Natural Building Stone Assessment

Slab or veneer, granite or marble...

Natural building stone includes large cube stock that can be laid like masonry, as is the case for many historic buildings, in which case it requires appropriate mortar joints, sealants and connectors; or, it can be slab stock that is thinner than 1.5 in. used as a facing. The design of the wall often dictates the type of stone used. Older sandstone and limestone buildings often employ the stone as part of a load-bearing masonry wall or as a bonded cladding. Newer marble or granite facings are often used as part of panelized curtain wall assemblies and retained by clips and anchors set into kerfs or drilled holes.

Staff and Principals at GRG have assessed a variety of natural building stone systems across Canada. Repairs have been designed to consider the interaction of the building frame and the exterior envelope, choice of sealants and mortar, and corrosion of anchorages. Retrofit anchor systems have been designed and installed to stabilize natural building stone cladding slabs without affecting the appearance of the building.