Stone Panels, Inc. Marks 10 Years at Spacious Facility in Coppell, TX

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Stone Panels Inc.

Believe it or not, it has actually been an entire decade since Stone Panels, Inc. headquarters was moved into our current location in Coppell, Texas in 2002. It was definitely an upgrade! As many of you probably know, we went from a 60,000 square foot space in Carrollton to a 170,000 square foot state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. We are constantly growing and changing here at SPI and we want to be sure to keep you updated on our growth. The SPI headquarters in Coppell is fully-staffed. All departments including sales, engineering, design and production come together under one roof, safe from the blazing, Texas sun. Our spacious facility that accommodates everyone allows us to work more efficiently and have direct communication with one another, as well as access to our products and machinery.

Stone Panels, Inc. is a worldwide distributor and our strategic location allows us to quickly fill orders and ship out every product for the job. Sales, technical consulting, engineering and project management for North America are executed from SPI headquarters. Key manufacturer representatives located throughout the world perform international sales and support.Anyone who walks through our facility is quickly impressed with what is happening behind closed doors. Every SPI representative on staff strives to give our clients the best and we are lucky to have a facility that makes this possible.

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Renovating and Recladding with Stone Panels, Inc.

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Stone Panels Inc.

If you’ve recently noticed any building construction underway, it may not be for brand new projects but rather the revitalization of existing properties. Since the recent decrease in construction spending due to national economic downturn and tighter budgets, owners are recladding their building’s surfaces for a more budget friendly alternative.

A recladding project in Addison, TX

Recladding is the process of replacing or resurfacing the exterior “skin” of a building. There are two primary processes to do it most efficiently. The first is to construct a secondary skin over the existing building, which does not require the building’s tenants to relocate. The second option is to remove the existing face of the building and then construct and apply a new skin to the housing structure. This is a more tedious process and requires the building’s tenants to relocate until the renovation is complete. Starting with a new skin works well for empty buildings that are in bad shape, structurally impaired and may not be able to carry the weight of the old as well as the new skin. Once the recladding is complete, its results have the tendency to cause new tenant interest and fill vacant spaces quickly. This kind of attention is appealing to owners of high-rise commercial and residential buildings that want to make their properties attractive to tenants and get a greater return on their assets.

According to Glass Magazine, recladding will be a part of the dramatic growth in green building initiatives in the next 10 – 15 years as owners find ways to improve aesthetics and make buildings more energy efficient. By implementing energy and environmental upgrades, owners can refinance their building and increase the rent, making the building more profitable.

Stone Panels, Inc. takes on renovation projects that involve the two processes mentioned above: adding a second skin or an entire new face to a building. Our StoneLite® product is the best option for these projects because at less than 4 pounds per square foot, StoneLite® panels are easily installed in a fraction of the time and with far less labor than that required for ordinary stone products. The lightweight panels are often installed directly over the existing cladding thereby eliminating expensive demolition and haul-off costs. With the StoneLite® panels system, heavy lifting equipment, large layout areas and elaborate scaffolding are not required. In most cases, StoneLite® panels can be installed while the building is still occupied.

StoneLite® panels give the architect and designer freedom to select from thousands of stone choices, different colors and textures and many size options. Elegant stone finishes can be incorporated into extraordinary architectural details including cornices, balconies, cantilever structures, large free-span ceilings, soffits, curved structures and more. When we begin working with you, we will carefully weigh the best options for your project based on your needs and requirements.

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StoneLite® Panels’ Suitability for Ceilings & Soffits

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Stone Panels Inc.

In the past, constructing the ceiling of a building has been a daunting task for those working with dimensional stone. The weight of the stone and manpower needed to lift and install dimensional stone prolongs projects’ completion date and involves various safety issues.

StoneLite® panels from Stone Panels, Inc. are suitable for, and designed for, ceilings and soffits. The installation procedure for a ceiling or soffit is nearly the same as the procedure for walls, except that interlocking channels are attached to a horizontal framing rather than vertical framing.

Despite the assumption that ceiling installation is difficult, StoneLite® panels are ideal for overhead applications. Recently, we provided our stone veneers for the ceiling in the New Court headquarters of NM Rothschild & Sons in London. Since the panels only weigh 3.5-lbs./sq. ft., they are quickly installed with no special equipment needed and easily supported by common ceiling framing.

