U.S. patent application number 13/410026 was filed with the patent office on 2012-10-04 for system and method of stonework installation.
Invention is credited to Thomas L. Schlough.
Application Number | 20120247045 13/410026 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46925403 |
Filed Date | 2012-10-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120247045 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Schlough; Thomas L. |
October 4, 2012 |
SYSTEM AND METHOD OF STONEWORK INSTALLATION
Abstract
A system and method of attaching a natural stone to a wall
surface includes attaching a piece of natural stone to a base plate
so as to leave at least a portion of the base plate uncovered by
the piece of natural stone and attaching the base plate to the wall
surface with a fastener extending through the uncovered portion of
the base plate.
Inventors: |
Schlough; Thomas L.;
(Sartell, MN) |
Family ID: |
46925403 |
Appl. No.: |
13/410026 |
Filed: |
March 1, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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61449391 |
Mar 4, 2011 |
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61560100 |
Nov 15, 2011 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
52/384 ; 52/477;
52/741.41; 52/747.12 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04F 13/144 20130101;
E04F 13/09 20130101; E04F 13/0801 20130101; E04F 2203/06 20130101;
Y10T 156/10 20150115; E04F 13/0891 20130101; B23P 19/04 20130101;
Y10T 29/49826 20150115; B32B 37/12 20130101; E04F 13/0864 20130101;
Y10T 29/49947 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/384 ;
52/747.12; 52/741.41; 52/477 |
International
Class: |
E04B 2/06 20060101
E04B002/06; E04B 1/66 20060101 E04B001/66; E04C 2/04 20060101
E04C002/04; E04B 2/00 20060101 E04B002/00 |
Claims
1. A method of attaching a natural stone to a wall surface, the
method comprising: attaching a first piece of natural stone to a
first base plate so as to leave at least a portion of the first
base plate uncovered by the first piece of natural stone; attaching
the first base plate to the wall surface with a fastener extending
through the uncovered portion of the first base plate.
2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising attaching a
second piece of natural stone to a second base plate so as to leave
at least a portion of the second base plate uncovered by the second
piece of natural stone and attaching the second base plate to the
wall surface so as to overlap the uncovered portion of the first
base plate with a portion of the second base plate that is covered
by the second piece of natural stone.
3. A method according to claim 2, further comprising providing a
sealant between the first piece of natural stone and the second
piece of natural stone once the pieces of natural stone have been
attached to the wall surface.
4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the sealant includes
grout.
5. A method according to claim 2, wherein the second piece of
natural stone defines a different configuration than the first
piece of natural stone.
6. A method according to claim 3, wherein the second piece of
natural stone defines a different peripheral size than the first
piece of natural stone.
7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising providing at
least one fastener hole through the uncovered portion of the first
base plate.
8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising attaching the
first piece of natural stone to the first base plate with an
adhesive.
9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first base plate
includes a metallic material.
10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first piece of
natural stone defines a top end, a bottom end, a right end, and a
left end, wherein the first base plate defines uncovered portions
that extend out away from at least one of the ends of the first
piece of natural stone.
11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the first base plate
defines uncovered portions that extend out away from at least two
of the ends of the first piece of natural stone.
12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the at least two of the
ends of the first piece of natural stone includes one of the top
end and the bottom end and one of the right end and the left
end.
13. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first base plate
defines a greater overall outer peripheral dimension than that of
the first piece of natural stone.
14. A method according to claim 1, further comprising attaching a
second piece of natural stone to the first base plate so as to
leave at least a portion of the first base plate uncovered by the
second piece of natural stone.
15. A method of manufacturing a stone veneer configured for
attachment to a wall surface, the method comprising: attaching at
least one piece of natural stone to a base plate so as to leave at
least a portion of the base plate uncovered by the at least one
piece of natural stone.
16. A method according to claim 15, further comprising attaching a
second piece of natural stone to the base plate so as to leave at
least a portion of the base plate uncovered by the second piece of
natural stone.
17. A method according to claim 15, further comprising providing at
least one fastener hole through the uncovered portion of the base
plate.
18. A method according to claim 15, further comprising attaching
the at least one piece of natural stone to the base plate with an
adhesive.
19. A method according to claim 15, wherein the base plate includes
a metallic material.
