Method of manufacturing a cast stone hardscaping block
AssigneeCast Stonescapes, LLC
InventorsJohn E. Ravelli, Eric Y. Long, John M. Poignard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of manufacturing a cast stone hardscaping block includes placing liquid wet cast concrete in a mold, and, while the liquid wet cast concrete is in the mold, introducing a dry cast concrete backer block such that it contacts the liquid wet cast concrete. The liquid wet cast concrete is allowed to cure such that it bonds to the backer block. The mold has a surface causes an exterior surface of the cured wet cat concrete to take on the appearance of natural stone.
Claims12
A method of manufacturing a hardscaping block having a simulated natural stone exterior face comprising:
- a) providing a dry cast concrete backer block formed from a mix having a water to cement ratio of 0.3 to 0.36 and having a substantially flat front surface defining a contact surface;
- b) while in a liquid phase, placing wet cast concrete having a water to cement ratio of at least 0.4 in a mold that has an interior surface for creating the simulated stone surface;
- c) while the wet cast concrete is in the mold and in the liquid phase, bringing the contact surface of the backer block into contact with the wet cast concrete and allowing the wet cast concrete to penetrate into pores in the contact surface;
- d) allowing the liquid wet cast concrete to transition to a solid phase while the contact surface is in contact with the wet cast concrete, such that the wet cast concrete has a first surface that bonds to the contact surface as a result of the penetration of the wet cast concrete into the pores and an opposing second surface, defining a veneer, that takes on the appearance of the interior surface of the mold, the backer block and solid phase wet cast concrete bonded thereto defining the hardscaping block, and;
- e) removing the hardscaping block from the mold.
A method of manufacturing a stackable hardscaping block having a simulated natural stone exterior face comprising:
- a) forming a dry cast concrete backer block from a mix having a water to cement ratio of 0.3 to 0.36 such that the backer block has a substantially flat front surface defining a contact surface, substantially flat opposing upper and lower surfaces, and opposing side surfaces each having a recess adapted to receive a hand for grasping the hardscaping block;
- b) while in a liquid phase, placing wet cast concrete having a water to cement ratio of at least 0.4 in a mold that has an interior surface for creating the simulated stone surface;
- c) while the wet cast concrete is in the mold and in the liquid phase, bringing the contact surface of the backer block into contact with the wet cast concrete and allowing the wet cast concrete to penetrate into pores in the contact surface;
- d) allowing the liquid wet cast concrete to transition to a solid phase while the contact surface is in contact with the wet cast concrete, such that the wet cast concrete has a first surface that bonds to the contact surface as a result of the penetration of the wet cast concrete into the pores and an opposing second surface, defining a veneer, that takes on the appearance of the interior surface of the mold, the backer block and solid phase wet cast concrete bonded thereto defining the hardscaping block;
- e) removing the hardscaping block from the mold;
- wherein the flat opposing upper and lower surfaces are adapted to allow multiple hardscaping blocks to be stacked upon one another.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.