A B
C
D
E
F
G-L
M
P-Q
R
S
T
V-W
A
Absorption Percentage of moisture
absorption by weight after immersion in
water.
Acid
Etching Process of applying a
solution of hydrochloric or muriatic
acid and water to the exposed surface of
Cast Stone in order to remove the cement
film from the aggregates, achieving a
fine-grained finish which simulates
natural cut stone.
Admixtures Chemicals used to improve
the physical properties of Cast Stone.
Air
Content The amount of entrained air
in wet cast units.
Air-Entraining Admixtures Chemicals
used to develop entrained air in wet
cast units.
Air
Voids Surface imperfections with
restricted size and occurrences in cast
stone units.
Anchor Metal device used for
securing Cast Stone to a rigid
structure.
Architrave The bottom portion of an
entablature bearing on the column
capitals and supporting frieze.
Arris Angle, corner, or edge of a
Cast Stone unit.
Ashlar Flat units square or
rectangle in size, bonded and laid in
mortar.
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B
Backup Mix Concrete, normally
composed of concrete, sand, gravel, and
grey cement; used for the unexposed
portion of Cast Stone.
Baluster A small column or other
vertical shape when placed in a series
constitutes a miniature colonnade which
is called a balustrade.
Band
Course See
Belt Course
Base
Course Continuous horizontal course
that sets on the brick ledge. It is the
first course set in a wall.
Bed
Joint The joint which the stone sets
on. It is normally filled with mortar or
backer rod and sealant.
Belt Course
Continuous horizontal course of Cast
Stone incorporated in a wall above the
base course and below the frieze.
Bevel See
Chamfer
Bughole An unacceptable air void in
a finished surface.
Bull
Nose Convex molding which usually
starts at the top of the Cast Stone unit
and returns to the predominant face.
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C
Capital Uppermost member of a column
or a pilaster crowning the shaft.
Cast
Stone A refined architectural
concrete building unit manufactured to
simulate natural cut stone, used in unit
masonry applications.
Coarse Aggregate predominately retained on the No. 4
(4.74-mm) sieve.
Coated Rebar coated with a
zinc alloy or epoxy. This rebar is
normally used when rebar placement is
within 1-1/2 inches from an exposed
face.
Chain A stack of quoins.
Chamfer
Slanted surface which connects two
external surfaces forming two arrises.
Coloring The process of (or material
used for) tinting the hue of Cast Stone.
It is normally achieved through the use
of aggregates or inorganic iron oxide
pigments.
Column Supporting pillar, usually
consisting of a round shaft, a capital
and a base.
Coping Stone unit used to cap off
the top of a wall. Its function is to
protect the wall from the natural
elements as well as adding an aesthetic
value to the wall.
Cornice molded piece at the top of
an entablature projected with an ogee
profile at the top leading edge with
other reliefs below.
Course Horizontal scope of units
incorporated in a wall.
Cramp "U" shaped metal anchors used
to attach two abutting units.
Crazing A series of hairline cracks,
normally less than a thirty-second of an
inch in depth in the outer surface of a
concrete product. Crazing does not
constitute cause for rejection of Cast
Stone.
Curing The process of hydrating the
Portland Cement in Cast Stone to a
specified age or compressive strength in
a warm, moist environment.
Cut
Stone Natural stone quarried and
dressed to an architectural shape.
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D
Dentil Block projections of an
entablature below the cornice course.
Dowel Round (usually non-corrosive)
metal pin used in anchoring and aligning
Cast Stone.
Drip
Continuous grove cut or cast into the
bottom of the projecting edge of Cast
Stone in order to disrupt the capillary
attraction of water to the wall below.
Dry
Cast Concrete Products Manufactured
from zero slump concrete. See
Vibrant Dry
Tamp
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E
Edging The hand tooling of the arris.
Efflorescence Visually observable
signs of saline discharge onto a portion
of a masonry wall.
Entablature Incorporates an
architrave, frieze, and cornice.
Entasis The portion of a classic
column which has a diminishing arc on
the shaft. The lower third of the column
is straight (two-thirds entasis column).
Erection Setting of large stones
usually with a crane.
Extrados The outer portion of an
arch.
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F
Face
The exposed portion of Cast Stone after
it is installed.
Facing Mix Materials used for the
portion of Cast Stone which is exposed
to view after installed.
Fascia A broad and well defined
continuous horizontal band of Cast Stone
at least header high.
Feather Edge A thin edge with an
arris considerably less than ninety
degrees. It is so named because of its
frailty when handled. See
Quirk Miter
Fillet Continuous raised lug at the
top back edge of a window sill. It
serves as a moisture barrier and as a
seat for the window sash.
Fine
Aggregate That portion of the
aggregates passing the 4.75-mm (No. 4)
sieve and retained on the No. 200
(75-µm) sieve.
Fines Aggregate passing a #4 sieve.
Finish Final exposed surface of Cast
Stone. It is independent of color, but
it will control the color intensity.
Acid etching is the most popular Cast
Stone finish.
Form
See Mold
Frieze Flat unit of an entablature
located between the architrave and
cornice.
Full
Bed A horizontal joint completely
filled with mortar.
