Author Archives: ASAA admin

Welcome Mr Richard Bowman

We welcome our latest new member Richard Bowman, formerly of CSIRO. Richard is the principal of Intertile Research Pty Ltd. Richard chairs the Standards Australia Slip Resistance Committee and sits on several related international committees. Richard is one of the guest speakers at DesignBuild Seminars, Melbourne Exhibition Centre, May 28-30

We welcome two new members Bluestone (Basalt) Quarrier & Hugh’n James Group . if you would like to join ASAA click here

Travertine over cultured marble

Is there a product like a mastic that can be used to install travertine on shower walls over cultured marbel. thank you. Stone bin (member)

Install travertine

I am planning on installing travetine tile in my bathroom…walls & floor plus shower walls…should I seal the tile before installation? What type of thinset should I use on the floor/walls and at what thickness? Stone bin (member)

ASAA announce testing of Engineered stone

ASAA will conduct a survey of the characteristics of a variety of engineered stone products that are manufactured by a number of companies.

Discovering Stone contributing Technical Editor Richard Bowman said, “There are a number of draft European standards in the pipeline. Engineered stone is currently produced in several countries; research that I have conducted in relation to an article ‘Engineering Engineered Stone Installations To Prevent Failures’ (published in issue #5 of Discovering Stone – page 66) reveals that there is a great deal of variation in the way various engineered stones are manufactured.”

The Marble Institute of America (MIA) have announced that they are initiating a programme to “counter misinformation constantly being disseminated by the producers of engineered stone”.

ASAA and the MIA will exchange information in relation to this issue, in an effort to establish the differences that may exist in various engineered stone products.

The initial objectives of the ASAA study will:

Determine how products are tested on an international basis and how those test methods pertain to existing draft standards;
ASAA will conduct comparative testing of some engineered stone products that are available locally in an attempt to compare various materials in relation to proposed standards. The wide variance in current test methods employed in different countries currently makes it difficult to accurately compare various materials.

The MIA has commissioned an ‘E Coli Contamination Study’ that compares two American granites, a white marble and an engineered stone product. The results can be viewed in the attached document

ASAA members participate in Xiamen stone show

xiaman Mr Eric Xie of Austrade, China and local Austrade representatives working in conjunction with ASAA organised a superb stand for promotion of Australian Stone at the Xiamen Stone Show held on 3 – 6 March. Read Ian Lamble’s review in Issue #9 of Discovering Stone to find out more.

ASAA Director Seppo Karvonen (at left), Eric Xie (Austrade) and fellow Director Ian Lamble at the ASAA stand which featured exhibits by Australasian Granite, Ablatio, Capricorn Stone, Melocco, Cairns Marble and the South Australian Government representing the interests of companies such as Bruhn Stone.