When StoneLite® panels are delivered, we include lengths of interlocking channels for the installer to attach to the ceiling or soffit framing. Interlocking channel clips are also provided to engage in the long field installed members. If there is the possibility of a panel sliding horizontally out of the installed location, we recommend provisions to prevent the panels from disconnecting.

Not only are StoneLite® panels the most practical choice for overhead installations but they’re also the most visually appealing. StoneLite® panels allow the architect and/or designer to choose from thousands of stone choices in order to meet aesthetic requirements. Elegant stone finishes can be incorporated into exceptional architectural details for projects involving ceilings and soffits.

Let us know if you are an architect or designer undertaking a project that needs an overhead installation solution. We travel all over the world in order to deliver the best to our clients and would be happy to discuss working with you.

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A Product You Can Always Trust: Stone Panels, Inc. Aluminum Honeycomb Backing

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Stone Panels Inc.

A lot of companies will tell you about all the things that set them apart from their competitors. At Stone Panels, Inc. (SPI), we’ll tell you about just one thing – our aluminum honeycomb backing, which simply reinforces our stone.

Stone Panels, Inc. took this technology, which was used for aircrafts, and applied it to stone. Not only is the aluminum backing flexible and lightweight but it also enhances the strength of stone. Traditional stone tends to be brittle and easily damaged, but is easily reinforced with aluminum honeycomb backing while maintaining the same look and feel of traditional stone.

When producing the backing, SPI embraced the method of biomimicry. Biomimicry is a way of observing nature’s design and then emulating it to solve a human problem. The idea is that nature has already solved some of the dilemmas we face on a regular basis. SPI saw the issue of brittle, fragile stone and incorporated what bees use for their nests to contain larvae, honey and pollen. Just as busy bees build their hexagonal wax cells that easily support the weight of their colony, SPI built the aluminum honeycomb backing to support the weight of stone as well as strengthen it.

What better way to offer a revolutionary building method than to look at nature itself for inspiration? Please share with us how you have incorporated nature into your life whether it’s for work or for personal reasons.

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Maintaining a Fixed Curve With StoneLite® Panels

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Stone Panels Inc.

Stone Panels, Inc. has been manufacturing StoneLite® panels with a fixed curve for more than twenty years. The oldest exterior curved panels in the U.S. are on Kimbrough Hall at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington, which was completed in 1988. The building is clad with Chantilly (French) limestone having an 18-ft. radius. Its unique and dramatic curved style makes it stand out among the other campus buildings.

The flexibility and functionality of StoneLite® panels sets them apart from dimensional stone. Their thin stone veneer and reinforced aluminum honeycomb backing give the panels the unprecedented ability to be curved.

Stone Panels, Inc. would prefer to limit the amount of radius on exteriors to 20-ft. for limestone and 40-ft. or more for granite and marble, especially if the stone is on exterior side of the curve.

In 2000, Stone Panels, Inc. supplied a significant amount of curved marble for the interior of the Federal Courthouse in St. Louis, Missouri. For this project, lightweight granite panels were curved and incorporated to complete the architects’ vision for the interior of the building. Traveling exhibits for Infiniti and Rolex also incorporate curved limestone and marble.

If you’re putting together a project that involves curved stone, we would love to be a part of it. Our product will effortlessly achieve the project’s vision and enhance the surrounding area.

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Stone Panels, Inc. Project Spotlight: New Court Headquarters of NM Rothschild & Sons (London)

Posted on April 24, 2012 by Stone Panels Inc.

Last year Stone Panels, Inc. contributed to the renovation of the New Court headquarters of NM Rothschild & Sons, a global investment-banking firm. The firm has been based in this London location for over two centuries, thus it was time for a complete renovation that would allow for facilities capable of accommodating such a successful business.

Allies and Morrison Architects facilitated the project and sought Stone Panels, Inc. to provide stone veneers for the ceiling.

Overhead applications are no obstacle for StoneLite® panels. Due to their lightweight capabilities, they’re easily supported by common ceiling framing and can be installed quickly without lifting equipment. To complete a ceiling installation, we attach the interlocking system channel to horizontal framing, as opposed to vertical framing you would used for walls.

According to an article in ArchDaily, the 21,000 sqm building is located in the narrow alley of St. Swithin’s Lane, in the heart of the city. Its designers’ main task was to create an “always efficient and always pleasant” structure that would accommodate all of the Bank’s London staff and reunite its connections with the city.

