Precast concrete is a construction product produced by casting concrete in a reusable mold or “form” which is then cured in a controlled environment, transported to the construction site and lifted into place.
In contrast, standard concrete is poured into site-specific forms and cured on site.
Precast stone is distinguished from precast concrete by using a fine aggregate in the mixture, so the final product approaches the appearance of naturally occurring rock or stone.
By producing precast concrete in a controlled environment (typically referred to as a precast plant), the precast concrete is afforded the opportunity to properly cure and be closely monitored by plant employees.
Utilizing a Precast Concrete system offers many potential advantages over site casting of concrete.
The production process for Precast Concrete is performed on ground level, which helps with safety throughout a project.
There is a greater control of the quality of materials and workmanship in a precast plant rather than on a construction site.
Financially, the forms used in a precast plant may be reused hundreds to thousands of times before they have to be replaced, which allow cost of formwork per unit to be lower than for site-cast production.