British Standards for Cast Stone
The UK has a long history in the manufacture and use of cast stone and in 2020 the original British Standard for Cast Stone, BS 1217, reached its 75th anniversary, having been first issued in April 1945. Although the standard for cast stone has been changed and improved over the years, BS 1217 remains one of the longest standing British Standards which is still in existence.
The original 1945 version of the British Standard for Cast Stone, BS 1217:1945, required the compressive strength of cast stone cubes to “be not less than 2500 lb. per sq. in.” This represents a compressive strength of only 17 N/mm2 (17 MPa).
Since 1945 the British Standard compressive strength requirement for Cast Stone has increased to a minimum of 25 MPa, and the United Kingdom Cast Stone Association (UKCSA) require its manufacturing members to achieve a minimum cube compressive strength of 35 MPa. This represents a minimum increase in strength of 40% over the current British Standard for Cast Stone BS 1217:2008, and over double the strength requirement of the original Standard BS 1217:1945.
Throughout its existence, the United Kingdom Cast Stone Association (UKCSA) has been actively involved in improving the standards for cast stone, and in recent years in conjunction with the BSI, and other industry bodies, this has resulted in the production of BS 1217:1979, BS 1217:1998 and the current BS 1217:2008 versions of BS 1217. In addition, cast stone products manufactured by an UKCSA Full Member to the Association’s own stringent requirements and specification have always been supplied to a standard in excess of the BS 1217 requirements.
British Standards for Cast Stone Sills, Copings and Cappings
The United Kingdom Cast Stone Association was also involved with the British Standards Institute during 2013 in a complete review of British Standards BS 5642 :Part 1, Sills, and :Part 2 Copings. In February 2014 the BSI re-issued the two parts of BS 5642, and they now state that Cast Stone sills, copings and cappings “shall be made in accordance with BS 1217”.
Other British Standards
Other product specific British Standards may exist e.g. BS EN 845-2 Lintels, but it should be recognised that many of the alternative Standards have performance criteria that fall well below that set by UKCSA and its members.
