Green sand and no-bake molding are different ways of preparing a sand mold. Green sand uses a moisture-containing bonded system; no-bake molding relies on a chemically setting binder system. Neither term identifies a metal alloy, and neither alone establishes the quality of the finished casting.

Lost foam casting also uses a sand-based mold arrangement, so sand casting vs lost foam needs a precise definition. In a practical comparison, sand casting usually means a conventional route in which the pattern is withdrawn before pouring. Lost foam retains an expendable foam pattern that is replaced during filling.