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WELCOME TO OUR CAST STONE ONLINE WORKSHOP

Learn all you need to know about manufacturing cast stone and glass fiber reinforced concrete at our online Dry-Cast Cast Stone and GFRC precast seminar, from mold making, to mixing the raw materials, then hand laying or spray coating the material into molds, also tips about installation of cast stone. Learn these manufacturing and installation techniques directly from me. Formally a 5 day seminar at one of the largest Cast Stone manufacturing plants in the US, bringing students from as far away as Australia and New Zealand, not to mention Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, Turkey, England, Czechoslovakia, Italy, France, and many more, but with the advent of Covid we cancelled the plant seminar indefinitely. After many requests to restart the seminar, I have decided to restart it but online, Condensing a 5 day seminar into a 3-1/2 hour online video seminar divided into 4 Moldmaking and 5 GFRC and texture lessons with 1 alternate 20 minute Dry Cast lesson. Starting with making the first "Master" gypsum profile all the way to the finished GFRC and Dry-Cast cement product. This is, in my opinion a better investment. The plant seminar was a one time learning process, these online seminar videos can be watched time and time again, and can be downloaded to be watched on your computer, tablet or mobile phone on your own time schedule.
The Advanced GFRC and Dry Cast Training is comprised of a 3-1/2 hour video program learning the principles of a good cement mix design, the techniques to implement them, mold-making, and the trade secrets of Cast Stone Schools textured finishes. This will be followed by 2 Months of free post workshop e-mail support and advice on what you have learned.Learn all you need to know about manufacturing cast stone and glass fiber reinforced concrete at our online Dry-Cast Cast Stone and GFRC precast seminar, from mold making, to mixing the raw materials, then hand laying or spray coating the material into molds. Learn these manufacturing techniques direct from me. Formally a 5 day seminar at one of the largest Cast Stone manufacturing plants in the US, but after the advent of Covid we cancelled the plant seminar indefinitely. After many requests to restart the seminar, I have decided to restart it, condensing a 5 day seminar into a 3 hour online video seminar divided into separate Moldmaking and GFRC lessons and 1 separate 20 minute Dry Cast lesson. Starting with making the first "Master" gypsum profile all the way to the finished GFRC and Dry-Cast cement product. This is, in my opinion a better investment. The plant seminar was a one time learning process, the online seminar videos can be watched time and time again, and can be downloaded to be watched on your computer, tablet or mobile phone on your own time schedule.
The Advanced GFRC and Dry Cast Training is comprised of a 3 hour video program learning the principles of good cement mix design, the techniques to implement them, mold-making, and the trade secrets of Cast Stone Schools textured finishes. This will be followed by 2 Months of free post workshop e-mail support and advice on what you have learned.


 

What will I learn in the Advanced Cast Stone and GFRC Training?

Learn the fundamental principles of mix design.

With a solid understanding of mix design, students will be prepared to transform cement from the humble material of sidewalks and highways into high end columns, balusters, door-window trim, pool-wall coping and much more. At the heart of this program, you'll gain the need-to-know, secrets and details for crafting beautiful, high-end Cast Stone and GFRC precast profiles.

Learn the secret art of Cast Stone and precast manufacturing.

Students will learn the tips, techniques and methods that have made Jerry the unparalleled leader in Cast Stone concrete design, craftsmanship, and education.

Learn to build a concrete mold from start to finish.

Learn in real time, how to make a "Master" profile, then a mold which will be used to make a finished Cast Stone or GFRC product.

Learn the trade secrets for creating our Cast Stone finish.

Learn these high-end finishes developed over 30 years ago without requiring any additional finishing after de-molding.


Who should take the Advanced Cast Stone and GFRC Training?

The 3 hour advanced cast stone seminar is recommended for the concrete professional looking to expand his/her portfolio of skills and experience to confidently work in the high-end construction community and start a Cast Stone business of their own without expensive machines. Now this doesn't exclude the person who  is not a professional but someone who knows the fundamentals of making concrete or mixing cement. I, for instance started my precast company in a small backyard building with just myself and a friend. I developed it into one of the largest precast manufacturing plants in the US. I started the business with the same equipment and techniques used in the video seminars, and you can learn this skill too.


Our Recent Work

Cast Stone columns

Cast Stone columns

Cast Stone balusters

Cast Stone door trim

Cast Stone trim

Cast Stone entry

Cast Stone paul columns

Cast Stone portico

Online Videos

10 separate videos condensing the 5 day seminar into a 3 hour online video seminar divided into 9 separate GFRC lessons and 1 separate 18 minute Dry Cast lesson.


Cast Stone Cog

   Mix Design

   The heart of the program is the mix design. You will learn the cement, sand and admixture mix design and grout mix that no-one will share with you and is kept a secret by Cast Stone manufacturers.

Profile Design

E-mail advice and support with designing your profiles, where to get your first starting profile drawings.  

   Online Support

   2 Months of free post seminar e-mail support and advice on  what you have learned at the online seminar


Marketing

E-mail advice on how to market your Cast Stone product and how to get architects and general contractors to notice you and your product.

Reliable Results

Guaranteed results to get you started in the Cast Stone/Precast business.

"If you have experience with cement or concrete work, this isn't hard to learn"

- Jerry Davis-

reen Building

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

at Cast Stone our green precast, cast stone and GFRC products are 100% recyclable and are made from natural sands, cement and specialized aggregates.
At Ventura Cast Stone we are committed to helping you build green, vintage cast stone sustainable projects. Our green GFRC products have been specified and used on several LEED® Certified Projects.
The following information will help you determine how our green vintage cast stone GFRC products can help you attain your LEED® certification and contribute toward the performance of the building.