Sixteen buildings, including New Court, are competing to take top prize at this year’s Building Awards from Building Magazine. New Court is up for Building Magazine Project of the Year.

Stone Panels, Inc. crosses many borders for projects overseas. No matter where you are, if you’re looking into the products we provide, contact our staff: (800) 328-6275 or (469) 635-5000.

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Fire Test Performance at Stone Panels, Inc.

Posted on April 17, 2012 by Stone Panels Inc.

In addition to preparing for nature’s harsh elements, such as hurricanes and tornadoes, structures must be built to withstand fire. A building’s exposure to fire may normally cause  significant damage but, fire is no match for StoneLite® Panels.

StoneLite® panels have passed the full scale multi-story fire evaluation as well as, undergone vigorous flame spread testing and toxicity testing to assure the product meets high level safety requirements.

Photo by BenGoode

The panels have been subjected to the Standard Method of Test for Surface Burning Characteristics in accordance with American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) E 84 with the following results:

Fuel Contributed: 0

Flame Spread Index: 5

Smoke Developed: 5

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the International Code Council (ICC) require a Flame Spread Index of 25 or less and as you can see from the results above, StoneLite® panels had only a 5.

The StoneLite® panel also performed well in the Evaluation of the Acute Inhalation Toxicity tests conducted in accordance with the University of Pittsburgh Test Method. It was concluded that the panels are no more toxic than Douglas fir wood.

Testings also proved that StoneLite® panels will not support combustion. In other words, when the panels come into contact with flames, the flames won’t spread and worsen the fire.

Fire test reports that are available on a confidential basis include ASTM E84 and ASTM E108M. The UK fire test BRE BS 8414-2 is also available.

Each test resulted in the same conclusion: all StoneLite® panels remained in place and intact. We have proven performance in various testing procedures but our testing is never over. We test our revolutionary product again and again to ensure its strength and durability is up-to-date.

If you’ve experienced a threatening situation with fire, let us know. Our team is committed to continuously learn as well as improve our product based on the experience of others.

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Variety of Marble Available at Stone Panels, Inc.

Posted on April 11, 2012 by Stone Panels Inc.

Marble is a Greek word meaning “crystalline rock” or “shining stone.” Marble rock is usually composed of interlocking carbonate crystals. Its characteristic swirls and veins of marble varieties are due to mineral impurities such as clay, silt, sand, iron oxides or chert.

Stonelite® panels from Stone Panels, Inc. combine authentic natural stone, such as marble, with an aluminum honeycomb substrate. This results in an unrivaled union of real stone beauty, superior strength and stability.

Some of the projects we’ve completed with marble are Suwanee City Hall in Suwanee, Georgia with Etowah and White Cherokee Marble and the Southtrust Bank in Dothan, Alabama with Botticino Marble.

Suwanee City Hall is a project we completed in 2009. We constructed the pieces for the grand, exterior entrance of the 23,600 sq. ft. concrete and steel building. Up close, you can see the variety of marble that came together for the finished project. The marble panels look beautiful next to the 47-foot arched window at the front entrance. The exterior of the building contains four types of exterior veneer along with an eye-catching curtainwall system at the main entrance.

We try to keep several marbles in stock including: White Cararra, Verde Patricia, Rojo Alicante, Perlato Sicilia and Bottacino Classico. This provides for quicker lead times on these stones.

The full Stone Panels, Inc. collection of marble is also available on our website. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, contact our Technical Services Staff.

If your project requires a stone other than marble, StoneLite® panels can be produced from almost any kind of stone as long as the stone pieces are available in large enough sizes. With StoneLite®, you are not limited to one quarry or a particular stone type. You can select from thousands of types of authentic granite, limestone, travertine, slate or sandstone.

Are you currently considering building a structure with marble? Maybe it will be an addition to a concrete and steel structure like Suwanee City Hall. Please contact Stone Panels, Inc. because we would be happy to speak with you about your project.

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Stone Panels, Inc. Certifications

Posted on March 29, 2012 by Stone Panels Inc.

The only way to be assured that an exterior wall product or system will perform is to require building code authority acceptance and approval.  In the US, the International Code Council (ICC) writes the model code for all construction.  The ICC is dedicated to helping the construction industry provide safe, sustainable and affordable construction, by developing codes and standards used in the design, build and compliance process.

