Resource Library

Dimension Stone Design Manual DSDM All Chapters Locked secured document

The Dimension Stone Design Manual is the stone industry’s single-source reference for dimension stone design and construction facts and details. The 2022 edition includes major revisions regarding natural stone installation and new Horizontal Installations and Vertical Installations chapters. It also includes newly created and consistently formatted drawings and graphics. New graphics explain coursed ashlar, split-face stone, and dry-stack detailing. Expanded anchorage graphics showcase additional anchor types currently in use. Graphics have also been updated to include continuous insulation components and thermal separations where necessary. All new graphics are compliant with ASHRAE codes. Also included are descriptions and technical data of individual natural stone varieties; general installation guidelines; guidelines and typical detailing for horizontal surfaces, vertical surfaces, countertops, wet areas, and furniture; and maintenance of exterior and interior stone installations. 521 pages; 25 chapters; 80 drawings/graphics

May 1, 2022

Dimension Stone Design Manual DSDM Chapter 16 - Wet Areas Locked secured document

Stone surfaces in wet areas encompass concerns that are not part of other stone installations. This chapter is divided into five subsections: Stone Toilet Partitions, Stone Urinal Partitions, Stone Shower Partitions, Stone Slab Shower Linings, and Stone Tile Shower Linings. Descriptions of stone soundness requirements, stone porosity limits, warnings about plumbers’ putty, anchorage and waterproofing details, floor slope requirements, and curb height requirements are included in all applicable areas. This chapter includes 10 pages of graphics. This chapter is taken from the 2022 Dimension Stone Design Manual (DSDM).

May 1, 2022

Dimension Stone Design Manual DSDM Chapter 20 - Stone-Faced Precast Concrete Veneer Locked secured document

With anchorage using an entirely different hardware profile than other stone veneers, stone faced precast warrants its own section. This brief chapter shows the common detailing used in this popular composite cladding system. This chapter is taken from the 2022 Dimension Stone Design Manual (DSDM).

May 1, 2022

Dimension Stone Design Manual DSDM Chapter 21 - Restoration and Maintenance Locked secured document

The Restoration & Maintenance chapter covers topics most pertinent to those in the restoration business, including equipment, repairs, and troubleshooting, restorative processes, sealers, and working with commercial and historic buildings. Also included are over 100 photos, providing visual aids for many of the topics highlighted in the Troubleshooting section. This chapter is taken from the 2022 Dimension Stone Design Manual (DSDM).

May 1, 2022

Dimension Stone Design Manual DSDM Chapter 22 - Tolerances Locked secured document

Tolerances: the allowable limit of deviation from a specified, or designed value. In some cases, like the machining of critical machine parts, that allowable deviation may be so small that it is measured in micro-inches or microns. While the stone industry does not have tolerances requiring this level of precision, there exists critical dimensions that directly affect visual appearance and structural integrity of stone installations. This chapter is taken from the 2022 Dimension Stone Design Manual (DSDM).

May 1, 2022

Dimension Stone Design Manual DSDM Chapter 24 - Appendix

Conversion tables, Mohs Scale of mineral hardness, Slab Production Table, a list of additional resources (technical modules and bulletins), and an ASTM Classification Index for Dimension Stone.

May 1, 2022

Tolerances in the Dimension Stone Industry Locked secured document

There are a variety of sources from which stone fabrication and installation tolerances can be obtained. This document was cross-referenced with tolerances published by a variety of organizations. While most of the published tolerances are in agreement or exhibit only slight differences, some conflicts may exist between this document and those published by other organizations.

September 1, 2014

Fireplace Surround Heat Tolerance Locked secured document

We recently had a black granite fireplace surround installed in a high-end home with a gas-insert fireplace. The surround was fabricated in one piece with some epoxied returns. At the first use of the fireplace, it cracked in two places. Is this a problem with the heat? We measured surface temperatures with the fireplace having run for about 45 minutes and the top of the surround was about 190°F [~90°C], but the bottom was only about 90°F [30°C]

April 18, 2024

Anchor Slots in Cladding Panels Locked secured document

We cut ¼" wide anchor slots in some 1¼" granite panels and they run a little wide – almost 5/16". They’re threatening to reject them, saying that they’ll compromise the strength of the anchor.

