Custom Products
Anston specialises in the translation of design ideas from paper to production. We are confident in our ability to deliver bespoke, tailor-made concrete products that satisfy all client criteria.
Custom concrete fabrication is not just what we do – it’s where we excel. Anston’s expert team of concrete artisans shares decades of experience in the fabrication of high quality, beautiful architectural concrete products. Whether you are considering the introduction of a custom shape, colour or material in your next project, there are a wealth of options for you to consider when using precast concrete.
Anston offers high quality surface products in a range of colour and texture palettes conducive to diverse design applications. Their professional team provides an all-round outstanding service - from assisting in the provision of their standard product range, to manufacturing custom items instrumental in the vision of our bespoke projects.
Options For Customising a Prefabricated Concrete Product
Precast concrete is the ultimate construction material for landscape architects and designers, as it offers so many opportunities for uniqueness.
Hover over the individual cards below to read about each customisation option.
Shape / Form
Shape / Form
With the current mould-making technology available, product designs incorporating beautiful curvature and complex geometries are highly achievable.
Mix Design
Mix Design
The addition of coloured oxides can produce bright colours that are not possible with a standard concrete mix, i.e. reds, blues, greens.
Texture
Texture
Shot-blasting and honing of concrete products reveal an attractive exposed aggregate finish that is textured or smooth.
Polishing concrete adds extra smoothness and a lustrous shine.
Surface Graphics
Surface Graphics
Graphic techniques include stencilling or imprinting of patterns, letters or numerals into the surface of a product.
Additional Elements
Additional Elements
Examples include timber or steel seat tops or seat backs, anti-skate bars and buttons, lighting and electrical fixtures.
Anston can assist with the design of cast-in rebates or hidden conduits into your custom precast product to accommodate any add-on features.
Our Custom Concrete Production Process
If you’ve decided on customisation and the opportunity to create a product that is truly unique, we encourage you to get in touch with us early in the design process so we can provide guidance and assistance to help develop your idea. Our in-house design and production teams are no strangers to customisation, and will recommend the most effective methods to help you achieve your desired design outcome.
1. Initial Consultation
The bespoke fabrication process begins when a client approaches Anston with a design idea that involves a custom product.
The client should supply all available information such as site plans, design concepts, product dimensions, colour specifications and detail drawings.
The Anston team will assess all information provided to advise on product feasibility, and recommend the best way to achieve the design intent while taking into account the requirements of concrete product fabrication.
2. Design Refinements
Once the product is deemed feasible for manufacture, the next step is to confirm specific design features such as product colour/mix design, finished surface texture and the number of unique forms and modules required.
Anston can provide custom colour and mix design samples for a visual representation of the product finish.
Any additional material components such as timber or steel elements must be decided upon during this phase. Customers should also consider how the product will be transported and whether internal lifting points are required.
3. Workshop Drawings
Upon the confirmation of an order, Anston’s in-house design team will create production drawings of all products to be manufactured.
These drawings will include full details such as steel reinforcing, lifting points, fixing points, voids for lighting or electrical conduits and any other features or allowances.
Workshop drawings are generally completed within 1-2 weeks, depending on order volume and product complexity. Production commences after the client provides written approval of the shop drawings.
4. Mould Fabrication
After client approval of the shop drawings, the next step is the mould fabrication process.
Moulds are available in a variety of materials and Anston will decide on the best type of mould to suit each product on a case-by-case basis.
The timeframe for mould fabrication is typically 4-8 weeks, depending on mould complexity and unit quantities required.
5. Product Manufacture
The production process involves the casting and stripping of concrete by Anston’s experienced manufacturing team, all of which is conducted within a controlled factory environment.
Next is the surface treatment of products, such as shot-blasting, honing or polishing, resulting in the final concrete finish.
All products undergo quality control checks to ensure they are produced to a satisfactory standard and comply with all customer requirements.
6. Delivery to Site
Anston staff are well-trained in the handling and transportation of precast concrete products, making sure to use only the approved lifting tools and techniques for safe transport.
We engage experienced crane truck operators to deliver finished products to site, who may be able to unload products at specific areas on-site, as long as sufficient access is available.
Clients may opt to use their own forms of transport. In these cases, Anston will assist with the secure loading of products onto transport vehicles.
Like many other marine products designed by Reef Design Lab, the bespoke wave break modules installed at The Dell Eco Reef in Geelong are a marvellous sight to behold.
These incredibly detailed forms challenge the typical conventions of concrete, displaying intricate geometries and organic shapes that are each intentionally designed to support marine biodiversity while protecting the natural coastline.
Featured Project
Frequently Asked Questions About Custom Concrete Products
I want to order a custom product. What information do I need to provide?
If you've decided on purchasing a custom-made concrete product, the next step is to get in touch with the team at Anston, providing us with as much information as you can to help us assist with your product enquiry.
Helpful pieces of information include site plans, design and construction drawings, product details and dimensions, and any other specifics such as product quantity, colour or aggregate selection, and functional requirements.
If you're ready to start the conversation, please submit our Bespoke Product Enquiry form at the bottom of this page.
How much does it cost to order a custom product?
Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question! Due to the endless possibilities and options for customisation and the presence of many variables, each project can only be priced on a case-by-case basis.
We recommend contacting our team directly to discuss your bespoke product requirements. A clear understanding of your product requirements will help us to provide indicative pricing.
What types of customisation are available?
Products can be customised in various different ways, including product colour, aggregate selection, product shape, surface finish, graphic detailing and the incorporation of other elements.
Clients may customise an existing product in our design-ready catalogue range, choosing only to amend the mix design or surface finish; alternatively, customers can opt for complete customisation which will require the fabrication of new product moulds, specific for their project.
Please refer to the image cards higher up on this page to understand more about each customisation option.
Can you incorporate other materials into my custom product, i.e. steel, timber, lighting?
When working on the design of your custom concrete product, our team can include cast-in rebates or conduits to accommodate steel or timber elements, cabling or lighting fixtures, and lifting accessories.
We can also incorporate accessories such as anti-skate bars or buttons and rubber nosing strips.
We are unable to supply other raw materials such as timber, metal or lighting components, but may be able to recommend other suppliers who specialise in these products.
How long will it take to receive my custom order?
It is difficult to provide a standard lead time on custom-made products due to several variables, including order volume, availability of raw materials, and complexity of mould fabrication, to name a few.
Compared with purchasing a standard product from our design-ready catalogue range, orders of custom products incur additional lead times for design development, workshop drawings and approvals, mould design and fabrication. These processes typically add a minimum of 6 weeks' lead time, and are subject to change.
Please consult Anston directly so we can provide more accurate lead times based on your specific project requirements.
What happens to the moulds made for my custom order?
Unless expressly agreed upon during the quoting and order process, Anston retains ownership and intellectual property for all custom moulding that has been produced by us.
We do however act in our customers' best interests and will not use our custom moulds to reproduce any custom product, unless they have been purchased by the same customer.
Recommended Whitepaper Download:
How Precast Builds Uniqueness: Maximising the Design Potential of Precast Concrete
Precast concrete is distinguished from in-situ concrete due to its incredible design versatility. While concrete is typically associated with large, grey block-like forms, precast concrete can now be used to achieve almost any aesthetic or functional outcome—from curved, organic structural shapes to fine, intricately detailed decorative pieces, in all types of colours and textures.
Download this whitepaper to learn about designing with precast concrete and how it can be used to create versatile, multi-purpose street furniture that delivers strength, functionality and longevity.