Possible LEED® Credits with Cast Stone green GFRC:

NAHB Green Building

For projects seeking "NAHB Voluntary Model Green Home Building Guidelines"Cast Stone GFRC offers:

  • 2.7.1 Products that contain fewer resources than traditional products (Our products are mostly made with 3-4 materials and natural integral coloring pigments)
  • 2.2.8 Termite resistant materials (green GFRC is termite and fire resistant)
  • 2.1.5 No additional finish resources to complete onsite application  (No staining, painting, sealing or surface coatings needed)
  • 2.8.1 locally available materials  (Our natural materials are mostly mined within 30 miles of our plant)

USBC LEED®

Website: www.caststoneschool.com

For projects seeking USGBC LEED Certification Cast Stone green GFRC may contribute up to 27 points toward LEED certification.  See below.

  • ID2.1 Durability and Planning Credit
  • ID 2.2 Indoor Moisture Control
  • ID2.4 Third Party Durability Inspection, SSc5 Pest Control Alternative,
  • MR 4.1 and 4.2 Recycled Content
  • MR 5.1 and 5.2 Regional Materials


Advantages of green GFRC for Green Building

bullet Low toxicity raw materials: Cement, sand, glass fibers natural coloring pigments and water  ( We can also use waterproofing additives)
bullet Durable, stain resistant, long lasting vintage cast stone materials reduce replacement, maintenance and repair 
bullet Our green GFRC is supplied integrally colored with standard textures to eliminate VOC's during painting  (Our products come in 10 standard integral colors)
bullet Non-combustible GFRC meets ASTM E136
bullet Lightweight foam coated precast products use 80% less material than precast

We can also use recycled aggregates such as recycled concrete, recycled water, and fly ash.
To achieve our sanded finish, we use natural sand and water which is used like sandpaper to remove the smooth cement surface and expose the aggregates, we also re-use the by-product of
this procedure (i.e. cement, sand water).
We like green GFRC because it produces a very lightweight and durable material that is easy to install. The end product is very strong and may be installed as thin as 3/4" which is practically impossible to do with any other concrete or cementitious material.

Website: www.caststoneschool.com
Green GFRC technology is considered environmentally friendly and very appealing when considering green building alternatives. Green does not only mean environmentally friendly but also sustainability, the more a product will last the more sustainable it is, also counting toward greenness are amount of waste generated during the process, how much of the ingredients are recycled material such as fly ash and how much maintenance will it need during the life of the product.

In addition to being strong and lightweight, green vintage cast stone GFRC also offer a greater variety of option and finishing styles, another great advantage is that the materials very strong and not brittle like concrete which allows us to install anywhere without much risk.

 

 

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Our Cast stone San Francisco historic restoration and  precast and GFRC concrete columns and products are CDI Precast molded, hand cast and manufactured near Los Angeles pool coping, California and Napa Valley cast stone precast as are our, San Francisco precast and GFRC columns, balusters and pool coping.
Many of our projects are in San Francisco precast, Santa Barbara precast Victorian Designs Sandtone designs CDI including Santa Barbara sandstone look-alike precast innovations columns, Palm Springs columns, Beverly Hills precast columns and precast concrete pool coping, Malibu columns and Orange County, California precast columns historic restoration .
Cast stone and precast concrete installation projects are also regularly undertaken in Palm Springs, Orange County, Beverly Hills, Napa Valley Precast Santa Monica including precast concrete historic restoration columns,  in Malibu, Ventura, San Francisco precast and Santa Barbara pool coping . 
Each piece is carefully hand laid into special reinforced sandstone design Napa Valley Cast Stone molds and hand finished after removal
Many of our recent projects are commercial napa valley cast stone in Ventura County and precast columns in the City of Santa Monica, and commercial CDI precast innovation columns in Beverly Hills California.
Our products consist of concrete pool coping Santa Barbara columns, architectural foam coated precast Santa Barbara and Santa Barbara stone Victorian Designs balusters, sandstone designs and our sandstone design own concrete design window/door trim, Los Angeles, California simulated stone columns, concrete balustrade, our own concrete design precast balusters. Also Victorian Designs san francisco cast stone columns precast columns and cast stone window & door trim, pool coping our own sandstone design and concrete pool coping, CDI precast wall caps or concrete wall caps in the Malibu area.
We have many commercial precast columns and Victorian Designs or sandstone design of many kinds installed in the Los Angeles area Napa Valley Cast Stone Precast, including fineline precast in Malibu, Victorian Designs Beverly Hills foam coated precast columns and  Los Angeles fineline precast columns.
We use a fineline with San Francisco precast when making Santa Barbara precast products and Santa Barbara sandstone columns including Beverly Hills precast.

We also install our new line of Cantera stone columns, easy homeowner installation CDI or "Can Do It"  precast columns and we do our own concrete design ,  CDI is short for "Can Do It" precast innovations columns, San Francisco precast stone cast stone columns and balustrade, California precast products, CDI "Can Do It" precast, San francisco precast  moldings and stairs. We also supply and  install CDI "Can Do It" precast  concrete window and   door trim, Sierra stone products, using our own Napa Valley precast stone concrete design, full weight precast pool coping and granite or limestone products,  California commercial fineline precast, cast stone and GFRC columns, San Francisco precast historic restoration or limestone moldings and  fireplace mantles. We manufacture our own concrete molds. We have many limestone and sandstone design installed in the Los Angeles area.

We have many colors and textures to choose from in our cast stone and precast concrete pool coping product line.