Warranty

Best Practices - Natural Stone
Natural Variation
Variations in veining, fissures, pits, texture, color and shade are inherent characteristics of natural stones and will vary from tile to tile as well as from lot to lot,
depending on the type of stone you select. There are various types of stones available on the market, the most popular being granite, marble, onyx, limestone,
travertine and slate. Some species and colors are more consistent than others. Range samples can be provided by request prior to purchasing that represent
the range of a product. A single showroom display may not accurately represent a stone’s complete aesthetic qualities.
Hand Selection
Hand selecting natural stone tiles and mosaics is impractical and is generally not accepted industry wide. However, where a specific aesthetic value is desired,
range samples can be requested to represent the current lot prior to purchasing. Aesthetic appearance can be a very subjective selection process when
looking at individual tiles, so the range of the product must be accepted “as is”. If any adjustments need to be made to a specific range, waste factors must be
accounted for during this selection process. The tiles provided are intended to represent the coloring and finish of the final shipment. Sometimes the range
of a stone can be captured in 3 tiles, while other stones may require >10 samples.
Cross Veining in Linear Patterns
Parallel lines that are desirable in vein cut stones may have occasional perpendicular cross veining that cut across the linear paern. This veining is a natural
occurrence just like the other colors, shades, and veining characteristics of the stone and may present itself at random. Cross veining is not a crack and does
not compromise the stability of the stone. Veining is not considered a defect of the product.
Stone Grades
Marbles and other natural stones are categorized by soundness classifications and are rated A-D by the Natural Stone Institute. This is not necessarily a
quality, performance, or product usage scale, but rather a classification for character consistency and stability. This detailed grading system takes the stone’s
natural characteristics into consideration to set proper expectations. All travertine for example, regardless of manufacturer or country of origin, and many
common colors of marble, like Crema Marfil and other commodity stones are always a Class C due to the natural presence of veins, pits and fissures. Within
this grade, some quarries will separate their stones into sub-categories by identifying products as “Premium”, “Plus”, “Classic”, “Select” etc. based on their own
criteria to distinguish aesthetic consistency between lots. The “Premium” selection from one factory and supplier will be different than that of another and a
Class C stone will always be a Class C regardless of the subcategory (batch aesthetic consistency) it is given. Some C and D stones are manufactured with
resin reinforced mesh backing, holes are filled with cement or epoxy fillers, and rods are used for stability. Veining and coloring can be generally inconsistent
and a desired feature between modules, and chipped edges may be engineered from epoxy. Some species of stone have more inconsistencies than others,
however, this is not a defect of the stone. This soundness classification guide is not to be confused with seconds, or commercial grade stones that require a
good deal of fabrication to be useable.
Stone Types
Emser Tile’s website and marketing literature may not represent the true geological nature of the stones commonly referred to in the industry as marble,
granite, limestone, travertine, onyx, slate, sandstone, quartzite, etc. The true geological nature of any stone may be verified by conducting a test through an
independent bona fide laboratory.
Travertine Fill Colors
Filler colors in a prefilled travertine can vary from batch to batch as the coloring is changed to coordinate with every production run. However, it may not be
an exact match to the base color of the stone due to natural stone variations.
Travertine Hole Formation
Air pockets and voids are present in the stone during its formation and are a desired characteristic of the stone. Some of these holes and voids may be present
under a razor thin layer of surface rock. It is not uncommon for a travertine floor to reveal new holes in the first year aer installation from standard pedestrian
loads, fillers dislodging, movement of fixtures and furniture. New hole formation is not considered a defect of this particular stone. If desired, these new voids
can be filled quickly and easily with grout, epoxy or equivalent synthetic fillers.