Specifying Natural Stone

Natural Stone is a new stone veneer that can be applied to many different indoor and outdoor surfaces.Natural Stone’ s light weight and flexibility allow it to be used in many applications including verticaland horizontal surfaces not previously considered for stone due to weight and / or flaking issues.

Composition

Variations

Since Natural Stone is a natural stone veneer, color and texture variances are not defects within the material,but are inherent to it and part of the natural beauty of quarried materials. Stone cannot be guaranteedto match dye-lot to dye-lot, so it is r ecommended that orders take into account futuremaintenance or re-fit possibilities.

Backing

Natural Stone is produced with a fiberglass backing. As a result, in certain instances, a seam will benoticeable when Natural Stone is used in backlit applications.

Uses

Natural Stone is perfect for wall applications, fur niture, millwork, lighting column cladding and numerousother interior and exterior applications. Natural Stone is not r ecommended for flooring or countertopapplications due to the thin soft nature of the stone veneer.Natural Stone may be used in backlit or other translucency applications. Disclaimer: Most applicationsof this nature will require a custom panel manufactured without fiber and a computer colormatched backer.

UV/temperature

The stone surface of Natural Stone, like most stone elements, acts as a UV inhibitor and will r esist high sunconditions for years. When adhered to a substrate, Natural Stone will handle thermal contraction and orexpansion of most standard construction materials. Natural Stone will handle both high temperatures andfreezing without cracking.

Surfaces

Natural Stone can be applied to MDF, foam board, melamine, concrete, brick, block, drywall, plywood,acrylic and other plastic sheeting.

Cutting

The use of metal shears is recommended for cutting Natural Stone. However, standard carbide ordiamond saw blades would work just as well.

Bending

Natural Stone can be bent in the same manner as plastic laminate pr oducts. The fiberglass strand used inthe manufacture of Natural Stone gives it strength and flexibility. Natural Stone can be bent inward, or archedoutward, depending on the desired need. Natural Stone can be bent or flexed to a radius of 18” alongthe 4’ length. The 2’ width will also have a slight flex to it, but is not recommended for bending. Dueto the nature of the different thickness of the individual items, the degree of radius varies per item. Werecommend testing the flex of the considered item prior to final installation.

Installation

Natural Stone can be glued using most standard laminate adhesives having a thick body or foamingquality. Prior to application, it is imperative to clean, brush and de-grease the receiving surface of dust,oils or any other contaminants. In some installations, and depending upon the adhesive used, it maybe necessary to prep the back of the Natural Stone with solvent or r ecommended primer by the adhesivemanufacturer. We recommend making a test area with any adhesive prior to final application.

Adhesives and adhesion

Understanding the specifics of adhesives, and the respective surfaces for which they are recommended,is critical in obtaining superior installations when using Natural Stone. W e recommend testing the selectedadhesive prior to proceeding with installation, taking into consideration the humidity and temperatureof the planned environment. If the application is outdoors, consideration to thermal expansion shouldbe taken into account. Since Natural Stone is a veneer, it must expand and contract the same as thesubstrate to which it is applied…or de-lamination may occur. Whenever a primer is recommendedby the adhesive manufacturer, the bond must be tested by the installer prior to final installation.

Recommended types of adhesives & fillers:

> Polyester-based gap filler putties ( eg. Bondo and similar )

> Epoxies> Silicone (with primer only)

> Polyurethane wood glues

> Thick latex-type adhesives, thin set etc.(Use ONLY where air-drying can take place)

> Construction grade multi-purpose adhesives (eg. Liquid Nails or PL PremiumPolyurethane {stickwithpl.com} or similar)

Note: The back of Natural Stone may require a filler-type adhesive in some cases. Polyurethanewood glues work well for most applications to board materials by foaming slightly to fill gaps.For wet environments such as shower and bathroom applications, the use of epoxy is best.Note: Contact adhesives are NOT recommended due to the uneven backing of Natura.l Stone veneer.

Tiling

Natural Stone can be used to cr eate a tiled effect by leaving a grout joint between cut pieces of material.Test results have shown the use of water-based epoxy grouts work well to fill between the cut veneers.By removing the material just under the grout joint, a deeper grout can be achieved if desired. Epoxygrouts are available in many colors to match or co-ordinate with the different colors of Natural Stone. Onfinal clean up of the epoxy with a sponge, the epoxy can also be used to seal and fill the Natural Stonesurface. It is recommended in this installation that the entire surface of the Natural Stone be sealed withepoxy as a final step to ensure complete satisfaction.

Sealers

Natural Stone can be sealed in the same manner as most slate and / or stone tiles are. Please followmanufacturer’s instructions for best results. As sealants are offered in varying degrees of luster or sheen,we recommend that you confirm the reflectance prior to complete installation to get the desired effect.