Precast concrete is simply concrete that has already been poured into a mold and cured before being transported to your construction site. If you are over a small business, you are always looking for opportunities to improve the quality of what you produce along with the price at which you produce it. Precast concrete has a few benefits for your site, and it is worth considering to see if you can produce a better quality product with less work for your team.
Uses
Precast concrete can be used in a variety of ways. First of all, precast concrete structures cannot be used for all interior and exterior walls. There are a few specific patterns that can be created, but you will still need to pour and cast some concrete yourself on-site. You can also choose to have precast stone which is the same mixture except with some extra aggregate in the mixture, changing the texture and allowing the finished product to almost look like a stone wall. This can allow you to have some variety in the look of what you build. There are four main types of castes that you can use: sandwich, plastered sandwich, cladding panels, and inner layer.
Reinforcement
At your request, you can choose to have concrete that has been reinforced or concrete that has simply been poured in the mold. The cost difference is not incredibly high, but you will see a benefit for your structures. Concrete is strong but tends to crack if it is bearing the weight by itself for a long period of time. Steel is often chosen to strengthen the concrete as steel also shrinks and grows depending on the environment, causing the concrete to be less likely to crack. Rebar is usually made of carbon steel, and there are some that are made specifically to bond with concrete. Ask your contractor what type of rebar they use.
Benefits
Besides not having to pour the concrete yourself, there are other benefits. The concrete will have the time to properly cure before exposed to the elements when it is precast concrete. Also, this job is completed on the ground, meaning that your workers do not have as much potential to fall. Also, in a preset environment, there is more control over the quality of the precast piece. Last of all, because the molds can be used a few hundred times before being thrown out, precast concrete is affordable for you.
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