The use and application of natural stones requires attention and care. One common mistake is careless application and use, relying on the product to be stone. It should be noted that the applied stone is a natural material. And all natural building materials must be carefully applied.
There are different rules regarding the use and applications of natural stones. Usage and application rules can vary according to the type and structure of the stone used.
We have tried to indicate the main issues that must be considered in the use of basalt and andesite. Other than the items below, different problems may occur. For this reason, water absorption, resistance to temperature differences, hardness, chemical structure and resistance to chemicals of natural materials should be taken into consideration. Accordingly, a logical and scientific approach should be followed. Otherwise, you may encounter different problems.
Usage recommendations for basalt and andesite:
1 - INSULATION
A .One of the most important issues in natural stones is waterproofing. It is very important that the applied stones do not get water from the back or side surfaces.
i. If water reach the glue than it will erode the adhesive and remove its holding feature. In this case, the stone releases the glue.
ii. The water reaching the glue carries the substances contained in the glue to the surface of the stone. In stones with high water absorption rate, it creates white spots on the surface of the stone. Since the water absorption rate is low in the Erkilet Basalt we use, stains cannot come out from the surface of the stone. Therefore, it will shoot out of the joints and spread over the surface.
B. Natural stones can be helpful for insulation, but they are not insulating materials. For this reason, natural stones should be used after thermal or waterproofing precautions are taken.
2 - FLOOR PREPARATION
A. The structure under the natural stones must be solid. This is also very important even for hard stones such as basalt and granite.
i. For stones to be used as paving stones or tiles, application on concrete reinforced with metal mesh is recommended. If the underlying structure is not strong, collapses occur on the ground. In this case, the stones will break
ii. Direct application on solidly compacted soil can be made with 8 or 10 cm thick cube Stones. In this case, it is very important that the soil is sufficiently compacted. In cube stones applied on this type of compacted soil, it is important to fill the joints of the stones and compact them again after the application.
3 - ADHESİVES
Different adhesives can be applied in basalt and andesite. Before the application, it is necessary to clean the dust from the production on the back surface of the stone by wetting it or with a wire brush. Otherwise, the adhesive will not reach the stone sufficiently due to the dust behind the stone.
A. Concrete grout can be applied on the moist cement mixture on the floor for adhesion. The ideal thickness for cement mortar to be used between stone and concrete is 5 cm. If the level differences in the underlying concrete are too big, there will be changes in the thickness of the cement mortar. There will be a loss of strength in areas where cement mortar with a 10 cm or more thickness. In this case, the stone may break in the long term.
B. It is very important that the floor concrete is flat in floor applications made with ceramic adhesives. The reason for this is that this type of adhesives can be applied with a minimum thickness of 5 mm and a maximum of 2 or 3 cm.
C. . Silicone is sometimes used in mechanical Wall claddigs. In this case, polyurethane-based silicones can be used. Very high adhesion strength silicones are recommended
D. If basalt is to be applied to the Wall cladding with gluing, we recommend gluing on areas less then 2 m high. For higher applications, a more durable mechanical Wall claddings are recommended for safety reasons.
E. If ceramic adhesive is to be used in stone applications on the Wall cladings, very strong adhesive should be used for basalt. Basalt has a low water absorbtion level so holding level for gloes is also low.
4 - GROUTING JOINTS
A. In outdoor usage grouting natural stones with a minimum of 2 mm and a maximum of 5 mm is beneficial especially against temperature and expansion differences in summer and winter months.
i. Especially in basalt, joint application should be done very carefully. There are different amounts of 1 mm diameter pores on the surface of basalt. These pores are present on almost all surfaces in basalt. But it varies in proportion and there are some areas with low or no 1 mm pores at surface
The biggest mistake made in basalt grouting is to lay the grout completely on the surface and then clean it after, as in ceramic applications. In this case, the micropores of 1 mm dianeter will be filled with the grout. That will cause color change on the surface with micro holes. At areas where there are low or no micro holes there will be little or no color change . This can causes color changes and stained texture on the basalt.
ii. Correct grout application for basalt to joints is the application of all joints carefully without overflowing. A small amount of overflowing grout must be cleaned with a very wet sponge in no more than 10 minutes. In this way, a clean surface is obtained.
iii. If possible, use of a very close or same color grout suggested
iv. It is important that the joint gaps are dry and clean in the area to be filled with grout.
6 - CLEANING & MAINTENANCE
A. It is very important to keep the natural stones clean at the construction site. If proper care is not taken at construction site, you may encounter construction site dust, machine oil or paint stains that are difficult or impossible to clean on the stone surface. Especially before floor covering, other processes that may cause dirt should be completed. If multiple processes will be done at same time at construction site than precautions should be taken to prevent the stones from getting dirt.
B. As in all stones, basalt and andesite also have porosity and water absorption at certain rates. As a result, they absorb the oils that have been waiting for a long time on them. Therefore, in case of oil spillage, the surface of basalt or andesite should be cleaned in short time. Classic household cleaning chemicals will be sufficient for oil stains if cleaned in a short time. If the oil stays for too long, it may be necessary to carefully use special chemicals used in the surface cleaning of the stones. If the oil stayed on natural stone too long and stone absorbed to much oil, it may not be cleaned. Than surface of the stone must be erased 2 or 3 mm or Stones must be changed.
On the other hand, waterproof chemicals can be used in areas with a high risk of oil or dirt. But these need to be renewed every few years in the flooring.
Basalt has a very high resistance to chemicals. But special care should be taken when using chemicals with high acidity or different structures.
7 - CHOOSING THE RIGHT NATURAL STONE
It is very important that natural stones and stone surfaces are choosed correctly for the area they will be applied to. For example, polishing surface Stones are not recommended in outdoor areas due to the risk of slipping. Also basalt can be a good material for pools but using andezite at pools can result moss problems.
In the case of problems arising from not paying attention to the above-mentioned issues or in the case of applications that are not specified in this document but contrary to the general logic and scientific usage rules, our company Emre Taş ve Madencilik A.Ş. is not responsible.
