Custom Anchors and Masonry Accessories
Excavations throughout Europe have found stone used for shelter as far back as 12,000 B.C. The Egyptians built the pyramids around 2550 BC and the Romans established a stone quarry around 173 BC. Today, stone remains one of the strongest and most durable building products on the planet. When using stone as a veneer, engineering and design are critical factors in a successful building project. The majority of stone projects are unique and require custom anchors.
For slab-type anchored veneer, the International Building Code specifies a minimum of four anchors per unit with tie spacing not exceeding 24 inches. The maximum area of a unit is limited to 20 square ft. Veneer ties for slab-type veneer are required to resist two times the weight of the anchored veneer in tension or compression. Wire stone anchors must be a minimum of 9 gauge diameter (.1483 inches). Non-wire stone anchors are to have a minimum width of 1".
The TMS402 Building Code Requirements and Specification for Masonry Structures list several references and guidelines for adhered veneer. Anchored dimensional stone is not currently covered under the code and is considered a “special system" that requires engineering.