20. A method according to claim 15, wherein the at least one piece
of natural stone defines a top end, a bottom end, a right end, and
a left end, wherein the base plate defines uncovered portions that
extend out away from at least one of the ends of the at least one
piece of natural stone.
21. A method according to claim 20, wherein the base plate defines
uncovered portions that extend out away from at least two of the
ends of the at least one piece of natural stone.
22. A method according to claim 21, wherein the at least two of the
ends of the at least one piece of natural stone include one of the
top end and the bottom end and one of the right end and the left
end.
23. A method according to claim 15, wherein the base plate defines
a greater overall outer peripheral dimension than that of the at
least one piece of natural stone.
24. A natural stone veneer comprising: a piece of natural stone
attached to a base plate so as to leave at least a portion of the
base plate uncovered by the piece of natural stone.
25. A natural stone according to claim 24, further comprising a
second piece of natural stone attached to the base plate so as to
leave at least a portion of the base plate uncovered by the second
piece of natural stone.
26. A natural stone veneer according to claim 24, wherein the piece
of natural stone is attached to the base plate with an
adhesive.
27. A natural stone veneer according to claim 24, further
comprising a fastener hole through the uncovered portion of the
base plate.
28. A natural stone veneer according to claim 24, wherein the base
plate includes a metallic material.
29. A natural stone veneer according to claim 24, wherein the piece
of natural stone defines a top end, a bottom end, a right end, and
a left end, wherein the base plate defines uncovered portions that
extend out away from at least one of the ends of the piece of
natural stone.
30. A natural stone veneer according to claim 29, wherein the base
plate defines uncovered portions that extend out away from at least
two of the ends of the piece of natural stone.
31. A natural stone veneer according to claim 30, wherein the at
least two of the ends of the piece of natural stone include one of
the top end and the bottom end and one of the right end and the
left end.
32. A natural stone veneer according to claim 24, wherein the base
plate defines a greater overall outer peripheral dimension than
that of the piece of natural stone.
33. A wall comprising: a wall surface; a first piece of natural
stone attached to a first base plate so as to leave at least a
portion of the first base plate uncovered by the first piece of
natural stone, wherein the first base plate is attached to the wall
surface with a fastener extending through the uncovered portion of
the first base plate; and a second piece of natural stone attached
to a second base plate so as to leave at least a portion of the
second base plate uncovered by the second piece of natural stone,
wherein the second base plate is attached to the wall surface so as
to overlap the uncovered portion of the first base plate with a
portion of the second base plate that is covered by the second
piece of natural stone, the second piece of natural stone defining
a different configuration than the first piece of natural
stone.
34. A wall according to claim 33, wherein the second piece of
natural stone defines a different peripheral size than the first
piece of natural stone.
35. A wall according to claim 33, wherein at least one of the first
base plate and the second base plate includes at least one fastener
hole through the uncovered portion of the base plate.
36. A wall according to claim 33, wherein at least one of the first
piece of natural stone and the second piece of natural stone is
attached to the corresponding base plate with an adhesive.
37. A wall according to claim 33, wherein at least one of the first
base plate and the second base plate includes a metallic
material.
38. A method of installing stonework on a wall surface, the method
comprising: creating a pattern of stonework to be applied to a wall
surface; providing a plurality of natural stone veneers associated
with the pattern of stonework; providing a physical guide on the
wall surface that associates the plurality of natural stone veneers
with the created pattern of stonework; and attaching the plurality
of natural stone veneers to the wall surface using the physical
guide.
39. A method according to claim 38, wherein the pattern of
stonework to be applied to the wall surface is created using
computer software.
40. A method according to claim 38, wherein the guide defines
horizontal and vertical grid lines defining installment locations
for each of the plurality of natural stone veneers.
41. A method according to claim 38, wherein the guide includes a
substrate to be fastened to the wall surface.
42. A method according to claim 38, wherein the guide is a
projected pattern image.
43. A method according to claim 38, wherein each of the natural
stone veneers includes a piece of natural stone attached to a base
plate so as to leave at least a portion of the base plate uncovered
by the piece of natural stone.
