In regards to fireplace mantels, there are many types to choose from, to give your room that warm and appealing look, but for those who aren’t looking to pay a fortune, cast stone material is a perfect fit.

Cast Stone is gaining popularity. Concrete based cast stone elements—to form into a particular shape by pouring into a mold, thus simulating natural stone, have been used as far back as ancient Rome, in 1138, but the material was only first used extensively, in 1900’s London, and in the United States in 1920.

Cast Stone looks just as good as natural stone, but costs less and is pre-designed for the homeowners who are undecided. You can choose a full surround or just the fascia itself, and again can make it look like brick, limestone, granite or marble.

Properly manufactured cast stone can be just as durable as or even more durable than fabricated natural stone. The material is made of very fine or coarse grated aggregates, mineral materials used in making concrete, such as from Limestone, marble, calcite, mineral-oxide coloring pigments, chemical admixtures and water. Cast stone is available in any color and can take on the look, among others, of brownstone, bluestone, granite or slate and makes a perfect substitute for brick.

Cast stone is less hard than natural stone; therefore, it can be shaped easily. The use of a high percentage of durable, fine aggregate, in cast stone, creates a very smooth consistent texture of the building elements being cast.

You can get the desired look but not pay a small fortune with Cast Stone, and better yet, because it looks real, having a Cast Stone Fireplace Mantel can add more value to your home.