The back of Stoneveneers Stone veneers may require a filler type adhesive for some applications. For wet environments epoxies, polyester resin and water proof adhesives are the best candidate. Contact adhesives are not recommended due to the uneven backing of Stoneveneers Stone . Do not use where the substrate is a moisture barrier when using non-catalyzing (water vapor type) cure adhesives. Adhesive may not adhere properly if applied between non-porous materials.
Preparation of the area to be covered and the layout of the Stoneveneers Stone veneer sheets is the same as for natural stone or tile. Time spent preparing the work area will pay off immensely. A preliminary dry fit of Stoneveneers Stone allows for arrangements and orientation of individual sheets, patterns, textures, and colors before final placement. It is recommended that each sheet be dry fit exactly where it will be placed on horizontal or vertical surfaces. Numbering the sheets to track relocation before cutting and trimming is recommended and will save time.
Cutting straight lines and curves is best done using long nosed tin snips. Stoneveneers Stone can also be cut with a metal shear, wet saw, or table saw with carbide blade.
It is best to pre-seal Stoneveneers Stone veneer sheets prior to installation. This protects and seals the face from adhesives and grout during installation and handling. Stoneveneers Stone can be sealed with the same sealers used for slate, stone tiles, and wood. There are many sealers on the market with various recommended applications. Please test any sealer for the desired luster and penetration required prior to installation.
Know your adhesives; by understanding the specifics of the adhesive, a good deal of time and cost can be saved. All adhesives should be tested prior to any installation including consideration of moisture and temperature in the planned environment. If the application is outdoors, consideration to thermal expansion needs to be taken into account. Since Stoneveneers Stone is a veneer it must expand and contract with the substrate or delamination may occur. Where adhesive primers are recommended the bond should be tested by the installer before final installation.
A hand roller is recommended to remove air between the Stoneveneers Stone veneer and substrate. To properly roll out trapped air, start in the middle of a sheet while firmly rolling to the edge. Do not press too hard while rolling as this may cause back-filled areas to push adhesive out and leave an air void. By proper pre-back-filling and using good rolling techniques a solid, hard surface will be achieved.
For best results of adhesive to substrate, a 3/16” notched trowel is recommended. Use a straight trowel for back-filling of voids. Any bumps in the back surface should be sanded flat prior to back-filling. The back of Stoneveneers Stone may require a filler type adhesive to backfill or level out voids of the natural stone. It is always best to back-fill or back-butter voids or depressions in the material before application to a substrate.
Stoneveneers Stone can be used to create a tiled effect by leaving a grout joint between cut pieces. Sheets may also be butt-jointed for the look of a smaller seam. Due to the thin nature of Stoneveneers Stone a 1/8” to ¼” grout joint will produce better results. Test show the use of water based epoxy and acrylic premixed grout work well to fill between the cut veneers. During the sponge-off process, the epoxy will seal the surface of the Stoneveneers Stone as well. These grouts are also available in several colors to match the existing décor. If desired a deeper grout joint can be achieved by removing material just under the grout joint area with a scrapper tool. Modified grout and caulking grout can also be used.
In some indoor and most outdoor applications expansion and contraction must be equal to prevent delimitation. A flexible adhesive may be considered in this case. Concrete and masonry substrates must be at least 28 days old. Hydrostatic pressure conditions and vapour transmission cannot exceed 3 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. (1.36 kg per 92.9 m2) per 24 hours using a calcium chloride test, and retained moisture should be less than 2.5%.
Stoneveneers Stone is natural stone veneer laminated to a fiberglass and polyester resin substrate. Since Stoneveneers 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. Stoneveneers Stone cannot be guaranteed to match dye-lot to dye-lot, so it is recommended that orders take into account future maintenance or re-fit possibilities.
The stone surface of Stoneveneers Stone, like most stone elements, acts as a UV inhibitor and will resist high sun conditions for years. When adhered to a substrate, Stoneveneers Stone will handle thermal contraction and or expansion of most standard construction materials. Stoneveneers Stone will handle both high temperatures and freezing without cracking.