44. A method according to claim 43, wherein each of the natural
stone veneers is attached to the wall surface via a fastener
through the portion of the base plate uncovered by the piece of
natural stone.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of provisional
application Ser. No. 61/449,391, filed Mar. 4, 2011 and provisional
application Ser. No. 61/560,100, filed Nov. 15, 2011, which are
incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to systems and
methods of stonework installation. More particularly, the present
disclosure relates to systems and methods for attaching natural
stone veneers to wall surfaces.
BACKGROUND
[0003] A current method for installing thin natural stone veneers
requires that the wall surfaces be prepared in advance of
installation by attaching metal lath to the wall followed by a
"scratch coat" of mortar/grout. After the scratch coat has been
applied and is given time to dry, the stone installer applies
adhesive mortar to the back of each piece of natural stone veneer
to be installed. The installer then places the piece of stone in
the appropriate location on the wall and the stone adheres to the
scratch coat. This process tends to be slow, messy, and tedious.
The appearance and quality of the installation is highly dependent
on the skill and artistry of the installer. Each piece is normally
hand selected and often shaped to fit into a pattern that is
developed by the installer as the installer proceeds.
[0004] A major problem associated with the installation of "adhered
veneer" is that of adhesion (cracking of the scratch coat or
adhesion bond). Adhesion can especially be a problem on larger
walls since larger surface areas tend to deflect more due to wind
and other loading forces.
[0005] Another challenge that is inherent in the conventional
installation of natural stone is that the sizes of the pieces of
stone are completely random. The pattern for the stonework is
normally developed by the installer as the installer proceeds on
the jobsite. The design of the pattern for the installation of the
stone and the appearance of the wall, therefore, is completely
dependent upon the experience and the capabilities of the installer
and can be unpredictable. Thus, depending upon the skills, the
experience, and the capabilities of a given installer, costs and
appearance can vary greatly.
[0006] Improved methods of stonework installation, especially in
the area of thin natural stone veneer installation, are
desired.
SUMMARY
[0007] One aspect of the present disclosure relates to novel
methods for attaching natural stone veneers to wall surfaces. More
specifically, one example method includes mounting a piece of
natural stone to a base plate, wherein the base plate has an outer
peripheral dimension that is greater than the outer dimension of
the piece of natural stone. After the piece of natural stone is
mounted to the base plate, the base plate is attached to a wall
surface with fasteners through those portions of the base plate
that extend past the periphery of the piece of natural stone.
According to an example method, the natural stone veneers can be
installed in an overlapping arrangement similar to installation of
shingles. The installer can generally start at the lower portion of
a wall and move upwardly, with the natural stone portions of the
upper veneers overlapping the base plate portions of the lower
veneers. This type of an overlapping arrangement can be beneficial
with water run-off and limit trapping of water that can otherwise
seep into the wall. After installation, the joints between each
individual piece of veneer can be caulked or grouted.
[0008] According to another aspect of the disclosure, a method of
attaching a natural stone to a wall surface is disclosed. The
method comprises attaching a first piece of natural stone to a
first base plate so as to leave at least a portion of the first
base plate uncovered by the first piece of natural stone and
attaching the first base plate to the wall surface with a fastener
extending through the uncovered portion of the first base
plate.
[0009] According to yet another aspect of the disclosure, a method
of manufacturing a stone veneer configured for attachment to a wall
surface is disclosed. The method comprises attaching at least one
piece of natural stone to a base plate so as to leave at least a
portion of the base plate uncovered by the at least one piece of
natural stone.
[0010] According to yet another aspect of the disclosure, a natural
stone veneer configured for attachment to a wall surface is
disclosed. The natural stone veneer comprises a piece of natural
stone attached to a base plate so as to leave at least a portion of
the base plate uncovered by the piece of natural stone.
[0011] According to yet another aspect of the disclosure, a wall
comprising natural stone veneers is provided. The wall defines a
wall surface. A first piece of natural stone attached to a first
base plate so as to leave at least a portion of the first base
plate uncovered by the first piece of natural stone is attached to
the wall surface with a fastener extending through the uncovered
portion of the first base plate. A second piece of natural stone
attached to a second base plate so as to leave at least a portion
of the second base plate uncovered by the second piece of natural
stone is attached to the wall surface so as to overlap the
uncovered portion of the first base plate with a portion of the
second base plate that is covered by the second piece of natural
stone. Both being natural stones, the second piece of natural stone
defines a different configuration than the first piece of natural
stone such as surface texture. In certain embodiments, the second
piece of natural stone defines a different peripheral size than the
first piece of natural stone.
