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Builders have been using precast concrete walls for a long time in larger commercial projects. Recently, there has been more use of these walls for residential projects with excellent results. The advantage of these walls are that they can be installed in far less time.

With poured concrete walls, the challenge for the builder is making sure the surface is level, the pour is even and the walls are square. Using precast walls can cut building time in half. This is because the precast walls are made under controlled conditions in a factory, ensuring that they are square and level when delivered to the building site. They can then be assembled in building-block fashion at the site.

Inside many precast concrete walls is a core containing insulation, which makes the walls more energy efficient for your home or other structure. Additional insulation can be introduced through holes in the wall after the wiring, pipes and other needs are filled, which will lead to longterm saving for the owner and less harm to the planet.

The use of steel reinforcement rods differentiates precast from poured concrete walls. Precast walls use both vertical and horizontal reinforcing rods while poured walls have only horizontal ones. Having this additional reinforcement is significant. While the horizontal rods aim to prevent cracks due to shifts in the ground level, the addition of vertical rods to the precast walls also help resist cracks due to soil pressure from the side of the wall. Thus, precast walls will resist cracking better than poured walls. This will give the homeowner more confidence in the integrity of their foundation, since concrete walls are often used to form residential home basements.

Precast concrete is also satisfying fencing needs of many homeowners. Unlike wood fence, concrete fence will not rot or warp. Neither termites nor weather can impact concrete. In addition, concrete fencing doesn't require heavy work for installation. To suite to varied finishes and texture tastes, conrete walls can be used to create stunning fence for any area.

Precast and poured concrete do share some features. Importantly, cracks in precast concrete walls need to be attended to. Cracks in the walls can allow moisture through, which can lead to moisture getting into the home. Be sure to seek help if this occurs.