Installation guide lines and conditions of sale
Immediately on delivery, please check the slabs carefully to confirm you are satisfied with them before commencement of processing.
Once cut, slabs will not be accepted back for credit.
Simple check list:
• Is the colour and thickness as ordered
• Check for surface scratches, cracks thickness variation and colour variation
• Is the colour consistent and even and do all slabs in the delivered batch match
Please note that there may be some minor shade variation from one batch to another due to the natural quartz aggregates. This may include some fissures in the actual particle grain, different coloured grains and small spots. These are all considered normal in the production of Engineered Quartz surfacing due to the fact that natural quartz material comprises over 93% of Venice Stone slabs.
If any of the slabs do not meet your requirement, please return these prior to cutting for exchange.
1. Transportation and handling: Always transport and move the slabs in a vertical position, never horizontally.
2. Do not install in exterior applications or areas exposed to continuous direct sunlight as this could result in bleaching of colours or warping.
3. Cutting is to be performed with wet cutting tools (with water feed) to keep the cutting surface cool. Excessive heat generation could cause cracking.
4. Cut out for appliances must have radiused corners – never sharp angles. It is recommended to drill minimum 12mm diameter holes at the corners before cutting.
Internal corners need to be a minimum of 6 mm radius. Sharp 90° corners lead to cracks developing.
These cut outs should be a minimum of 4mm greater than the appliance size to allow for thermal expansion and should not be positioned closer than 200mm from the edge of a slab or a joint.
5. Tap holes drilled through the Venice Stone slabs must be at least 3mm oversize to the pipe to allow for thermal expansion of hot water pipes. These water pipes should not come into direct contact with the Venice Stone counter top.
6. Cut outs and joints must be avoided above under the counter ovens and other similar exo-thermic appliances.
Ventilation must also be provided for such appliances to prevent excessive heat build-up than could cause the slab to crack
7. L-shaped and U-shaped counter tops should not be manufactured in one piece. These configurations lead to excessive stress build up in the corners, resulting in cracks.
Neat, well planned tuck joints are recommended in these situations, with proper support configurations.
8. Support of slabs:
Venice Stone worktop require supports at minimum 600mm intervals.
These interval supports must be all level with a tolerance + 1,0mm over a distance of 3200mm
9. Ensure supporting cleats are positioned within 40mm of all cut outs and joints of a 20mm thick Venice Stone slab. (This can be increased to 60mm and 30mm thick slabs).
10. Overhangs exceeding 50mm must be supported with either brackets or legs, or concealed steel reinforcing supports.
11. When fixing Venice Stone counters in place, allow a minimum 3 to 4mm gap between the walls and the countertops to accommodate thermal or moisture expansion and building structural movements.
12. Large splash backs behind cooking hobs and also general wall cladding applications should be secured with mechanical fixing. Please consult your professional engineer for design details.
13. Floor and wall tiling applications require the use of specially formulated adhesives that are able to withstand the thermal and moisture linear expansion forces, as well as the flexural movements, both reversible and irreversible TAL Gold Flex is recommended or other similarly formulated adhesives, but there are specific requirements in the preparation and application. Please consult our technical department for full details.
Besides these requirements, normal floor and wall tiling protocols should be followed with regard to expansion and movement joints, grouting and cleaning.
A minimum joint width of 4mm is recommended.
Do not butt joint tiles.