January 29, 2024

Inspection and Downwashed Lighting Locked secured document

In the Dimension Stone Design Manual it states that downwashed lighting is to be turned off for the inspection of the wall. Isn’t this rather ridiculous? If the designer chose downwashed lighting for the wall, should it not be inspected as designed?

January 29, 2024

Tolerances in Façade Work Locked secured document

We need you to support us in a disagreement that we’re having with an owner. We completed some façade work on a bank building, and there is some misalignment from piece to piece that they say is excessive. We measured it and the largest misalignment is only about 3/16". This is well within the guidance provided in the Dimension Stone Design Manual. In the tolerances chapter, since this wall is 30 feet in height, it says we can be out of plumb by as much as 1/2" and still be considered acceptable.

January 29, 2024

Dimension Stone Design Manual DSDM - Historical Versions

Since its initial publication in 1971, the Dimension Stone Design Manual (DSDM) has been the stone industry’s single-source reference for dimension stone design and construction facts and details. Published by the Natural Stone Institute (previously the Marble Institute of America or MIA), the DSDM serves as the authoritative source of information on the suitable application of natural stone products and supports standards of natural stone workmanship and practice. The current DSDM is version 2022 and is available for download in this Resource Library as a separate item. This product allows you to download past versions of the DSDM and earlier marble standards published by the Natural Stone Institute. You will receive a zip file that includes: • Dimension Stone Design Manual 8.0 (2016) • Dimension Stone Design Manual 7.2 (2011) • Dimension Stone Design Manual 7.1 CH 13-15 (2010) • Dimension Stone Design Manual VII (2007) • Dimension Stone Design Manual VI (2003) • Dimension Stone Design Manual V (1999) • Dimension Stone Design Manual IV (1991) • Dimension Stone Design Manual III (1985) • Dimension Stone Design Manual II (1983) • Dimension Stone Design Manual IR (1976) • Dimension Stone Design Manual I (1971) • Marble Engineering Handbook (1962) • Marble Engineering Handbook (1960) • Interior Marble (1964) • Interior Marble (no date) • Exterior Marble (1961) • Exterior Marble (1955)

May 11, 2022

Book-matched Marble Expectations Locked secured document

We recently installed a book-matched marble feature wall. We think it’s beautiful, but the architect is threatening rejection because the book-matched veins don’t meet exactly together. Is there any documentation that explains that this is to be expected?

March 1, 2021

Terrazzo Chip Variation Locked secured document

We are supplying a project with a large quantity of terrazzo tiles, and the owner is complaining of slight color and shading variation in them. Because the tiles are made of marble chips, is there a publication from the Natural Stone Institute that would stipulate the allowable variation in the marble chips?

March 1, 2021

ADA Compliant Ramp Slope Tolerance Locked secured document

What is the tolerance for slope on an ADA Compliant ramp?

January 1, 2021

Abrasion Resistance for Commercial Stairs Locked secured document

Is there a minimum abrasion resistance specified for commercial stairs?

July 1, 2020

Paver Installation with Inconsistent Edge Slopes Locked secured document

We have a stone pavement condition that was “warpage” required in the pavers to match the existing slopes. Is there an established lippage tolerance for warped pavers that would be different than what is published for flat pavers?

July 1, 2020

Slab Thickness Tolerance Explained Locked secured document

We received some 2 cm slabs and in checking them, find that the thickness varies by about ?” from the thickest to the thinnest. Is this in tolerance? We are planning to thinset them to a wall and are worried that the thinset cannot accommodate this variation.

March 2, 2020

Adhered Anchor Height Limits Locked secured document

In the Dimension Stone Design Manual, it says that stone tiles must be anchored if they are above 15’-0”. This seems rather strange. Is a stone tile installed 16 feet above the ground somehow heavier than one that is installed 14 feet above the ground?

November 1, 2019

Determining Granite Paver Thickness Locked secured document

I’m designing an exterior plaza, a portion of which may have occasional light passenger vehicle traffic. The stone will be a granite, although we haven’t made the final selection. How thick does it need to be for passenger vehicles?

November 1, 2019

Can C880 Tests Be Performed on 3/8” Material? Locked secured document

Can you perform C880 tests on 3/8” material?

September 2, 2019

Anchor Location Locked secured document

It has always been the practice in our company to locate anchors as quarter-points. Recently, an architect on a project said he had attended one of your seminars and was told that the correct spot is one-fifth points. When did this change? It’s always been quarter-points in the industry!

