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Home | Resources & Information | Stone Usage Guide

stone usage guide

To assist in deciding whether a specific stone is appropriate for certain uses, the coding system below was developed and corresponds with the charts above for all available natural stone.

SPECIAL NOTE

Black Square

Not recommended in wet areas.
 
Green Diamond

Can be used in interior wet areas, if sealed and maintained properly. If not properly maintained, the stone look could be altered. Please contact your sealer manufacturer or your American Olean sales representative for information about products that can protect the stone from moisture exposure.
 
Aqua Triangle

Might contain dry seams, pits, fossils, and glass veins that are filled at the factory or during installation. These are all inherent characteristics of the stone. Since these voids can sometimes lose their fillings, they should be refilled as part of normal maintenance.
 
Brown Circle

A sealer is recommended. (Note: Some stones, such as limestone and tumbled stone among others, should be sealed prior to grouting.)
 
Red X

These stones caontain deposits or minerals and iron that may react to moisture. Stone bleeding or rusting is a common example of this. These stones should not be used in installations where they would be exposed to standing, run off water or too much humidity. A sealer is stronly recommended but will not prevent the chemical reaction from happening. Please contact your sealer manufacturer for information about products that can protect the stone from moisture exposure.
 
Blue Star

White thin-set or mortar is recommended.
 
Yellow Shape

Install with a non-staining epoxy. Do not use any water based setting material with these stones.
 

COLOR VARIATION

L

Background color is relatively uniform.
 

M

Background color contains slight variations.
 

H

High: Background color contains distinct variations.
 

R

Random: Variegated in color and veining. Blending allowances during installation are strongly recommended.
 

DURABILITY FLOOR

N/A

Not recommended for floor use.
 

1

Residential: Suitable for residential use. Not Recommended for commercial areas.
 

2

Medium/Light Commercial: Suitable for light commerical and residential use.
 

3

Heavy Commercial: Suitable for most commercial and/or high traffic areas.
 

CONDITIONS OF PURCHASE

Natural stone products inherently lack uniformity and are subject to variation in aesthetics (color, shade, finish, etc.) and performance (hardness, strength, slip resistance, etc.). Natural stone products do not meet minimum coefficient of friction thresholds recommended by safety standard setting organizations. No warranties, express or implied, relative to merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose are made regarding the natural stone products distributed by American Olean. Check local building codes prior to specification or installation to verify that product technical characteristics comply with required parameters.

NOTE: Polished surfaces are not recommended for floor areas where slip resistance is a concern.

EXTERIOR USAGE

Exterior

Suitable for exterior application in freezing and non-freezing climates.
 

EF

Suitable for covered exterior floors in freezing and non-freezing climates.
 

EW

Suitable for covered exterior walls in freezing and non-freezing climates.
 

EC

Suitable for covered exterior countertops in freezing and non-freezing climates.
 

S

Suitable for exterior applications in non-freezing climates only.
 

N/A

Not recommended for exterior applications.
 

SOUNDNESS

A

Sound Stones with no geological voids or fissures. These stones do not require any filling or patching.
 

B

Similar to Group A, but geological imperfections could be evident. These stones may contain holes or voids, which are filled with epoxy or resin.
 

C

These stones may contain holes, voids, lines of separation and structural flaws. It is standard practice to repair these stones by filling them or reinforcing them.
 

D

Similar to Group C but these stones contain larger natural faults and require more refinishing over time.
 

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