Manufacturing Expertise
We take great pride in our commitment to quality control in the manufacturing of our products. Many companies claim to provide quality products, but Reading Rock actually developed a proprietary program to deliver on our promise.
RockCast products have always been in full compliance with the minimum Cast Stone Institute (CSI) standards and continue to exceed these standards. In an effort to raise the bar higher, in 2001, we took the extra steps to enlist Wiss, Janey, Elstner Associates, Inc., engineers/materials scientists, to objectively evaluate and grade Reading Rock’s processes and products for the architectural masonry and cast stone industry.
These assessments and our on going quality assurance efforts prompted us to formalize our processes into our Quality Assurance Program and Plant/Product Certification. We set the standards for excellence in the industry and we make sure we live up to this claim every day we do business.
Meet and Exceed CSI
All RockCast products are 100% in compliance with the minimum standards set in CSI guidelines. However, we exceed many of those standards. In fact, Reading Rock was the first to adopt the more stringent requirements of the National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA).
APA Standards for PreCast Concrete and Custom Cast Stone
The Architectural Precast Association (APA) determines quality control guidelines to promote high standards of workmanship throughout the industry by clearly defining procedures and responsibilities. Reading Rock’s custom cast stone series meets the APA standards for precast concrete and Reading Rock’s manufacturing facility is an APA approved plant for producing custom cast stone.
3rd Party Consultants
To verify that Reading Rock manufacturing processes lead the industry and to demonstrate to customers our commitment to quality control, we enlist third-party consultants to objectively evaluate and grade our processes on all products for: compressive strength, absorption rate, linear drying shrinkage and freeze-thaw durability.
Raising the Bar
We raised our own standards and adopted more stringent manufacturing guidelines, causing the rest of the industry to stand up and take notice. Refer to the tables for our rigorous specifications and installation guidelines for RockCast.
Architectural Masonry Veneer Series Specifications
| Parameter |
ASTM
test method |
ASTM C90
spec. limits |
 |
| (Meets ASTM C90 Concrete Masonry Unit) |
| Density (lbs. per cu. ft.) |
C140 |
N.A. |
> 120 pcf |
| Compressive Strength |
C140 |
1900 psi |
4000-6000 psi |
| Absorption |
C140 |
13% |
< 6% |
| Linear Shrinkage |
C426 |
.065% |
< .05% |
| Freeze-Thaw |
C666 |
5% |
< 4% |
Custom Cast Stone Series Specifications
| Parameter |
ASTM
test method |
ASTM C1364
spec. limits |
|
| (APA-approved plant. Meets ASTM C1364 Cast Stone Guidelines) |
| Density (lbs. per cu. ft.) |
C140 |
N.A. |
> 120 pcf |
| Compressive Strength |
C1194 |
6500 psi |
> 6500 psi |
| Absorption |
C1195 |
6% |
< 6% |
| Linear Shrinkage |
C426 |
.065% |
< .05% |
| Freeze-Thaw |
C666 |
5% |
< 4% |
Cantera Stone Series Specifications
| Parameter |
ASTM C 568
spec. limits |
 |
| Density (lbs. per cu. ft.) |
>120pcf |
125-135 pcf |
| Compressive Strength |
>400psi |
4000-6000 psi |
| Absorption |
<7.5% |
4-5% |
| Linear Shrinkage |
0.065% |
.0.052% |
| Freeze-Thaw |
N.A. |
1.7% |
| Air Content |
N.A. |
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