As natural stone becomes increasingly scarce and prices rise, cast stone is fast becoming the material of choice for many builders and masons.
If you are looking for a way to get a piece of the huge construction market, consider making cast stone.
New to this product? Cast stone is a very light and very durable concrete product that is manufactured in molds extracted from natural stone. It is used in landscaping and as an interior or exterior wall cladding as a substitute for natural stone or brick.
Cast stone, also known as artificial stone or manufactured stone, has several advantages over natural stone or brick as a wall covering.
1. It is more environmentally friendly. Although some environmentalists have problems with cement production, I have a bigger problem with the destruction caused by the collection of natural stone. As a former natural stone wholesaler, I know firsthand the destruction caused by these activities.
2. The light weight and uniformity of the cast stone give several advantages in time and direct costs. Due to the light weight, there is no need for a footer or base support as with natural stone or brick. Cast stone is light enough to adhere to the wall with only a layer of mortar to the back! And because this product has an evenly flat back, installation is quick and easy, substantially saving labor costs and cutting installation times in half or more.
3. Because cast stone is a manufactured product, more options are available to the consumer. If the desired color is not yet available, the business savvy manufacturer can customize the desired color.
While cast stone often costs slightly more than brick or natural stone, the savings are generally made in reduced labor costs and shorter installation times.
One final cast stone advantage: even if new home construction drops dramatically, there will always be room for the small-scale cast stone maker. When people cannot afford a new home, they often remodel and upgrade existing homes. This product is perfect for remodeling as it allows the homeowner to add fireplaces, stone clad interior walls, etc. without having to update support structures.
Cast stone manufacturing is one of the few manufacturing operations that is still feasible for the small business owner. Two people can easily make 300 to 500 square feet of “stone” each day, at a “material cost” of about 53 cents per square foot. A full setup can cost less than $ 50,000 and you only need about 300 square feet of store space.
When you consider that cast stone retails for $ 6-11 per square foot, and it can go as high as $ 17 per square foot, including installation, you can see that there is enormous profit potential.
It’s also easy to compete with the “big boys” on quality AND price! Creating a more natural-looking product takes about 30 seconds more of your time and uses about 3 cents of extra material, but it’s something that larger companies generally don’t do. Add it to your process and you won’t be able to keep up with demand.
If you’re looking for a high-profit product with long-term growth potential, you could do worse than staring at cast stone!
Copyright 2006 by Dave Sharpe Permission to use this article is freely granted as long as it is not modified and the resource box remains attached.