Glossary: Precast Concrete Fence Wall Terms

Precast concrete fencing contains a number of terms that aren’t familiar to everyone outside of the industry. To make the right purchasing decisions – and to understand the construction process – it is important know these frequently used terms. If you have a question about a word or phrase, look for it on this list.

A-Frame Racks: These racks are required to ship competitor concrete walls to locations. Because StoneTree® Concrete Fence Walls are designed to stand up their own with additional supports, A-frame racks are not required to ship or store these products.
Abrams’ Law: This is an engineering concept that pertains to concrete materials. It states that the strength of concrete is determined by the ratio of water to cement. In other words, the more water is added to the cement materials, the more strength is lost. The ideal “sweet spot” is adding just enough water for properly molding and adhering the materials.
Accelerator: This is a chemical substance that is used in concrete mixtures to help encourage the concrete to quickly set and dry. It is typically added along with water when the concrete is being mixed, and helps increase the rate of hydration and evaporation.
Acrylic Sealer: When concrete or cement is designed to see plenty of wear and tear, an acrylic sealer is often applied. This is a solvent that creates a protective film and sheen on the surface of the concrete. It can also help protect and maintain painted concrete.
Admixture: This simply refers to an ingredient added into the concrete mix, often to give the concrete extra properties or a different consistency.
Aggregate: This is the mixture of sand, rock, crushed stone, expanded materials and more that forms the base of concrete materials and gives it extra structural properties.
American Concrete Institute (ACI): This organization sets important standards for the creation and use of concrete materials.
American Standard of Testing Materials (ASTTM): This organization is responsible for creating a broad variety of technical standards for various construction materials, including concrete.
Blistering: Blistering occurs when concrete material coatings are applied improperly. Blisters and pockmarks form on the surface of the coating, and adhesive properties are lost. This often occurs when a coating is applied at the wrong time.
Bond: The bond refers to the degree of adhesion in a material, including coatings, toppings, sealers, repair mortars, and more. The higher the bond, the more effective the material and repair job will be.
Bond breaker: This refers to any material that prevents a bond from forming against a concert substrate.
Bonding agent: A bonding agent helps increase the degree of bonding in coatings or toppings. It is also used when applying new concrete materials to existing surfaces.
Boundary Wall: A wall that acts as a boundary around a specific property. It can also provide support for various landscaping projects. StoneTree® Concrete Fence Walls are frequently used as boundary walls.
Brick Wall Panels: These are panels that use brick veneers to give the appearance of brick walls, but with much less work, lower prices, and fewer space requirements. Brick wall panels are used for a variety of residential walls and fencing.
Cement: Cement is a base material used, in addition to aggregate, to create concrete. It is made from limestone, calcium, and a variety of other ingredients. The most common type is Portland Cement.
CMU Block Fence: This is a fence that is designed with traditional cement “CMU” blocks. For residential homes, CMU block fencing can form the core of the fence and then be surrounded by other concrete materials.
Combo-Cast™: This is an StoneTree® technology used to form panels and columns at the same time during the molding process. This allows StoneTree® to create concrete walls at high speed and with low costs. It also allows concrete fences to be formed vertically.
Commercial Fencing: This refers to fence walls designed for commercial purposes, such as security. Cities may also use sound barrier walls around highways, and developers may use walls to separate specific home developments.
Compressive Strength: This refers to the capacity of a material to withstand loads without crumbling or breaking to a certain point. Concrete can have different compressive strength ratings depend on how it is created and used.
Concrete: Cement, with added aggregate to give it more dimension, creates concrete.
Concrete Fence: A fence created using concrete materials, often a mix of precast products and on-site concrete work.
Concrete Fence Panel: A concrete fence is made from two primary parts, columns and panels. Panels are the broad, wall-like sections positioned between the columns.
Concrete Fence Column: These are the taller, post-like parts of concrete fences that provide stability and strength to the fence.
Curing: Curing occurs when fresh concrete begins to harden. This is a vital phase of concrete installation, and requires the right moisture and temperature conditions.
Decorative Concrete: This is concrete that has been etched with patterns, textures or colors to improve its appearance.
Sound Walls: These are commercial concrete walls constructed around highways and other noisy zones in order to reduce noise for nearby neighborhoods.
Estate Enclosure: These residential concrete walls are used to protect homes, apartments, and HOA developments.
Fence Column Caps: Caps that are placed on the top of fence columns to improve appearance without need grout.
Fence Footings: These are concrete bases poured into the ground to help stabilize concrete columns.
Fence Forming Machine: A machine used by StoneTree® to quickly cast concrete fencing vertically, on-site if necessary.
Film-forming Sealer: This seal blocks all moisture to the surface of concrete. It can also give concrete an extra sheen, making it ideal for decorative concrete.
Grout: This filler material is used to attach and seal small stone or concrete pieces while ensuring there is no problem with abrasion.
Hopper Gun: This is a gravity-fed system for spraying coatings or toppings onto concrete.
Hurricane Fence Wall: These StoneTree® retain walls are especially constructed to resist hurricane-force winds and rain.
Moisture Vapor Transmission: The rate at which moisture moves through materials, such as a one-way moisture barrier or through unsealed concrete. Moisture caught in concrete can cause damage.
Noise Barrier Walls: Any general purpose StoneTree® concrete wall with reflective noise properties.
Perimeter Fence: A fence used to outline a particular property. Used in both commercial and residential applications.
Precast Concrete: Concrete that has been molded and set before it is installed on site.
Precast Fence Liners: Customizable liners that can be applied to concrete fence walls to show designs, logos, branding, and other details.
Privacy Screen: A fence use primarily for privacy, common in residential areas and apartments.
Property Delineator: Any boundary material that marks the edges of a property.
Public Works Fencing: Fencing used to protect important public utilities, such as a fence around a power substation.
Rebar: Ribbed steel bars installed in cast-in-place concrete to provide greater flexural strength, durability, and other benefits. A variety of different sizes and types of rebar are available.
Reinforced Concrete: This concrete has been strengthened with rebar or wire mesh so it can be used as a support material.
Retaining Wall: A wall designed to hold in earth, gravel, or other materials.
Rigid Footing Support System: A system designed to support concrete walls. The Rigid footing support system uses thick I-beams instead of rebar for greater wall support.
Security Fence Walls: Security fences are built using high strength concrete to protect properties from unwanted trespassers. StoneTree® security fence walls are aesthetically pleasing, and have decorative textures on both sides of the wall. Our security fence walls are available in heights from 4-16 feet, and installation of security attachments such as remote gates, iron spikes, security cameras, security lighting, or a combination of any of these can easily be incorporated into our walls to ensure your protected at all times.
Shoring & Bracing Walls: Wall materials used to provide extra support or stability for construction projects. StoneTree® walls are immediately secured and self-aligned, and so do not require shoring and bracing during construction.
Stamped Concrete: Concrete flat work that is patterned or etched with designs. This allows concrete to resemble other materials such as brick, slate or stone.
Substation Walls: Walls used to protect power substations.
Substrate: This is an existing concrete surface designed to receive a coating, overlay, or resurfacing, often for cosmetic purposes.
Xylene: A common solvent used to apply concrete sealers, noted for its odor and flammability.