sponsored by STONE –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– NTCA Mesh-backed Stone and Tile White Paper Recently, the tile and stone market has witnessed a prolif- eration in the offering of larger and thinner surfacing materials and an increased preference for unique varieties of stone, includ- ing those displaying heavy vein- ing. As demand for these products has grown, stone manufacturers have reacted by applying fiberglass mesh and/or resin backing to stone tiles and slabs more frequently. Mesh backing and/or resin has been used for decades to provide reinforcement to both natural stone tiles and slabs. Typically, this back- ing is fiberglass mesh, and is adhered to the stone with epoxy, polyester or other varieties of resinous adhe- sives. This backing serves to stabilize the natural stone during produc- tion, transportation, and installation. Based on the varied nature of stone, one lot of the same stone may have a fiberglass mesh, while the next lot does not. The decision to apply or not apply a mesh or resin backer is made by the stone producer, and therefore the likelihood of having mesh or resin applied to a given stone type may be greater from one producer than another. There may even be inconsistencies within the same producer’s material, with one lot having mesh or resin and a differ- ent lot of the same material having no mesh or resin. There are many common exam- ples of natural stone that often see fiberglass mesh backing applied, including Crema Marfil, Onyx of all varieties as well as other brecci- ated or heavily-veined stones. It is possible, however, to find fiberglass mesh or resin backing on nearly all varieties of stone. This white paper, published October 24, 2015, is referenced in this month’s Ask the Experts section about resin-backed stone on page 22. You can also find this valuable and informative document in the 2017/2018 NTCA Reference Manual, page 179. Subheads have been added here to facilitate reading. Fiberglass mesh is often adhered to the backing of stone with epoxy, polyester or other varieties of resinous adhesives to stabilize the stone during production, transportation and installation. 78 TileLetter | December 2017