This blog post shows an example of a project where Mesa Precast products are integrated with a palette of stone façade and specific exterior paint colors to makeover a residential home exterior.
The Mesa Precast team guided the customer with selecting products, providing recommendations for color and finish, and installation support.
The images below show the dark color architectural trim accentuating the overall aesthetic appeal of the home.
The team coordinated with the designers to understand the vision with the new exterior paint color combined with the stone used to revamp this home’s design.
GFRC (Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete) products are hollow from inside with thickness of 3/4th of an inch. While they are much lighter in weight, unique fiber materials and manufacturing technology gives products strength. This higher strength to weight ratio makes GFRC ideally suited for a number of architectural applications.
GFRC products have pre-engineered, built in connections that simply the installation. Products are much easier to handle on the construction site. GFRC is able to achieve the exact same look and feel as architectural precast enabling possibilities to combine the products as well.
See in this video more about GFRC connections that simplify installation while achieving required design objectives for cladding of Delta Gamma Sorority House at the Southern Methodist University (SMU).
GFRC products are much more durable compared to Stucco or EIFS.
Watch video clips to see manufacturing steps for an Architectural GFRC product (also known as light weight concrete).
This video series explain custom design, engineering and manufacturing of GFRC cornices used for the new Girls Sorority building at the Southern Methodist University (SMU).
Step One: Creating Custom Molds
The GFRC cornices used for exterior of the building are large with unique shapes.
Mesa Precast team designed and manufactured custom molds while collaborating closely with project team at Advanced Architectural Stone (AAS) that was in charge of the customer requirements and design.
Step Two: Preparation and Application of the Facing Mix
Facing mix is without fibers. This allows for smooth surface of the cornice which was then acid etched for the required finish.
See application of the facing mix…
Careful brushing eliminates bubbles and makes it consistent …
Step Three: Spraying Back up Mix
Mesa Precast team developed specific composition of the spray mix that had the right admixture with fibers. These fibers lend strength to GFRC panels even though they are only 3/4th of an inch thick.
See back up mix being sprayed in this video …
See back up mix being rolled and compacted in this video …
Step Four: Attaching Steel Frame to the Cornice
Mesa Precast team pre-engineered installation frame that is attached to the GFRC cornice panels during the manufacturing. With this precise embedding of the frame right in to the GFRC material of the Cornice, installation of the cornice at the site became much simpler.
Last step in manufacturing is to thicken the edges, to make the product stronger and structurally more sound.