July 1, 2019

Countertop Overhang Limits Explained Locked secured document

The Design Manual’s Countertop chapter limits overhangs on countertops to 6” for 2 cm tops and 10” for 3 cm tops. How can you make a blanket statement like this, when all stones are of a different strength?

July 1, 2019

Historical Acceptance of 2 cm Thickness Tolerance Locked secured document

I’m looking at your published document on tolerances. I see that the listed thickness tolerance for 2 cm slabs is ±3 mm. This is absolutely ridiculous—everyone is better than that. This tolerance should be more like ±1 mm!

May 1, 2019

Voids in Flooring Bond Locked secured document

I’m trying to make sense of the requirement for flooring bonding that’s listed in the Dimension Stone Design Manual. It says no voids larger than 4 in² for ¾” material. Is that four square inches, or 4 inches by 4 inches? How do you measure it? A void won’t be rectangular, so I can’t just measure the edges.

March 1, 2019

Stone Evaluation beyond ASTM Standards Locked secured document

We just had testing completed on one of the granites that we import, and some of the values do not meet the table in ASTM C615. Does this mean that architects won’t accept it, or is there some leeway in the numbers?

September 1, 2018

Countertop Overhang Limit Confusion Locked secured document

I’m confused about the prescribed limits for overhangs of countertops. I heard in a presentation some years ago that the strength of a slab is proportional to its thickness squared. If that is true, a 3 cm slab should be more than twice as strong as a 2 cm slab. Why is the overhang limit not twice as much? The manual list the limit for 2 cm at 6”, but only 10” for 3 cm.

January 1, 2018

Specifications for Architectural Granite

The granite industry is keeping pace with architectural progress and changing demands. Technological developments have revolutionized quarrying and fabrication methods, reducing costs and leading to new applications. Attractive new finishes, new construction techniques and new jointing methods have created an abundance of options for building design and construction. Reflecting these changes, the recommended specifications which follow have been completely revised and updated. Inquiries regarding any proposed use of granite, whether conventional or innovative, are invited by member companies of the association.

January 1, 2018

The Need for Testing Stone Before and Throughout the Project Locked secured document

Q: We are supplying limestone to a project for which there is a requirement to provide testing prior to supply and also to test during the course of the job. We submitted the initial testing, but we’re afraid that if the next tests results come in lower than the initial, they might use that as grounds to reject the material. Is there a precedent for this?

July 1, 2017

Maximum Panel Size Locked secured document

We’re being asked to install some absolutely huge (nearly 8 ft long, 2 cm thick) Carrara panels in a lobby project. This is absurd! What is the maximum recommended panel size for interior cladding?

March 1, 2016

Explanation for Countertop Overhang Limits Locked secured document

We’re installing a granite island top that measures 120” x 58” x 1¼” and has a 16” overhang at one end of it. The designer doesn’t want any corbels or posts underneath it. According to the Dimension Stone Design Manual, supports are required. What can we do to appease the designer but still stay in accordance with the Design Manual?

January 1, 2016

Sink Cutout Squareness Tolerance Locked secured document

We recently installed a kitchen countertop with a rectangular sink cutout for an undermount sink. The customer is complaining that the sink cutout is out of square. Our field tech went back to the site and checked it, and he reports that it is just slightly less than 1/16” out of square. Is there a rule for how accurate these need to be to be acceptable?

November 1, 2015

Confusion on COF and DCOF Testing. ASTM C1028 Locked secured document

We have specified several varieties of stone tile for a commercial flooring application. We asked the supplier to submit coefficient of friction data for the materials. Some of the data that they supplied is based on the ASTM C1028 procedure, but a few of the stones have data based on the new DCOF procedure. Is the DCOF approved for use in stone, or is it only a test for ceramic products?

March 1, 2014

Panel Warping, Panel Thickness Locked secured document

We have a textured finish that is done with percussive methods for a project that has exterior panels with sizes up to 30" x 60". The panels are warping due to the finish. The supplier says they can prevent the warping if we increase the thickness, unfortunately that will make them heavier than 15 pounds per square foot, and we can no longer adhere them per code. Is there another option?

November 1, 2013

What is the Difference Between Heads and Calibrated Edges? Locked secured document

I’m looking at the tolerances section in the Granite Chapter of the Marble Institute’s Dimension Stone Design Manual version 7.2. What is meant by “Heads/Calibrated Edges”?