[0012] According to yet another aspect of the disclosure, a method
or process of stonework installation is provided, wherein the
method includes designing a pattern of stonework for a given wall
and using a guide applied or projected onto the wall that
associates the designed pattern with pieces of natural stone
veneers to facilitate the installation process. According to one
aspect, the pattern may be designed using a computer program.
According to another aspect, the pieces of natural stone may be
selected and cut in accordance with the designed pattern prior to
the installation process, wherein an installer would need to
purchase only those pieces of natural stone required to complete
the project. According to another aspect, the patterns may be
designed using natural stones or natural stone veneers of
prescribed standard heights and lengths, wherein the stones or
veneers of prescribed standard heights and lengths may be used to
create a variety of different looking patterns depending upon how
the stones or veneers are arranged on the pattern(s).
[0013] Examples representative of a variety of inventive aspects
are set forth in the description that follows. The inventive
aspects relate to individual features as well as combinations of
features. It is to be understood that both the forgoing general
description and the following detailed description merely provide
examples of how the inventive aspects may be put into practice, and
are not intended to limit the broad spirit and scope of the
inventive aspects.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further
understanding of the inventive aspects of the present disclosure
and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this
specification. The drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the
present disclosure and together with the description serve to
further explain the principles of the disclosure. Other aspects of
the present disclosure and many of the advantages of the present
disclosure will be readily appreciated as the present disclosure
becomes better understood by reference to the following Detailed
Description when considered in connection with the accompanying
drawings, and wherein:
[0015] FIG. 1 illustrates a method of stonework installation having
features that are examples of inventive aspects in accordance with
the principles of the present disclosure;
[0016] FIG. 2 illustrates a front view of an example embodiment of
a natural stone veneer according to the present disclosure;
[0017] FIG. 3 illustrates a front view of another example
embodiment of a natural stone veneer according to the present
disclosure;
[0018] FIG. 4 illustrates a front view of another example
embodiment of a natural stone veneer according to the present
disclosure;
[0019] FIG. 5 illustrates a front perspective view of another
example embodiment of a natural stone veneer according to the
present disclosure, the stone veneer configured to be used as a
corner piece;
[0020] FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-section of a portion of a wall
with natural stone veneers attached thereto in accordance with the
principles of the present disclosure;
[0021] FIG. 6A illustrates a close-up view of a portion of the wall
of FIG. 6;
[0022] FIG. 7 illustrates an example stonework layout including
different sizes/shapes of natural stone veneers formed in
accordance with the principles of the present disclosure; and
[0023] FIG. 8 diagrammatically illustrates an example method of
installing stonework on a wall surface in accordance with the
principles of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0024] FIGS. 1-8 illustrate a method for attaching natural stone
veneers 10 to wall surfaces 12 in accordance with the principles of
the present disclosure. One example of a natural stone veneer 10
having features that are examples of inventive aspects in
accordance with the present disclosure is shown in FIG. 2. The
natural stone veneer 10 includes a base plate or substrate 14. The
base plate 14 may be manufactured from various metals, polymers, or
composite materials depending upon the desired application.
According to the attachment method, a piece of natural stone 16 is
mounted to the base plate 14 using an appropriate high performance
adhesive or epoxy 18 (shown in FIGS. 6 and 6A). The base plate 14
and the piece of natural stone 16 are sized such that when the
natural stone 16 is mounted to the base plate 14, the base plate 14
defines a peripheral dimension D.sub.B that is greater than the
outer peripheral dimension D.sub.S of the piece of natural stone
16. In this manner, the base plate 14 defines portions 20 that
extend past the periphery of the piece of natural stone 16 for the
purpose of attachment to a wall surface 12.
