GRC and GRP are extremely versatile materials for planter manufacture, being lightweight, strong and mouldable to any design.
All our GRP/GRC manufacture is to-order and to your specification, and we do not hold in stock a standard range of shapes and sizes.
Glass-fibre Reinforced Concrete [GRC] is the generic term for a high-strength composite material made from cement mortar reinforced with bundled strands of glass fibre filaments.
Glass-fibre Reinforced Plastic [GRP or Fibreglass] is similar to GRC in essential composition, except that the binder in Fibreglass planters is polyester or epoxy resin, rather than cement.
GRC and GRP are largely interchangeable for many generic planter applications: as both materials are mouldable, weatherproof and water resistant; both can be custom-coloured, either within the material itself and/or via an exterior paint finish; and the cost of both materials is typically similar. Bespoke manufacture in either material also requires an upfront investment in moulds, meaning that the unit costs are cheaper the greater the volume.
However, where the brief is more challenging and/or specific, then each material also possesses unique features and benefits.
The advantages and benefits of GRP:
- The moulding of GRP can be more intricate and finer-detailed than GRC
- The surface finish of GRP tends to be more sophisticated and refined
- GRP planters are lighter than GRC planters
The advantages and benefits of GRC:
- The aesthetic of GRC is more naturalistic than GRP, particularly when the material is colour tinted rather than exterior paint finished
- GRC is the stronger material, to be favoured for larger or more structural mouldings
- GRC has significantly greater weight than GRP, whilst still being typically 75-80% lighter than precast concrete
- GRC has greater density and impact resistance, for example for use in public realm
- GRC is fire resistant, and does not burn or emit smoke when exposed to fire, which may be a statutory requirement
As a result of the above, GRP tends to be specified for residential and light commercial applications, and for interior landscaping, particularly where detailed moulding and/or a refined standard of finish is desired. GRC tends to be specified for more challenging environments, including public realm, often as a lighter and more design-flexible alternative to precast concrete.