November 1, 2013

When to Use Stainless Steel Strap vs. Wire Anchors to Secure Stone Panels Locked secured document

We have designed a stone lobby wall with 3/4” thickness. Our drawings showed stainless steel strap anchors. The contractor is proposing to anchor with a copper wire and plaster. We have never seen this type of connection before. Is this an endorsed method for securing heavy stone panels?

November 1, 2013

Necessary Revision for Installing with Thinset Locked secured document

I’m having trouble interpreting the language in the Dimension Stone Design Manual (DSDM) Chapter 14 where it talks about voids in thinset. It says, “95% contact with no voids exceeding 2 in² and no voids within 2" of tile corners.” Does 2 in² mean “two square inches,” or does it mean “two inches square” which would be 4 square inches? And why do we need all the language about how big the individual voids can be – can’t we just clarify a percentage of contact and leave it simple?

September 1, 2013

Tolerance and Allowable Slab Thicknesses Locked secured document

What is the tolerance for thickness of a ¾” granite slab within one piece? I know that they can be ?” different from one piece to another, but what is the allowable variation within a single piece?

September 1, 2013

Tolerance for Thickness within one ¾” Slab Locked secured document

What is the tolerance for thickness of a 3/4" granite slab within one piece? I know that they can be 1/8" different from one piece to another, but what is the allowable variation within a single piece?

September 1, 2013

Voids in Thinset, Percent Coverage Locked secured document

I’m having trouble interpreting the language in the Dimension Stone Design Manual (DSDM) Chapter 14 where it talks about voids in thinset. It says “95% contact with no voids exceeding 2 in² and no voids within 2" of tile corners”. Does 2 in² mean “two square inches”, or does it mean “two inches square” which would be 4 square inches? And why do we need all the language about how big the individual voids can be – can’t we just clarify a percentage of contact and leave it simple?

September 1, 2013

ASTM Specification for Soapstone and Onyx Locked secured document

I’m writing a specification for using soapstone material in some countertop applications. I can find ASTM Specs for all of the other stone types, but not soapstone – is soapstone covered in any of the other specs?

July 1, 2013

Anchor Exterior Cladding, Mechanical Locked secured document

We are bidding a small exterior façade, and the bid documents require the stones to be mechanically anchored. As we are primarily a tile contractor, our crews are not very experienced in anchoring stone. Is there a detail that we could submit that shows both anchors and thinset, so we could use the thinset just as a safety measure in case the anchors don’t hold?

July 1, 2013

Caulk or Grout Joint Locked secured document

I’ve designed a project with 1¼” granite wall cladding, and we specified that the joints be grouted. The stone contractor is proposing that the joints should instead be caulked. He says the wall is too flexible and the mortar won’t stay in, but this is the same wall frame design that we use with brick facades and we haven’t experienced mortar problems in those designs. Is there an advantage to caulking or is he just trying to slide something past us? If the performance is similar, we prefer the visual result of mortar.

May 1, 2013

Extravagant Use of Gloss Meter Locked secured document

We’ve got a general contractor who is crawling around on our newly installed Crema Marfil floor installation with a gloss meter. He’s threatening to reject it because he says the meter shows that the gloss isn’t uniform. Is there something that says this is to be expected?

January 1, 2013

Correct Explanation of Tolerances Locked secured document

We’re having trouble interpreting the tolerances for stone panels. In the thickness tolerance, it says “± ?” – is this both directions so that the total tolerance is actually ¼”? And then in the face tolerance, it says “non-cumulative,” what exactly does that mean?

December 1, 2012

Range Samples Locked secured document

I received a set of travertine range samples to approve on a small lobby project. I selected the one that best suited our color scheme and marked the other samples as rejected. The contractor is now telling me I had to approve all of the samples or they can’t do the job. This seems absurd; should I not be able to select the one that is most desirable?

August 1, 2012

Is There an Acceptable Amount of Stone Broken in Transit? Locked secured document

We have a customer complaining about the amount of broken stones in a shipment. What is the industry’s allowable percentage of broken stone?

July 1, 2012

What is the Proper Sizing for an Eased Edge? Locked secured document

We specified stone pavers for the interior of our project. Our specification, which is largely taken from a boiler plate spec that we use for most projects, reads, “all stone units to have an eased edge.” The supplied pavers are nearly sharp, with a barely detectable blunting of the edge. The contractor says that this is the industry standard for eased. We thought the term “eased” implied a much larger chamfer, something in the range of at least 1/16”. Which is correct?

