StoneDimensions

Q: We specified stone pavers for the interior of our project. Our specification, which is largely taken from a boiler plate spec that we use for most projects, reads, “all stone units to have an eased edge.” The supplied pavers are nearly sharp, with a barely detectable blunting of the edge. The contractor says that this is the industry standard for eased. We thought the term “eased” implied a much larger chamfer, something in the range of at least 1/16”. Which is correct?

A: Unfortunately, the industry doesn’t know either, or we just can’t agree. In our last revision of the MIA’s Dimension Stone Design Manual Glossary, I called numerous industry members in an attempt to establish a consensus of the term’s definition, and I found that there were nearly as many answers as there were people to ask.

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 A resurgence in the use of decorative onyx has been noted over recent years, as designers and specifiers have rediscovered the exciting effects that can be done with this beautiful geological material.  The striking colors available in this rock type, accentuated by strong veining character and unique translucent properties, have created bold statements within spaces designed by some of today’s most imaginative architects.  Effective use of this material, however, requires a deep level of understanding of the formation, structure, and composition of the rock.  This paper unlocks some of the mysteries and secrets of working with this natural wonder. Click Here to Read the Rest of the Bulletin

The Marble Institute of America has announced that Chuck Muehlbauer, the association's technical director, has been elected to chair the ASTM Committee C18 on Dimension Stone. With Muehlbauer, Michael Lewis of Façade Forensics, Cincinnati, OH, has been elected to serve as the committee's vice chairman; Kurt Hoigard of Raths, Raths, & Johnson, Inc, Willowbrook, IL, has been elected to serve as the committee's secretary.  The new slate of officers will begin serving their terms on January 1, 2012.

ASTM Committee C18 on Dimension Stone was formed in 1926 to promote knowledge, stimulate research, and to develop specifications, methods of test, definitions and nomenclature, and recommended practices relating to dimension stone. The committee currently has a multinational membership of approximately 125 members representing 14 countries.  C18 has jurisdiction of over 25 standards, published in the Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Volume 4.07. The committee has 5 technical subcommittees that maintain jurisdiction over these standards. These standards have and continue to play a preeminent role in all aspects important to the effective standardization of dimension stone, including, testing, specifications and construction practices.

Muehlbauer started his career in the stone industry after graduating from technical college in 1981, and has been an active member of the ASTM Committee C18 on Dimension Stone since 1989. He has previously served as chairman of Subcommittee C18.08 on Stone Selection and Committee C18 Secretary. He has written and edited papers published by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), ASTM, Cold Spring Granite Company, and the Marble Institute of America.

MIA Executive Vice President and CEO Garis Distelhorst said, "Chuck's election as chair of the ASTM C18 further solidifies the notion that the Marble Institute is a clear leader in the natural stone industry, particularly in its technical knowledge and information. His history and his reputation as one of the stone industry's most technically proficient experts, first with Cold Spring Granite Company and for the last seven years with the MIA, earned him this opportunity to assume the leadership of this critically important ASTM Committee.  The entire MIA membership is proud to call Chuck one of ours."

MIA President GK Naquin added, "Chuck's commitment to the natural stone industry and the Marble Institute of America once again has been validated through his election as committee chairman of the ASTM C18 on Dimension Stone. Chuck has made a positive difference representing our industry within ASTM. We look forward to his continued guidance as chairman."