Dry vs. Wet Cast Stone |
What is the difference between "Dry" and "Wet" cast stone? There are two basic cast stone production systems available, called "dry tamp" and "wet cast". The dry tamp process used by Stone Legends makes use of a stiff, low slump concrete mix that is pressed and compacted into custome designed molds. In many other manufactures product the decorative aggregate mix is frequently distributed only on the exterior facing of the cast units (typically 3/4" to 1 ½" thick,) while the cores of the units are common concrete, Stone Legends does not compromise by using common concrete to fill in molds. Stone Legends uses a full dry tamping proces to produce cast stone units in a relatively short period of "in mold" time allowing the same mold be used several times a day. The wet cast process, on the other hand, uses a much more plastic concrete mix that can be poured and vibrated into the molds. This system uses significantly more water in the mix, assuring proper hydration of the cement mix without elaborate curing, but requiring that the units be left in the molds for at least a day. Because of this method of fabrication, wet cast products necessarily distributed their decorative aggregate mix through the entire unit, rather than simply an outer facing. |