[0025] According to one example system and method of the present
disclosure, the natural stone veneer 10 shown in FIG. 2 is in
non-final form and may require further processing steps before
being ready to be mounted to a wall. For example, depending upon
where the stone veneer is going to be positioned on a wall and its
orientation, one or more portions of the base plate 14 may be
trimmed or cut to provide the stone veneer in final form for
installation. FIG. 3 illustrates a natural stone veneer 10a that is
formed by trimming or cutting a portion of the base plate 14 of the
natural stone veneer 10 shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 illustrates another
example of a natural stone veneer 10b that is formed by trimming or
cutting further portions of the base plate of the natural stone
veneer 10 shown in FIG. 2. The natural stone veneer that is shown
in FIG. 3 is formed by trimming or cutting the portion of the base
plate that extends out past the left side of the natural stone. The
natural stone veneer 10b that is shown in FIG. 4 is formed by
trimming or cutting portions of the base plate 14 that extend out
both past the right side and the left side of the natural stone
16.
[0026] Providing the natural stone veneer 10 to an installer in the
form illustrated in FIG. 2 provides flexibility and cost savings
for both the manufacturer of the veneers and the installers. In
this manner, a majority of the natural stone veneers may be
manufactured and provided in the universal form shown in FIG. 2 and
may be trimmed according to the desired application or layout
before the installation process.
[0027] According to an example method of the present disclosure,
the natural stone veneers 10 can be installed in an overlapping
arrangement similar to installation of shingles. The installer can
generally start at a lower portion of a wall 12 and move upwardly,
with the natural stone portion 16 of an adjacent upper veneer 10
overlapping the base plate portion 14 of the lower veneer 10,
covering the fasteners 24 of the lower veneer 10. This type of an
overlapping arrangement can be beneficial with water run-off and
limit trapping of water that can otherwise seep into the wall 12.
After installation, the joints between each individual piece of
veneer 10 can be sealed with caulk or grout 28. FIG. 6 illustrates
a cross-section of a portion of a wall 12 with natural stone
veneers 10 attached in an overlapping configuration in accordance
with the methods disclosed in the present application. FIG. 6A
illustrates a close-up view of the wall 12 of FIG. 6.
[0028] When a stone veneer such as the veneer 10a shown in FIG. 3
is used in constructing the stonework pattern, the veneers will
also overlap along a side-to-side direction in addition to the
up-down direction. It should be noted that the side-to-side
direction (e.g., right or left) may also depend upon at which
corner the installer initially starts. During installation, natural
stone veneers such as the veneer 10a shown in FIG. 3 may be used to
cover a majority of the pattern to help with water entrapment and
run-off. A natural stone veneer such as the veneer 10b shown in
FIG. 4 may be used if there is a transition from leftward oriented
pieces to rightward oriented pieces. This might occur, for example,
when an installer has reached an opposite corner where there is
already a veneer in place with a base plate portion having an
extension toward the other installed veneers.
[0029] Another embodiment of a natural stone veneer 10c is
illustrated in FIG.
[0030] 5. The natural stone veneer 10c is similar to those shown in
FIGS. 2-4 but may be used as a corner piece. Again, depending upon
which corner the veneer will be used on and which direction the
installation will take place, different portions of the base plate
may be trimmed or cut. The corner piece veneer 10c shown in FIG. 5
is in non-final form.
[0031] As noted above, depending upon the relative sizes of the
base plate 14 and the natural stone 16 and depending upon which
portions of the base plate that are cut or trimmed, different types
of veneer pieces 10, wherein different portions of the base plate
14 project past the periphery of the natural stone 16, can be
provided. As discussed above, FIG. 3 illustrates a front view of a
natural stone veneer 10a where the base plate 14 includes portions
20 that extend out above and past the right side of the natural
stone 16. Such a veneer 10a may be used as if the overlapping
arrangement is in a rightward direction. For an overlapping
arrangement that is in the opposite direction, the portions 20 of
the base plate 14 that extend past the natural stone 16 can be
reversed from that shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 4 illustrates a front view
of a natural stone veneer 10b where the base plate 14 includes
portions that extend out only above the natural stone 16. As
discussed above, such a veneer piece 10b may be used as a
transition piece in a stonework layout 22 such as shown in FIG.
1.
[0032] According to one non-limiting example, once the natural
stone veneer is trimmed to a final form for installation, the base
plate 14 may have a width of about 22 inches and a height of about
10 inches. A stone 16 having a width of about 19.5 inches and a
height of about 7.5 inches may be positioned on the base plate 14.
