Abstract: The present disclosure describes modular blocks configured to give the appearance of natural or cut stone. An aesthetic coating composition may be applied to one or more surfaces of a block having a low-density, such as an insulating concrete form (ICF), to form an modular block having the appearance of cut stone. The aesthetic coating composition includes a binder component, such as a cementitious binder made from white Portland cement, or a polymer binder such as an acrylic binder, an aggregate component, such as a limestone aggregate component, and optionally an adhesive component. The aggregate component includes a fine sand portion and a coarse sand portion that effectively enable the appearance of cut stone after finishing of the aesthetic coating surface via sanding, polishing, sandblasting, acid etching, acid finishing, or exposed aggregate finishing.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes modular blocks configured to give the appearance of natural or cut stone. An aesthetic coating composition may be applied to one or more surfaces of a block having a low-density, such as an insulating concrete form (ICF), to form an modular block having the appearance of cut stone. The aesthetic coating composition includes a binder component, such as a cementitious binder made from white Portland cement, or a polymer binder such as an acrylic binder, an aggregate component, such as a limestone aggregate component, and optionally an adhesive component. The aggregate component includes a fine sand portion and a coarse sand portion that effectively enable the appearance of cut stone after finishing of the aesthetic coating surface via sanding, polishing, sandblasting, acid etching, acid finishing, or exposed aggregate finishing.

Abstract: Methods and systems for finishing hardened plaster layers of block products that require further finishing. The apparatus, methods, and systems may be used to finish hardened plaster or other cementitious coatings applied to one or more surfaces of block products, such as CMUs and ICFs. A finishing process includes trimming excess plaster material from the short and/or long sides of block substrates, coarsely grinding the trimmed plaster layer, finely grinding the coarsely ground plaster layer, polishing the finely ground plaster layer, optionally cleaning the polished plaster layer, and optionally applying a treatment to the cleaned plaster later. A system for finishing hardened plaster layers of block products includes one or more trimming stations to trim excess plaster material, a coarse grinding station, a fine grinding station, a polishing station, an optional cleaning station, and an optional spraying station.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes modular blocks configured to give the appearance of natural or cut stone. An aesthetic coating composition may be applied to one or more surfaces of a block having a low-density, such as an insulating concrete form (ICF), to form an modular block having the appearance of cut stone. The aesthetic coating composition includes a binder component, such as a cementitious binder made from white Portland cement, or a polymer binder such as an acrylic binder, an aggregate component, such as a limestone aggregate component, and optionally an adhesive component. The aggregate component includes a fine sand portion and a coarse sand portion that effectively enable the appearance of cut stone after finishing of the aesthetic coating surface via sanding, polishing, sandblasting, acid etching, acid finishing, or exposed aggregate finishing.

Abstract: Glass-fiber-reinforced concrete compositions that may be sprayed, and methods of preparing and applying such compositions. Such compositions may include cement, reinforcing glass fibers randomly oriented and homogenously distributed throughout the concrete composition, and a particle packing aggregate. At least a portion of the particle packing aggregate may be rounded rather than crushed and include a first aggregate portion having a first particle size and a second aggregate portion having a second particle size that is smaller than the first particle size so that the aggregate is capable of particle packing. The uncured compositions can be delivered through a spray nozzle with the glass fibers already mixed into the composition. The compositions can provide uniform, non-directional strength characteristics, e.g., modulus of rupture of at least 16 MPa and a limit of proportionality of at least 7 MPa with a glass-fiber content of no more than 4% by weight.

Abstract: Glass-fiber-reinforced concrete compositions that may be sprayed, and methods of preparing and applying such compositions. Such compositions may include cement, reinforcing glass fibers randomly oriented and homogenously distributed throughout the concrete composition, and a particle packing aggregate. At least a portion of the particle packing aggregate may be rounded rather than crushed and include a first aggregate portion having a first particle size and a second aggregate portion having a second particle size that is smaller than the first particle size so that the aggregate is capable of particle packing. The uncured compositions can be delivered through a spray nozzle with the glass fibers already mixed into the composition. The compositions can provide uniform, non-directional strength characteristics, e.g., modulus of rupture of at least 16 MPa and a limit of proportionality of at least 7 MPa with a glass-fiber content of no more than 4% by weight.

Abstract: Glass-fiber-reinforced concrete compositions that may be sprayed, and methods of preparing and applying such compositions. Such compositions may include cement, reinforcing glass fibers randomly oriented and homogenously distributed throughout the concrete composition, and a particle packing aggregate. At least a portion of the particle packing aggregate may be rounded rather than crushed and include a first aggregate portion having a first particle size and a second aggregate portion having a second particle size that is smaller than the first particle size so that the aggregate is capable of particle packing. The uncured compositions can be delivered through a spray nozzle with the glass fibers already mixed into the composition. The compositions can provide uniform, non-directional strength characteristics, e.g., modulus of rupture of at least 16 MPa and a limit of proportionality of at least 7 MPa with a glass-fiber content of no more than 4% by weight.

Abstract: Glass-fiber-reinforced concrete compositions that may be sprayed, and methods of preparing and applying such compositions. Such compositions may include cement, reinforcing glass fibers randomly oriented and homogenously distributed throughout the concrete composition, and a particle packing aggregate. At least a portion of the particle packing aggregate may be rounded rather than crushed and include a first aggregate portion having a first particle size and a second aggregate portion having a second particle size that is smaller than the first particle size so that the aggregate is capable of particle packing. The uncured compositions can be delivered through a spray nozzle with the glass fibers already mixed into the composition. The compositions can provide uniform, non-directional strength characteristics, e.g., modulus of rupture of at least 16 MPa and a limit of proportionality of at least 7 MPa with a glass-fiber content of no more than 4% by weight.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to glass-fiber-reinforced concrete compositions that may be sprayed, methods of preparing and applying such compositions, devices used in preparing and applying such compositions, and composite structural insulated panels that may be fabricated using such compositions, related methods of manufacture, and building systems employing such panels.