Q: I’m looking at physical property values for a granite that we are considering specifying, and comparing those to the values in ASTM C615. While they’re close, they don’t meet it in all properties. Can you tell me how the properties in C615 were established? Do they pertain to a particular application, for example, cladding, or
Author: Marble Institute of America
A Sweet Experiment to Help You Understand Stone Strength
Q: I attended one of your seminars last year, and you referred to stones as brittle. That isn’t really true of all stones, is it? Some stones are actually very strong. A: Brittle is not the opposite of strong. Brittle is the opposite of ductile, and weak is the opposite of strong. They are two
Notes on Standards
Q: I’m reviewing shop drawings that were submitted for stone cladding of a small retail facade. The supplier has marked the drawings indicating that all anchor slots will be field cut. I would prefer to see them shop fabricated, as it is my belief that the same level of quality control cannot be achieved in
Proper Procedures
Q: We’re bidding a paving project and the specification calls for testing of the bond between the setting bed and the stone to verify 50 psi minimum bond strength. We were planning on using a conventional mortar bed with no additives. Will this meet 50 psi or should we plan on purchasing something of higher
Design Manual Dilemma
Q: We’re installing a granite island top that measures 120” x 58” x 1¼” and has a 16” overhang at one end of it. The designer doesn’t want any corbels or posts underneath it. According to the Dimension Stone Design Manual, supports are required. What can we do to appease the designer but still stay
Notes on Measurements
Q: We recently installed a kitchen countertop with a rectangular sink cutout for an undermount sink. The customer is complaining that the sink cutout is out of square. Our field tech went back to the site and checked it, and he reports that it is just slightly less than 1/16″ out of square. Is there a
Make It Stronger?
Q: We are installing granite pavers in what we thought was a pedestrian-only exterior area. We now have learned that a small portion of it will have vehicular traffic. All of the granite has been produced, and it is all 1¼” thick. Is it possible to laminate two layers of the 1¼” thick material together to
How Close Is Close Enough?
Q: I attended one of your lectures on stone anchorage methods at the recent AIA show. You discussed how the expansion bolt connecting strap anchors to the backup structure needed to be kept close to the horizontal leg of the anchor. Is there a given dimension defining “how close”? A: First, thank you for attending
The Truth about Sealers
Q: What is the best sealer? We’ve tried several different sealers for various stones and various applications, but it would be simpler to just have one sealer in inventory to use for everything. A: The testing that I’ve done, and the testing done by others that I’ve seen, indicate that no one winner exists. All
Thinset Adhesives and Bond Strength
Q: We’re doing a stone tile job and the owner has called in a tile consultant. Now we’re expected to do a test to prove that our thinset has a 50 psi bond strength to the tile. That’s over 7,000 lbs. per square foot! Why would anyone require 7,000 pounds of bond to attach a