Since it may be desired to leave about 0.25 inches on all sides of
the stone 16 for placement of a sealant, such as grout, between
joints, the total wall coverage provided by the stone piece 16 and
the grout 28 would be about 8 inches by 20 inches. The remaining 2
inches of base plate 14 extending from, for example, the top and
right side of the stone 16 could then be used for mounting the
veneer piece 10. The noted sizes simply represent one example
embodiment of a natural stone veneer and other sizes can certainly
be used according to the desired stonework pattern and
application.
[0033] According to one example embodiment, the natural stone 16
includes a front face 11 having a texture that is generally rougher
than the rear face 13 that is configured to be attached to the base
plate 14. According to another example embodiment, the natural
stone 16 includes a front face 11, a right face 15, a left face 17,
a top face 19, and a bottom face 21 each having a texture that is
generally rougher than the rear face 13 that is configured to be
attached to the base plate 14.
[0034] According to the method of stonework installation of the
present application, after a piece of natural stone 16 is mounted
to the base plate 14, the base plate 14 may be attached to a wall
surface 12 using fasteners 24 such as nails or screws. The portions
20 of the base plates 14 that extend out past the stones 16 may be
provided with holes or openings 26 for receiving the fasteners 24.
Gaskets may be used with the fasteners 24 for sealing purposes.
[0035] The term natural stone is used herein to refer to any non
man-made stone occurring naturally in the environment such as
granite, marble, etc. As such, no two pieces of natural stone will
share exactly the same configuration. Each piece of natural stone
might have a different surface texture, appearance, weight, etc.
The term non man-made generally excludes those stones, faux stones,
or stone substitutes that are non-natural and artificially
manufactured such as brick, tile, cement, etc. However, it should
be noted that the term non man-made does not exclude processes such
as machining, routing, or cutting to provide the natural stone in
the desired sizes and shapes. As noted above, the natural stones
discussed in the present application may be machined so as to
provide a rear face that has a smoother texture than the rest of
the faces of the natural stone for attachment to a base plate.
[0036] It should also be noted that although the present disclosure
discusses the attachment of a single piece of natural stone 16 to a
base plate 14, in other embodiments, one or more pieces of natural
stone 16 may be attached to a single base plate 14 to form the
stone veneer 10.
[0037] According to one example method of stonework installation, a
thin natural stone 16 would be machined by a supplier to fit within
predetermined desired stonework pattern or layout 22. Depending
upon the pattern 22 desired, different types, different sizes, and
different shapes of stones 16 can be used. FIG. 7 illustrates an
example stonework layout 22 including different sizes/shapes of
natural stone veneers 10 formed in accordance with the principles
of the present disclosure. Even if the same types, sizes, and
shapes of natural stones are used in the layout, the stonework
pattern will still include variances due to the stones being
natural stones as noted above.
[0038] Each thin stone piece 16 would be fixed, using appropriate
high performance adhesive 18, to the base plate 14. The base plate
14 would be provided in a size that accommodates the size of stone
16 being used. As discussed above, once the veneer is manufactured
and provided to an installer, different portions of the base plate
may be trimmed or cut to make the pieces ready for installation. As
such, veneer pieces such as 10a, 10c, or transition piece such as
10b can be produced. The extensions 20 of the base plate 14 are
used to mechanically attach the natural stone veneers 10 to the
wall surface 12 using fasteners 24 such as gasketed screws or
nails. According to the example method, an installer would
generally start at the bottom of the wall 12 and move up and also
sideways away from the initial veneer 10, with the upper veneers 10
lapping over the lower veneers 10. As noted above, if veneers such
as 10a or 10c are used, the veneers would also overlap adjacent
veneers along a side-to-side direction. The overlapping
configuration may limit water leakage into the wall 12.
[0039] The stones 16 and the base plates 14 would be cut to
appropriate sizes and shapes for attachment around windows and
doors. When the installation of the stone layout 22 is completed,
the joints between each individual veneer piece would be caulked or
grouted for sealing.
[0040] One of the challenges that are inherent in the conventional
installation of natural stone is that the sizes of the pieces of
stone that an installer has at the jobsite and has available for
completing a project are completely random. The pattern for the
stonework is normally developed by the installer as the installer
proceeds on a given wall. The design of the pattern for the
stonework and the appearance of the wall, therefore, are completely
dependent upon the experience and the capabilities of the
installer, which can lead to varying results.
