Technical information > Professional area > Sawn Stone Tiling
These are stone claddings on vertical surfaces, which serve as insulation and decoration, but are not load-bearing. This type of natural stone façade installation is carried out using bonding material, mortars or cementitious adhesives, forming a joint with the masonry. This type of installation is carried out with natural stone tiles, worked with stone cutting and treatment machinery and sized to a specific size, generally rectangular.
It is advisable and even obligatory from a certain height, in order to ensure the adherence of the stone to the substrate, to incorporate stainless steel anchors to these veneers, which, together with the mortar, hold them in place. These are inserted into the edges or back of the slabs at one end and the other end is embedded in the substrate and covered with mortar.
When considering this type of tile installation, it is important to bear in mind the following steps:
Prepare and clean the support surface correctly, avoiding excess irregularities, and it may be necessary to grind the façade with cement beforehand, and ensure that it is free of elements that may hinder the adhesion of the bonding materials.
Choose the appropriate bonding material, taking into account the absorption capacity of the material and the characteristics of the substrate. Currently, it is advisable to use elastic mortars of type C2, according to the UNE-EN 12004 standard, which ostensibly improve the performance of mortars with a sand mixture, which are much less adhesive and more problematic when interacting with natural stone.
Apply the mortar in a suitable manner, on a well levelled substrate, spreading a layer of mortar of constant thickness uniformly over the entire surface to be coated, following the manufacturer’s recommendations, using a notched trowel. It is also advisable to use the double gluing technique, in which a thin layer of mortar is spread over the entire back of the tiles to be laid.
The tiles should be laid by pressing them with a rubber pot until they are fully adhered. In the type of laying and tiles that require it, the previously mentioned metal anchors will be placed beforehand. It is also necessary to take into account the need to leave separation or expansion joints between tiles or panels, in order to absorb expansion.
Finally, if necessary, the joints will be filled with a specific product, applied with a trowel or spatula in the gap of the joint, taking special care with the cleaning afterwards.