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G-L
Grout Mortar of pouring consistency.
Header Stone unit running
horizontally over an opening in a wall.
Nor self supporting (see lintel).
Insert A metal device cast into a
unit normally used for anchoring or
handling.
Incise To cast concave or engrave.
Inscription Characters incised into
a unit.
Intrados The inner portion of an
arch.
Jamb
The vertical unit running up the side of
an opening.
Joint Gap between masonry units
filled with mortar or backer rod and
sealant.
Jointing Scheme The jointing pattern
shown on contract documents.
Keystone The unit at the center of
an arch. It is generally wedge shaped
when viewed in elevation.
Lift
Hook A metal device embedded into
the Cast Stone for the purpose of
lifting and/or anchoring.
Lintel A unit spanning an opening
and carrying the load of a wall above.
Lug
The portion of a Cast Stone unit running
beyond an opening horizontally into a
wall. The lug is normally less than a
foot in length.
Lug
Sill Window sill built into the wall
which runs horizontally beyond the
masonry opening.
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M
Masonry Construction made by the
laying of units of substantial material
such as brick, block and Cast Stone.
Miter The splicing of two Cast Stone
profiles at an angle. See
Quirk.
Medallion An ornamental block.
Model The positive shape that
represents the final product. A mold is
formed around a model.
Modillion Ornamental block located
under the corona of a cornice.
Molding Any linear plane which
deviates from a flat surface.
Mortar A blend of cement, lime,
sand, and water which is applied at a
pliable consistency to bond masonry
units.
Mold
A form in which Cast Stone is shaped. It
can be constructed from wood, plaster,
rubber, fiberglass, and other materials.
Mullion A vertical member which
forms a separation from adjacent window
or door frames.
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P-Q
Pointing See
Tuck Pointing
Precast A concrete product not
poured in place.
Quirk Miter
An end condition cast with a forty-five
degree angle and an edge put on the
point at a ninety-degree angle to
eliminate feather edging.
Quoin Cast Stone block used to make
up a corner of a wall.
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R
Recess A depression in a flat
surface.
Reglet A continuous groove cast or
cut into a Cast Stone unit to receive
flashing.
Reinforcing Rebar placed into a Cast
Stone unit during the manufacturing
process to augment the unit during
handling or to enable it to carry a
structural load (i.e. lintel).
Rebar A deformed steel unit used for
reinforcing Cast Stone.
Relief Ornamentation.
Reprise An internal corner of a
profiled unit.
Return An external corner of a
profiled unit.
Reveal The side of an opening (as
for a window) between a frame and the
outer surface of a wall.
Rustication An incision cast around
the outer edges of a unit to produce a
shaded affect.
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S
Sample The specimen submitted to
represent the color and texture of Cast
Stone. This specimen dictates the
general range of the color and texture
of production pieces.
Setting The mason's process of
installing and anchoring Cast Stone.
Setting Pads Non-corrosive pads used
to set Cast Stone on in order to prevent
the bed joint from compressing at the
time of setting.
Setting Drawing which the
Cast Stone manufacturer submits for
approval detailing all aspects of the
installation with piece markings and
final locations of stones.
Shop
Drawing The drawing which the Cast
Stone manufacturer submits for approval
showing size and shape of pieces,
exposed faces, jointing, anchoring,
reinforcing and unit cross section.
Slip
Sill A Cast Stone window sill that
fits within the masonry opening.
Soffit The exposed underside portion
of a unit.
Spandrel A unit spanning an opening
with bearing beyond the opening. It is
not normally load bearing, but self
supporting.
Springer A unit that is located at
the spring line of an arch.
Surround An encasement of an
opening.
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T
Template A type of model used to
convey the pattern, shape, or profile to
be used by the manufacturer in the
molding process.
Texture The finish structure
consisting of visual and tactile surface
qualities.
Tolerance Allowable deviation from
specified dimensions.
Tracery Arched ornamental work with
interlacing, branching lines. Usually
consists of openwork in the head of a
Gothic window.
Tooled Finish A finish obtained by
texturing either the mold or the Cast
Stone (ex. bushhammered, six-cut).
Trowel Finish A finish normally
given to the back or unformed side of
Cast Stone. This finish may look
slightly different than the molded sides
of the piece.
Tuck Pointing
The final tooling or pointing of a raked
out mortar joint.
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V-W
Vibrant Dry
Tamp Vibratory ramming of earth
moist, zero-slump concrete against a
rigid mold until it is densely
compacted.
Volute The scroll shaped ornament
forming the chief feature on an Ionic
capital.
Warp
Twist or bowing of final casting
measured by deviation from plane and
tolerance.
Wash
A sloping horizontal surface formed to
cause water to run off.
Water Repellent Normally a clear
sealer sprayed or brushed on the exposed
portion of a masonry wall to deflect
moisture.
Water table The course of Cast Stone
that sits on the base course. This
course normally transcends an offset in
the building.
Weep-Hole An opening normally in a
masonry head joint at the bottom of a
unit to allow any moisture behind it to
escape.
Weld
Plate A square metal device cast
flush to the surface for attachment by
means of welding.
Wet
Cast Concrete Products Manufactured
from measurable slump concrete.
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