[0041] Referring to FIG. 8, an example process of stone
installation described below supplements the advantages of the
natural stone veneers and the method of installation thereof
discussed above to provide for greater control over the look of the
stonework and the associated costs for an installation project.
[0042] It should be noted that the below described process is
simply one example embodiment of a stonework installation process
and that other similar processes or those that utilize less than
all of the prescribed steps are meant to be covered by the given
disclosure.
[0043] According to one example embodiment, the dimensions of a
given wall for the stonework installation may first be determined.
The design of the stonework for the wall using pieces of natural
stone in a variety of heights, lengths, types, and colors may be
created. According to certain embodiments, the stonework or at
least a portion of the stonework may be designed using standard
stone heights and/or lengths to reduce the variability of the
stones that eventually need to be cut for the project. For example,
the natural stones or the natural stone veneers of standard heights
and lengths may be used to create a variety of different looking
patterns depending upon how the standard stones or veneers are
arranged on the patterns.
[0044] As noted above, in creating the design of the stonework, a
certain pattern for the stone layout or a number of patterns may be
created, wherein the patterns, when combined or duplicated, fit the
overall stonework design for the wall. The entire stonework design
may include a single pattern or a number of different patterns in
combination in coming up with the overall look. As noted
previously, the pattern or patterns may be created using stones of
standard heights and lengths, wherein different looking patterns
may be created depending upon how the stones of standard heights
and lengths are arranged on the patterns.
[0045] In creating the overall stonework design or the individual
pattern(s), a computer program or software may be used. The
dimension of a given wall or a wall area including the wall length,
the wall height, door sizes and locations, window sizes and
locations, corner locations may be entered into the program. The
pattern(s) or the overall stonework design may be overlaid onto a
given wall, taking account all of the given dimensions and features
of the wall, such as windows and doors. Or, the pattern(s) or the
overall look of the stonework installation can be designed using
the computer program or software as the user proceeds.
[0046] According to an example embodiment, the computer program or
software would have the capability to allow a user to design the
pattern(s) as the user proceeds or overlay an already designed
pattern onto the image of a given wall. The computer program or
software would also have the capability to calculate, based on the
pattern(s) being used for the wall, the number of pieces of each
size, type, and color of stone needed to complete the project. This
process would enable an installer to identify the pieces that must
be cut to fit the project pattern as well as the desired dimensions
for these pieces and would allow the installer to purchase only the
number of pieces of natural stone required to complete the
project.
[0047] After the stones have been purchased and cut to the desired
dimensions, during installation, a physical guide applied or
projected onto the wall that associates the designed pattern(s)
with the pieces of natural stone veneers to facilitate the
installation process may be used, wherein the overall design or the
individual pattern(s) could be physically applied to the given
wall. According to one example embodiment, the pattern(s) or the
design could be printed upon a substrate to be fastened to the wall
to be used as a physical guide for the installer. The physical
guide may also include a pattern image projected onto the wall
surface. The guide may include horizontal grid lines spaced at
distances dependent upon the height of the pieces in the
pattern(s). The guide may include vertical grid lines spaced at
distances dependent upon the increments of length in the
pattern(s). Specification of the location of each piece of stone by
size, type, and color, wherein the information specified on the
grid could be physically recorded on the natural stone veneers,
could be used.
[0048] In this manner, the advantages of the method of natural
stone veneer installation described above are combined with those
of the patterning process, wherein the patterning process may
include the use of a design program or software and a physical
guide that associates the designed pattern(s) with the precut and
prepared stone veneer pieces. The combination can improve the
efficiency of the installation process and enable an installer to
better control the aesthetic results of and the costs associated
with the project.
[0049] It will be understood that the above described methods of
natural stone veneer installation are examples of inventive methods
in accordance with the present disclosure. Certain aspects of the
methods may be modified depending upon the application.
[0050] The above specification provides examples of how certain
inventive aspects may be put into practice. It will be appreciated
that the inventive aspects can be practiced in other ways than
those specifically shown and described herein without departing
from the spirit and scope of the inventive aspects.
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