Technical Specifications

At Cast Natural Stone, we build each and every stone to stand up to the most brutal weather conditions.
And with our manufacturing and headquarters located in Wisconsin, we know weather conditions.
How do we know Cast Natural Stone is strong and durable?
We test it under the most intensive standards in the industry, as guided by ICC-ES, the leader in providing
independent evaluation of building products, components and systems.
AC51
The foundation of testing is AC51, a set of rigorous tests designed to ascertain the long-lasting durability of
manufactured stone veneer. Combined, the entire AC51 series of tests encompasses every characteristic of stone
veneer necessary to ensure it holds up under exceptionally harsh conditions…like we have in Wisconsin.
Quality Control
But testing under ICC-ES standards goes well beyond AC51. Our Quality Control practices guide everything we
do, ensuring that every aspect from our raw materials to our daily testing meets the highest specications in the
industry. See the ICC-ES third party report on Cast Natural Stone (ESR #3566).
BEAUTY STRENGTH DURABILITY
Compression Strength Tested on 28 Day Cured Samples.
Samples must withstand 1,800 PSI
without damage.
For decades of strength and
durability, you want a stone that
holds up.
STRENGTH AND DURABILITY OF THE INSTALLED STONE
UBC Standard 15-5
Moisture Absorption
Based on the stones’ density, it
must absorb less than a specic
amount of moisture. For example,
for density <85 lbs/ft, absorption
must be less than 22%
Predictable weight per foot, and
lower absorption means less water
permeability.
Tensile Strength
(ASTM C190)
Tested on 28 Day Cured Samples.
Results must be reported, and all
samples within specic range
Tensile strength must be sufcient
to resist breaking and cracking as
mortar beds cures and shrinks .
Flexural Strength
(ASTM C348)
Tested on 28 Day Cured Samples.
Results must be reported, and all
samples within specic range.
Walls can move, and you want a
stone that can hold up without
breaking.
Freeze Thaw
(ASTM C67)
Testing the stone requires that the
stone be saturated, frozen, then
thawed - for 50 cycles. Stone must
not crack, break, or deteriorate.
We build all of our stone to
withstand the harsh climates of the
Northern US and Canada – it must
hold up to decades of freezing and
thawing conditions.
Cement (ASTM C150) and
other Raw Materials
(ASTM C33 or C330)
Raw materials such as cement
and aggregate must meet specic
standards. We demand mill
tests and certicates of analysis
assuring each shipment meets
specications.
We want predictable, consistent
production with the strength and
quality we demand
Quality Control Processes Quality Control Manuals provide
operational protocol for the
entire manufacturing process - all
designed to provide a consistent,
high quality product.
Our Quality Control documents
demand attention to every detail
including rigorous daily tests
throughout the plant.
Mill Certicates required for all
of our cement material. And
aggregate shipments meet our
specs, ensuring a predictable
manufacturing result.
PROCESSES AND MATERIALS
AC-51 CRITERIA GUIDELINES WHY MEET/EXCEED