March 1, 2012

Stone Thickness at Exterior Applications Locked secured document

We’re looking at a project with both 3 cm and 2 cm stone cladding on its exterior. The 3 cm is to be set on aluminum extrusions, and we’d like to use the same system for the thinner stone. In the details shown in the Design Manual, it doesn’t give the material thickness – are these meant to be used with any thickness of stone?

February 1, 2012

Bookmatch and Diamond Match Veneer Patterns Locked secured document

We’re supplying an interior wall project with book matched veins. The architect is rejecting our material because the book matches are not perfect mirror images of each other. But that is normal when book matching slabs. Is there something that explains that this should be expected?

October 1, 2011

Blunts vs. Sharp Edge: What’s the Standard? Locked secured document

We recently installed some tile and wainscot on a project, and the interior designer is balking at the fact that we didn’t blunt the sharp edges of the stones. We typically don’t, unless specifically asked up front. She says it is standard.

March 1, 2011

Spanning Capabilities of 3 cm Stone Countertops Locked secured document

We have a countertop installation without a subtop that has a 48” long cabinet in an island, and the width of the cabinet is 40 inches. Chapter 17 of the Dimension Stone Design Manual states that we cannot span greater than 36 inches with unsupported 3 cm material. Do we have to add framework inside this cabinet unit to support the top?

November 1, 2010

Recommended Best Practices Locked secured document

The following material is intended to provide basic guide lines for the architect, engineer, stone contractor, stone fabricator, anchoring device fabricator, and other interested parties for the safe and economical use of building stone in construction. It offers guide lines for the design and application of building stone using metal gravity anchors and/or lateral anchors to: (a) clad solid concrete or masonry, (b) clad the structural frame of a building, either directly, or to subframes, or to curtain walls which are attached to the building structure. It also includes guide lines for the design and application of paving stones.

January 1, 2010

MIA Tolerance for Bows or Curvature in a Slab Locked secured document

We’ve got an installed slab of Persian Brown with a bow in it. It measures 108 inches long, and has about 1/8" deflection in the center. Does this meet industry specs?

March 1, 2009

Stone Countertop Joint Requirements Locked secured document

I recently had granite countertops installed in my kitchen, and purchased a copy of your countertop installation guide to help me evaluate the quality of the work. Would you be able to clarify for me your standard “10.6 Joints at Materials Transition”? It states that visible joints between the stone units and other materials (e.g., cabinetry, gypsum wall board) shall be 1/8" nominal. Do you apply this same standard to ends of granite countertops leading up to appliances (e.g., ovens and refrigerators), seeing that they too create joints at materials transition? The joint between my countertop and refrigerator is larger than 1/8”, and I think it should be fixed.

February 1, 2009

Anchor Slot Standard Locked secured document

What are the industry standard dimensions for anchor slots? We’ve always cut them 3/8" x 1¼", but recently we supplied material to a project that was rejected because the anchor slots were too large.

December 1, 2008

Countertop Dishing Locked secured document

We have a 20 mm Uba Tuba countertop that is roughly 7 ft. long. It appears to be dishing in center. Is this a bad stone?

December 1, 2008

Units of Measure – cm vs. mm Locked secured document

You’re driving me crazy with your use of mm whenever I read your column. In the stone industry, we’ve always used cm – it’s 2 cm or 3 cm slabs, not 20 mm or 30 mm! I’m always forced to convert between the two.

August 1, 2008

Definition of Specific Gravity Locked secured document

We received test data on a stone including specific gravity, but they don’t list what unit it is measured in. What exactly is specific gravity, and what should the unit be?

April 1, 2008

Floor Deflection and Bending Stone Locked secured document

I read your column in last month’s newsletter, but something doesn’t make sense to me in the deflection question. You stated that “A given deflection in a short span actually creates a sharper curvature in the floor than the same deflection in a longer span.” Aren’t deflections always worse in longer spans?

March 1, 2008

Indiana Limestone Institute Handbook 22nd Edition

The primary tool for use by Architects and Engineers in designing Indiana Limestone as cut stone. Includes details, specifications, treatment recommendations, anchor types and styles, wind load, tolerance and other charts and graphs.

January 1, 2007