In the latest years there have been a lot of developments in the field of building; the changes in the technological field and the finding of new building materials, focused on the improvement of the proprieties of the different materials, will be able to include new components that will develop aspects such as their durability, biodegradability, thermal insulation and the resource management. Their application to the building site offers us a lot of advantages, both in the productive sector and in the social one. This allows us nowadays to offer solutions to any problem that might emerge in the building sector.
In this sense, Marbles Pedro Lifante, a company close to its clients and with more than 25-year experience, offers all the necessary information and technical assistance when It comes to the use of the Natural Stone in a very specific way, always taking into account its environmental behavior and specific location, in order to determine its material resistance to the possible changes of temperature and its later mechanical and physical behavior.
In order to determine its best possible laying, we will have to take into account its format, its weight and its visible treatment. In this sense, it is possible to establish three well-differentiated laying systems. Which one is to be applied will depend on the security criteria established by the corresponding regulations.
- The systems of direct adhesion propose the use of adhesive agents as the best possible adhesion formula.
- The mechanical anchoring systems, that is, point anchorage systems are usually made of stainless steel.
- The mixed systems are a combination of the two already-mentioned systems.
- The systems of ventilated fachade are made up by a wall of inside blocks, an isolating layer and a piece of external and unpressurizable Natural Stone.
Referring to the laying of the Natural Stone by the use of the system of direct adhesion, whether it is marble, granite or limestone, we will have to take into account the location of the stone (interior or exterior), the supporting frame, its dimentional stability, its mechanical resistance, its degree of sensibility to the water, its finishing and condition of the surface; all these parameters being specially critical in the outside ambient temperature.
For all this, in Pedro Lifante Marbles we recommend the use of cement-made adhesives of mixed one-componet binders, made up of aggregates which are composed of additives and paint varnish that can guarantee a big grip foce, an easy workability, a resistance to ageing and a high flexibility. This type of adhesives must be applied with a trowel, a metallic tool with a flat surface. For this purpose we must make use of the double-glueing technique for structures higher than 900 cm2, with a thickness that must not be over 15 mm. The bearing bunkers to be applied must be spotless , without any remaining of mould release or organic products, and they must be resistant and stable. If the bearing bunker is not well balanced, we will have to regrow its surface up to 5mm with the same mixed one-component adhesives, 48 hours before the glueing. And we must never try to stick the Natural Stone to a painted surface.
With coatings (whether interior or exterior) that include pieces of Natural Stone with a structure that is superior to 2.400 cm2, with one side measuring more than 60 cm and weighing more than 40 kg/m2, or higher than 3 metres, we must use the mechanical anchoring system or security staples as a complement to the adhesive. These anchoring systems can be of three kinds: simple, pivot pin or backfilling.
In order to lay the Natural Stone on a ventilated surface there are two ways to do it.
-Directly, on a fachade already prepared to receive such a load which, in the case of the concrete walls, its resistance must be equal or superior to 150 kg/cm2.
-With an auxiliary outline. Here we can choose among a wide choice of combinations depending on the type of Natural Stone, in order to guarantee the security of the laying.
Either system is equally efficient. Among their advantages we can point out its higher thermal and acoustic insulation and the durability of the structure because they prevent the appearance of moisture by the creation of a moving air chamber between the exterior Natural Stone and the interior masonry of tile bricks.
When dealing with the threshold gaskets, if the tiling of the floor is made with adhesive, Marbles Pedro Lifante recommend the use of mortars with addictives of mixed binders, which are much more elegant and full of plasticity. We advise using an up to 4mm sealing ad proceeding later to its cleaning without using any abrasive product. The gaskets must be clean and dry in all their length and depth, because there will be a second treatment of the joints in at least 24 hours after the glueing, if it is to be a vertical glueing and 48 hours later on floors and pavements.
Do you still have any doubt referring to the flooring of the Natural Stone? In Pedro Lifante Marbles we will provide you with all the necessary information and advice in order to get the best out of the Natural Stone and transform it into an exclusive project, into the best possible work of Architecture.
