is also much lighter to lift if you need a repair and can cantilever over the pool as well due to its strength.
Cast stone, which presents a warm limestone appearance, comes in multiple colors and textures. Utilizing state-of-the-art techniques and materials combined with old world craftsmanship, cast stone can be made custom for whatever you need; lightweight precast columns, pool coping, and historical restoration pieces to mention just a few. This versatile product can be hand cast in original textures and designs based on the classical formal cast stone profiles found in Tuscany and Southern France and the informal precast concrete stone profiles of the Mediterranean.
Recently we were introduced to Michael Liska of Ventura Cast Stone, the area’s leading provider of custom cast stone. Here is some local insight from Michael:
- The most popular products locally include pool coping stones and Tuscan columns (used to wrap around posts that are structural, awning posts or entry facades).
- Ventura Cast Stone can fabricate almost anything you need, including a family crest for over your front door, planters, entry facades, gargoyles, and even a statue of your dog! Simply provide a photo of what you would like, then they 3D print a model, make a mold, pour it and sculpt it.
- Presently their affiliate firm is making large Star Trek and other promotional movie characters for the movie industry.
- Currently they are replicating gargoyles from different capitals in Europe for an old European-like castle in San Diego.
- Modern homeowners prefer square edges, so this is a great solution for producing modern window surrounds, windowsills, planters and concrete benches and furniture.
- It can also be used for interior and exterior fireplace surrounds and mantles.
- Other unique interior items include 3D wall patterns made of glass fiber and reinforced gypsum.
- They have the technology to restore a historical building to 1/16”
Thanks to Michael for helping with this article. I see a cast stone Great Dane in my future!
Michael can be reached at (805) 386-8185 or visit their website at www.venturacaststone.com.