The ICC’s Evaluation Service has criteria requiring several types of testing for exterior wall cladding products.  They evaluate the manufacturer’s test results, which must come from legitimate testing agencies only, and any supplier who meets their requirements is accepted and listed.  The ICC then monitors quality control of all products and systems that they have listed for assurance that the product being produced for construction is the same as the product that was manufactured for testing.  If a supplier does not have ICC acceptance and listing, there should be concern about whether their product will perform as expected.

Stone Panels, Inc. (SPI) is the only lightweight reinforced stone supplier that’s been accepted by the International Code Council.  The ICC Evaluation Report number for Stone Panels, Inc. is ESR-1500.  Stone Panels has had ICC/ICBO acceptance and quality control auditing since 1986.

The ICC evaluation service division visits Stone Panels, Inc. in Coppell, TX unannounced at least four times each year to confirm that product and production procedures remain unchanged since they were last manufactured for testing. They also collect samples for ongoing testing to assure SPI is meeting their requirements. Without ICC monitoring, a superior product could be produced for testing and a cheaper product would be manufactured for construction.

Photo by DaveJC90

Furthermore, Stone Panels, Inc. is the only lightweight stone system accepted by the British Board of Agrément (BBA) for construction in the United Kingdom. The BBA is one of the UK’s most highly regarded construction industry approval groups. The BBA’s Agrément Certificates are only awarded to a construction product or system after it successfully passes a comprehensive assessment, involving laboratory testing, on-site evaluations and production inspections.

The CSTB is a certifying agency for construction in France and other countries.  They awarded an Avis Technique certificate to Stone Panels, Inc.  The Avis Technique certification process encompasses a structured, reviewed and approved assessment of a product that can be bought on the market, which has passed a very comprehensive technical evaluation.

Stone Panels, Inc. is a reliable company that ensures its product is accepted not only in the US, but also across the world.  The Stonelite® brand is internationally recognized as a state-of-the-art wall cladding system. StoneLite® has become the wall cladding product of choice by several discriminating architects, engineers and interior designers throughout the world.

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Blast Resistance Protection From Stone Panels, Inc.

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Stone Panels Inc.

In addition to natural disaster preparation efforts, stone manufacturers must anticipate the effects of a full-scale explosion by meeting preventative criteria and fully testing their product.

Following the 1995 bombing of the A.P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, the General Services Administration (GSA) established security criteria for glazing in all federal buildings. The new criteria increased use of blast resistant fenestration products in federal courthouses and similar government buildings. Most GSA facilities fall under the Class “C” threat level for blast resistance. This level correlates to a peak air blast pressure of 4 pounds per square inch (psi) and a maximum positive phase impulse pressure of 28 psi-milliseconds (msec).

The Interagency Security Committee (ISC) also developed its own security criteria. The ISC Security Criteria was adopted and approved for use in all GSA new buildings and major modernization projects. It requires windows and wall assemblies be designed to withstand damages, which could result from flying fragments in an explosion.

Stone Panels, Inc. (SPI) products have passed full-scale blast tests at varying levels. In 2009, an independent test laboratory conducted a full-scale arena blast test. They used a cylindrical charge comprising 300 lbs. of Ammunition Nitrate – Fuel Oil (ANFO). Two chambers at varying standoff distances facilitated testing of the StoneLite® panels.

The first chamber’s target peak pressure was 8 psi and its positive impulse of 46 psi-msec, was placed perpendicular to the charge at a standoff distance of 111 feet.

The second chamber, with a target peak pressure of 4 psi and a positive phase impulse of 28 psi-msec, was placed perpendicular to the charge at a standoff distance of 162 feet.

After the tests, it was confirmed that  the StoneLite® panels had no extensive damage, achieved the Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC) and provided a “High Level of Protection”. UFC documents provide planning, design, construction, sustainment, restoration, and modernization criteria. The actual blast test can be viewed at http://www.stonepanelstests.com.

Included in Stone Panels, Inc.’s portfolio are federal projects such as the US Embassies in Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, Sacramento Federal Courthouse, National Constitution Center, Federal Reserve Bank in Memphis, Pearl Harbor Visitors Center and many more.

Are you working on a federal project? Consider a company you can be sure will thoroughly prepare their product and ensure it meets high security criteria – Stone Panels, Inc.

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