Binding agents :
  For the laying of natural stones, mortar composed of a non-staining hydraulic binding agent, lime and/or cement is used.
When choosing mortatrs, refer to the DTU (standardized technical documents) concerned.
   
Block trimmers :
  Tool provided with 2 orthogonal disks used to saw thin stripes directly from a block.
   
Blocks :
  A mass of stone, usually a parallelepiped with a volume between 2 and 8 m3. Blocks are raw products extracted from quarries and destined to be manufactured.
   
Capillary action :
  Capillary action is a phenomenon characterized by the migration of water in the capillaries of materials and walls, the base of which is located in a humid location (exactly as in a dry sponge placed in a small puddle of water).
For all practical purposes, capillarity ascent in a wall can reach several meters in height.
This problem is solved by integrating or reconstituting a capillary break at the base of the wall.
   
Cutting list :
  List of each piece of stone to be cut, with its dimensions.
   
Diamond wire :
  Steel carrier cable, threaded through steel beads to which diamond is bonded, driven by a loop movement that enables the cable to saw stone.
   
Disk saws :
  Circular disk used to saw blocks or slabs according to its diameter.
   
Drafting :
  It consists in giving all information concerning the shape, size and place of piece of stone.
   
Facade cladding :
  A decorative, protective or insulating layer, made of thin or massive stone elements and fixed to the outside of a building or another structure.
   
Fine carved work :
  Solid finished product manufactured from sawn elements (for example : pillar, cornice, column, baluster,...)
   
Flooring :
  Flooring made of square or rectangular tiles, from 1 to 7 cm thick.
   
Gangsaw :
  It is a frame provided with a number of parallel diamond blades, animated by an alternative movement coupled with a vertical force that enables the tool to saw blocks into slabs.
   
Insulation :
  Insulation is said to be non-hydrophilic if, when placed in contact with water, it only absorbs negligible amounts. It is generally a semi-rigid panel of glass wool impregnated with synthetic resin. This insulation is fixed to the wall by mechanical means or by adhesive.
   
Joints :
  Joints should be properly and well executed as they can directly affect the way in which the stone will wear and its appearance. Refer to the specifications in the technical sheets for each type of construction.
   
Limescale :
  Limescale is principally composed of calcium carbonate which protects stone naturally in a pollution free environment. It is due to the crystallisation on the surface of salts dissolved by the evaporation of quarry water. The limescale is harder, denser and less porous than the stone on which it is formed, thus giving it a certain patina. It is not to be confused with sulphin which is a calcium sulphate resulting from the action of pollution on the stone.
   
Marble Masonry :
  Elements of decoration manufactured from slabs (ex: plan of basin or kitchen, coating of staircase...)
   
Parapet coping :
  It is essential to protect the facade at the top of the building with sufficiently large projecting elements (roof, cornice, string course, soping) which repel surface water to avoid staining and infiltration. The projection must be at least 5 cm with a drip on the underside.
   
Qualifications granted :
  By QUALIBAT, these allow you to check that the holder offers all requisite technical guarantees.
Qualifications awarded to ROCAMAT:
- 6412 Building marble installation
- 2111 Masonry
- 2142 Stone and concrete masonry repair.
   
Quarrying contract :
  Right of exploitation of a career yielded by an owner to a quarrier in exchange for royalties.
   
Regulations (France) :
  The building regulations and codes are set out in different categories of regulatory documents. The main documents include:
- The standards published by AFNOR, define traditional products in current use and tested by experience.
- DTU (standardized technical documents) describe the use of standard products in accordance with traditional methods.
- Technical notices (issued by a specialised commission under the presidency of the C.S.T.B.) aim to allow the use of new products or techniques as long as the advice given is followed.
- Technical Specifications Schedules (CPT) are published by specialised commissions from the CSTB to specify conditions for the use of certain new products or techniques.
- Professional recommendations are published by professional organisations, either dealing with certain specialised works, for example, decoration, or to inform professionals of procedures to be followed whilst awaiting the issue of certain standards or standardized technical documents (DTU).
- ATEX, is the abbreviation for “Appréciation Technique d'Expérimentation » : a rapid technical procedure for evaluating a product, a process or equipment which has not yet formed the subject of Technical Notices. An ATEX is valid only for a specific job.
   
Resistance to frost :
  Installing stones outdoors depends on their resistance to frost. Refer to our summary tables (stone forms) and standard XP B 10-601.
   
Saracen vault staircase :
  This is a traditional technique in current practice in southern France. The staircase is built of hollow bricks, rough cast in plaster or cement mortar. It is composed of a double vaulted framework (one vault is called the bottom vault and the other is the distribution vault) and a cladding which forms the steps and risers. The treads and risers are laid on a filling of tiers of hollow bricks, rough cast in plaster and resting on the vault. These must be imbedded 7 to 10 cm in the walls of the framing. The work is carried out from the bottom up and should be undertaken by specialised marble masons. (See technical datasheet n°16)
   
Sawn elements :
  Parallelepiped manufactured from blocks which may be used directly (ashlar masonry) or may be processed again to obtain a fine carved work.
   
Shop drawings :
  Drawings are made from the architect’s plans by finding a good compromise between the wishes of the architect, the dimensional possibilities of the stone and the reduction of costs by the repetition of sizes. The shop drawing should contain all the technical details necessary for the working and fixing of the stone.
   
Slabs :
  Semi-finished product with 2 parallel faces sawn, obtained from a process of sawing blocks.
   
Standard reversible sill (S.R.S.) :
  Machine worked, this sill is available in widths of 31, 36 or 41 cm and in lengths of 40 to 200 cm. Nominal thickness is 10 cm, actual thickness between the top and bottom faces is approximately 6.5cm. The S.R.S. is supplied with slope, sill cove and drip. Being symmetrical in shape and with identical finish on both faces, it can be reversed as necessary.
   
Template :
  Full scale piece of wood or plastic representing one face of a piece of stone, used to check the shape and sizes.
   
Undercutting :
  Channel cuts, or separations made by wire saws or other means along the quarry walls, are slanted outward; thus, the floorspace is enlarged gradually.