Comments on: Free Idea: Caststone Fireplace Business http://www.texasstartupblog.com/2007/12/21/free-idea-caststone-fireplace-business/ Spurring innovation and entrepreneurship. Fri, 12 Mar 2010 03:39:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: By The Fireside http://www.texasstartupblog.com/2007/12/21/free-idea-caststone-fireplace-business/#comment-346471 By The Fireside Wed, 11 Jun 2008 12:43:32 +0000 http://www.texasstartupblog.com/2007/12/21/free-idea-caststone-fireplace-business/#comment-346471 Interesting article... I installed a a caststone fireplace last Friday.. The lady loved it! Buck Interesting article… I installed a a caststone fireplace last Friday..

The lady loved it!

Buck

]]> By: Mike Leal http://www.texasstartupblog.com/2007/12/21/free-idea-caststone-fireplace-business/#comment-345902 Mike Leal Wed, 07 May 2008 21:49:11 +0000 http://www.texasstartupblog.com/2007/12/21/free-idea-caststone-fireplace-business/#comment-345902 I have used these "Carved Stone" Travertine Products on some of my Client's projects who have tried "Pre-Cast" in the past and have had great success with the end result.. The Cut Travetine is also a good idea to use on the exterior Architectural Trimmings used in today's New Construction. The real stone holds up a lot better and looks just great (new and in the long term). I have seen a lot of pre-cast material gain mold deposits or suffer chemical reactions that cause blemishing over time. I have used these “Carved Stone” Travertine Products on some of my Client’s projects who have tried “Pre-Cast” in the past and have had great success with the end result.. The Cut Travetine is also a good idea to use on the exterior Architectural Trimmings used in today’s New Construction. The real stone holds up a lot better and looks just great (new and in the long term). I have seen a lot of pre-cast material gain mold deposits or suffer chemical reactions that cause blemishing over time.

]]> By: Alexander Muse http://www.texasstartupblog.com/2007/12/21/free-idea-caststone-fireplace-business/#comment-321965 Alexander Muse Sun, 23 Dec 2007 04:26:33 +0000 http://www.texasstartupblog.com/2007/12/21/free-idea-caststone-fireplace-business/#comment-321965 Karl, thanks for the information. We had assumed a cost associated with 'seconds' as well as as finishing. In any event, I still can't beat the real thing for half the cost. Here in Dallas you can get the real thing at: Stone by Design Inc. 1824 Market Center Blvd. Dallas, Texas 75207 214-749-5773 Cell 214-693-3595 Contact Jaime Montana Karl, thanks for the information. We had assumed a cost associated with ’seconds’ as well as as finishing. In any event, I still can’t beat the real thing for half the cost. Here in Dallas you can get the real thing at:

Stone by Design Inc.
1824 Market Center Blvd.
Dallas, Texas 75207

214-749-5773
Cell 214-693-3595
Contact Jaime Montana

]]> By: Karl Katzke http://www.texasstartupblog.com/2007/12/21/free-idea-caststone-fireplace-business/#comment-321753 Karl Katzke Sat, 22 Dec 2007 23:11:15 +0000 http://www.texasstartupblog.com/2007/12/21/free-idea-caststone-fireplace-business/#comment-321753 Alex, you missed the main cost of caststone fireplaces: Bad casts. There's a number of things that will ruin a cast, from the temperature and humidity at the time the concrete is poured (which can be compensated by changing the mix slightly) on down to the drying process. With fireplaces, it's especially hard because they're then exposed to a decent amount of heat. If you have an air bubble anywhere in the final product, it has a chance of expanding to the point where it will crack the mantel. If you don't believe me, talk to a couple of potters that do casts -- ask them how many they've had explode in the kiln or crack mysteriously a year after they've made the cast while it's sitting on the windowsill in direct sunlight... The other cost you didn't take into account is finishing. You still do have to knock off the rough edges of the cast and fix any spots where you had surface puckers. The one caststone manufacturer that I know does some form of NDT (non-destructive testing) on the final product to make sure that there aren't any hidden cracks or air bubbles and that the cast dried properly all the way through. Alex, you missed the main cost of caststone fireplaces: Bad casts. There’s a number of things that will ruin a cast, from the temperature and humidity at the time the concrete is poured (which can be compensated by changing the mix slightly) on down to the drying process.

With fireplaces, it’s especially hard because they’re then exposed to a decent amount of heat. If you have an air bubble anywhere in the final product, it has a chance of expanding to the point where it will crack the mantel. If you don’t believe me, talk to a couple of potters that do casts — ask them how many they’ve had explode in the kiln or crack mysteriously a year after they’ve made the cast while it’s sitting on the windowsill in direct sunlight…

The other cost you didn’t take into account is finishing. You still do have to knock off the rough edges of the cast and fix any spots where you had surface puckers.

The one caststone manufacturer that I know does some form of NDT (non-destructive testing) on the final product to make sure that there aren’t any hidden cracks or air bubbles and that the cast dried properly all the way through.

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