GIVING YOU COMPLETE ASSURANCE ON THE STONE YOU BUY€¦ · Any sandstone paving that doesn’t meet ALL these criteria may not be fit for purpose and could fail. Ask your sandstone

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GIVING YOU COMPLETE ASSURANCE ON THE STONE YOU BUY

Not all stone was created equal

Indian sandstone has become increasingly popular in the UK in recent years as a domestic patio or driveway product. Due to its strength and versatility coupled with its natural beauty, Indian sandstone is often the chosen product with many homeowners to produce functional yet stylish spaces for family and social use.

Yet there are many hidden dangers with a significant proportion of the sandstones available on the UK market today. Many of the cheaper sandstones are soft, porous stones which are easier to process, making them cheaper, but not strong enough to withstand the harsh British climate. These stones, put simply, are not fit for purpose and do not comply with the British Installation Standard-yet are still readily available from many suppliers.

They are more likely to go green with algae and lichen growth quickly and could crack, split and delaminate after just one winter; rendering your fabulous new installation looking tired and worn within a matter of months.

At Marshalls, all our stone is covered by the Stone Standard quality mark which gives our customers complete assurance that all the stone we provide is fit for purpose and not only meets the base technical levels outlined in the British Installation Standard BS7533-Part 12 but exceeds them.

A patio or driveway installation is a significant investment to any home. Don’t take a chance by choosing or installing an inferior product that won’t stand the test of time. This booklet will help you understand the stone you are buying.

What is the Marshalls Stone Standard? The Marshalls Stone Standard mark gives our customers full assurances that all Marshalls sandstone exceeds the base technical levels outlined in the British Standard for design and installation, BS 7533-Part 12. All Marshalls stones are repeatedly tested by an independent UKAS accredited laboratory.

The Marshalls Stone Standard sets minimum base criteria to which all our stone performs. These attributes are the most important technical factors that must be considered before choosing a stone on your patio or driveway project:

All sandstone sold by Marshalls will have a maximum water absorption of 1.7%

This figure tells you how porous the stone is. The higher the percentage, the higher the chance this stone has of going green quickly and creating an environment that promotes severe algae or lichen growth. Sandstone with a water absorption percentage higher than 1.7% could go green within a matter of months, become slippery and be more susceptible to frost deterioration. All sandstone sold by Marshalls will have a flexural strength of no less than 12.9mpa

The flexural strength of a stone gives an indication of how strong the stone is. The higher the number, the less chance it has of failing or delaminating once in-situ. A stone with a flexural strength of less than 12.9mpa suggests that it could easily be damaged in transit, during the installation process or simply by everyday patio use. The strength of any stone is also a key indicator to its ability to withstand the harsh British winters.

All sandstone sold by Marshalls will be frost resistant

If a stone loses strength or starts to fall apart when subjected to repeated frosts (an essential characteristic in the harsh British climate), then it isn’t fit for purpose. The Marshalls Standard is a reduction of no more than 10% on the flexural strength of the stone after 56 freeze/thaw cycles and a visual inspection rating of ‘0’; which means Marshalls have given a commitment not to supply a stone that shows any frost impact.

Any sandstone paving that doesn’t meet ALL these criteria may not be fit for purpose and could fail. Ask your sandstone supplier for relevant and valid test certificates for all the sandstones you are considering on a project. Alternatively, use a Marshalls Stone Standard marked product where full assurance is given on the technical performance of the stone.

All Marshalls Stone is CE marked and tested in accordance to BS EN 1341. Declarations of Performance are available to download at www.marshalls.co.uk/DOP

What can happen?

What can happen if you don’t install stone that complies with the Marshalls Stone Standard?

Your patio could look like this within a couple of months; covered in algae and rapidly starting to degrade.

All softer sandstones will start to go green very quickly unless given expensive and often temperamental sealing treatments which have to be reapplied every year. These stones also have poor compaction between the sedimentary layers which could lead to the bedding planes separating and your stone starting to split and crack. Worse still, if moisture exploits the gaps in the stone, ice crystals can form and the surface of your stone could pop and come away in sheets. All these issues could happen to your new patio installation in a matter of months if you choose an inappropriate stone. The day of installation Algae growth after one winter BED DELAMINATION

SURFACE DELAMINATION

SPLITTING OF THE BEDDING PLANES

FROST DEGRADATION

Marshalls want our customers to be able to buy our beautiful natural stone products with a clear conscience. By choosing Marshalls product with a Fairstone® mark of ethical assurance you can be sure that everything possible has been done to ensure child labour has not been used in its production. Further than that, Marshalls make a commitment that all the workers in our supply chain are paid a fair living wage, no discrimination is practiced and harsh and inhumane treatment is not allowed.

For more informationvisit www.marshalls.co.uk/sustainability

Ethical Assurance

Child labour is a persistent, unacceptable and complex global issue, and despite many British consumers being more aware of the need to choose ethically sourced products, many people don’t realise that an issue even exists when they are choosing Indian sandstone for their garden or driveway makeover.

It is appalling that children, some as young as five or six, work in dangerous and terrifying conditions in quarries to produce stone for sale in the UK. How would we feel if these were our own children?

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Accredited LandscapeContractor

Installed by the best

Correct installation also plays a key part in the finish and longevity of your patio or driveway therefore it is crucial to choose a quality installer. Marshalls has a register of ‘Accredited Landscape Contractors and Driveway Installers’ to ensure that customers buying its products enjoy peace of mind and a guaranteed quality result.

The Marshalls Register of Accredited Landscape Contractors and Driveway Installers is a national network of independent professional installers. They are not employed by Marshalls, but are strictly vetted and monitored by its expert assessors to ensure their levels of competence and performance. All genuine Marshalls Register Members will produce on request a copy of their latest technical assessment, be sure and ask to see it.

To find your local Marshalls installer visit www.marshalls.co.uk/homeowners or call 0345 820 5000

If your supplier can answer ‘Yes’ to all these questions and prove it then you have an Indian sandstone fit for purpose.If they answered ‘No’ or ‘Don’t Know’ at any point you could be buying sandstone which is not fit for purpose and fails the British Standard.

By choosing & installing a Marshalls stone, you are covered. Our stone not only meets, but exceeds British Standards.

1. Is the stone CE marked and can the values be proven with an actual test report which is less than 2 years old?

2. Is the water absorbency of your sandstone less than 2.5%? If not, the stone will go green quickly and will be harder to maintain.

3. Is the flexural strength of the sandstone more than 12mpa? If not it has a greater chance of turning up damaged, broken, or cracked or breaking during installation, or once in-situ.

4. Has the sandstone gone through frost resistance testing? If not it could degrade quickly and is likely to fail once installed

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Yes

No

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Use the checklist below to ensure the Indian sandstone you supply, install, or buy is fit for purpose.

Your Supplier

Landscape House, Premier Way,

Lowfields Business Park, Elland HX5 9HT A SUBSIDIARY OF MARSHALLS PLC © COPYRIGHT MARSHALLS 2015 D

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