By K. Schipper
One of the best parts of the job for many stone fabricators is the satisfaction they get when a customer expresses pleasure and pride in a newly installed kitchen countertop or bathroom vanity.
There’s a growing market for fireplace surrounds and mantles crafted overseas. However, domestic creators of these custom products – for the most part – don’t feel threatened by them.
by Vincent Migliore
Q: We are installing an exterior wood-frame porch. The plywood has been coated with fiberglass to prevent rot if water gets into the system. How do we install a stone-tile floor on top of the fiberglass?
A: First, make sure that the substrate conforms to L/720 deflection. I would install a cement-backer unit conforming to ANSI A118.9 in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations, using an epoxy conforming to ANSI A118.8 to bond the cement-backer unit to the fiberglass. When cured, install the stone tile with a modified thin-set mortar. Use white thin-set mortar if the stone is limestone or light-colored. Maintain joints of a minimum of 1/8" width. Use pure portland cement as a grout. Dampen the edges of the stone and work a very dry mixture of the portland into the joints. Caulk all edges that are not stone to stone.
By Pennie L. Sabel
Executive Director, The StonExpo Federation
Since its formation in 2003, the Natural Stone Council (NSC) is rapidly becoming a powerful promotional voice for the natural-stone industry. Organized to promote the value and unique benefits of real natural stone versus engineered stone, the NSC is well on its way to achieving its goals.
By Emerson Schwartzkopf In today’s uncertain times, monuments can provide a link to the past, and help draw some inspiration … and direction. In the past few years, a number of monuments appeared that...
By Karen Pearse In the stone sector – like any other industry – you’ll find companies that are simply commodity suppliers. Their mantra is to make the sale, but ex caveat emptor. So, the...
By Terri Chance For plenty of fabricators, stone and signage added up to one product: monuments. For a growing number of vendors in the market – including sign professionals – a sign is anything...
by Roseli Perrone Cladding certainly isn’t new – the process dates back to ancient Egypt – but new technology and a wider variety of stone varieties make it an ever-popular method for putting the...