Tolerances in Installation Process – Stone Standards

3.1

General
All stonework shall be installed according to the general trade practice for stonemasons, by competent tradesmen.

3.2

Technique
Variations of installation techniques warrant a deviation of tolerances applicable in individual circumstances.

3.3

Tolerances – Granite / Marble / Sandstone / Reconstituted Quartz

(A)	Wall panels
(aa)	Standard joint width 5 mm nominal (Section 5 for details)
(ab)	Maximum stepping across joint 1.2 M2 and under	+ or – 2.0 mm
	Over 1.2 M2	+ or – 2.5 mm
(B)	Floor Paving
(ba)	Standard joint width (Section 5 for details)	3 mm nominal
(bb)	Maximum stepping across joint 0.6 M2 and under	+ or – 1.5 mm
	Over 0.6 M2	+ or – 2.0 mm

3.4

(A) Bench Tops

(aa)	Standard joint width (Page 8 detail)	2 mm nominal
(ab)	Maximum stepping across joint 0.6 M2 and under	+ or – 0.5 mm
	Over 0.6 M2	+ or – 0.75 mm
	Note: At no time and or circumstance should a stone panel be installed against a adjacent stone panel without a minimum gap of at least 1 mm.
(ac)	Joint width against other building elements.
	Bench Tops	4.0 mm nominal
	Wall panels / Cabinets	4.0 mm nominal
	Note: Irregularities in walls – Panels are to be cut in straight lines, measured to the mean rectangular and or parallel line.
(ad)	Variation in thickness of stone	+ or – 3.0 mm
(B)	Bench Tops
(ba)	Non visible surfaces and underside of bench tops are sawn – as standard.
(bb)	Standard lamination width is 100 mm max.. Wider then 100 mm is regarded as Non – Standard.
(bc)	Patching of edges caused by cutting and grinding is allowable. This applies also to joint locations where two panels are glued together.
(bd)	Under slang bowls shall have a minimum stone overhang of 1 mm, up to 10 mm from the edge of the bowl.
(be)	Drainer board depth tolerances	+ or – 2.0 mm
(bf)	Sink installation – No screw clips to be used. The installation is to be carried out by a licensed plumber.
(bg)	Kitchen Designers / Cabinet Makers are to allow for sufficient strength of cabinets and or shelf supports. Bench Tops spanning over a void – as in dishwasher section – requires a support under the stone in the front and back of the void.
(bh)	Front edge skirting should avoid cutting angles of 45 deg. or less. Preference should be given to butt up to the underside of the bench top panel.
(bi)	End panels should not be cut to 45 deg. or less, to form corner details. Preference should be given to butt up to the underside of the bench top panel. This detail should be applied when the end panel is supported by a concrete floor, or a timber floor.
(bj)	The maximum un supported overhang on Quartz Bench Tops is 200mm. This applies to 20 mm and 30 mm thick stone.
(bk)	The maximum un supported overhang on Granite and Marble Bench Tops is 300 mm on 30mm thick stone and 250 mm on 20 mm thick stone.
(bl)	Quartz Bench Top cut outs require a 150 mm minimum clearance from a panel joint and or panel end. The front and back strip section of such a cut out needs to be a minimum of 70 mm wide.
(bm)	On Quartz Bench Tops, L shapes are not allowed. On Granite Bench Tops, L shapes in general are not allowed, but can be made at the discretion of the stone mason.

3.5	Fixings All fixing materials shall be of good quality and strong enough to support load and stress factors which are of common nature. No guarantee is given whenever structural movements cause the failure of stone and fixing.
3.6	Cleaning All stonework shall be cleaned after installation with non-destructive, preferably PH neutral cleaning agents. On marble, trachite, sandstone and porphyric stone, none of the acids or acid forming cleaning agents shall be used. Sealing of stone is at the discretion of the supplier.

3.7

Clearance of Veneer, Tops or Paving to Supporting Structure

(A)	Wall panels to structure – veneer	20 mm nominal
(B)	Floor panels to structure Allowance for mortar bed	20 mm nominal
(C)	Stone Tiles/Panels to structure	4 mm nominal
(D)	Counter panels to structure (Depending on supporting structure)	0-5 mm nominal

3.8	Structural joints – Flooring / Walling / Bench Tops SStructural joints, as defined, are placed to eliminate cracking of the stone panel due to structural, thermal and or design load principles. Typical locations of such joints are sink and oven locations as well as corner sections on bench tops. Placement of joints are at the discretion of the stone mason.
3.9	Compounding Tolerances A compoundment of a manufacturing tolerance into the installation tolerance whenever occurring, shall be adjusted to split the compounded tolerance at the joint junction into half and half. This applies only if the tolerance compounds over the plane of a panel.