Stone Façade

Creating Lasting Impressions

Stone Façade

Façade Creations is dedicated to realizing your stone vision, ensuring it becomes an enduring part of your project. Our complete stone services meticulously handle every detail, from design to installation, to achieve stunning beauty and robust resilience.

Precision Stone Cladding, Masonry & Paving

We excel in the meticulous design and detailing of natural stone for all external applications. Our approach prioritizes both technical excellence and aesthetic brilliance, ensuring every solution adheres to the highest industry benchmarks. We manage the intricate journey of stone from its initial concept to its flawless installation, guaranteeing structures that are visually stunning and engineered for longevity.

Our expertise covers:

Engineered Stone Cladding: We design advanced systems for handset, sealed, back-ventilated, and integrated stone-faced curtain walls. This includes comprehensive specifications and detailed drawings for the natural stone panels, ensuring compliance with relevant British Standards.

- BS 8298-2:2020 Part: 2 – Traditional handset external cladding
- BS 8298-3:2020 Part: 3 – Stone-faced precast concrete cladding systems
- BS 8298-4:2020 Part: 4 – Stone cladding on rainscreen support systems
- BS 8298-5:2020 Part: 5 – Natural stone lining

Traditional & Contemporary Stone Masonry: We craft bespoke solutions that honor classic techniques while embracing modern design principles. Our specifications and details consider the latest production techniques for natural stone and account for current good practice.

- PD 6697:2010 – Recommendations for the design of masonry structures to BS EN 1996-1-1 and BS EN 1996-2
- BS EN 1996-1-1:2005+A1:2012 Eurocode 6. Design of masonry structures. General policies for bolstered and unreinforced masonry structures
- BS EN 1996-2:2006 Eurocode 6. Design of masonry structures. Design considerations, choice of substances and execution of masonry
- BS EN 1996-3:2006 Eurocode 6. Design of masonry structures. Simplified calculation techniques and easy guidelines for masonry structures

Durable Stone Paving: We develop robust and visually appealing external surfaces that withstand the elements and heavy use. Our designs take note of the latest British Standards and Codes of Practice for optimal performance.

- BS 7533 Part 101: Code of practice for the structural design of pavements using modular paving units
- BS 7533 Part 102: Code of practice for the construction and maintenance of pavements using modular paving units
- BS 7533-13:2021: Pavements constructed with clay, natural stone or concrete pavers. Guide for the layout of permeable pavements built with concrete paving blocks and flags, herbal stone slabs and setts and clay pavers

Integrated Interior Stone & Flooring Design

Transform your internal spaces with the inherent beauty and sophistication of natural stone. We offer expert consultancy and detailed CAD services for exquisite stone lining and flooring. Our designs meticulously balance aesthetic appeal with critical technical performance, ensuring optimal material selection and precise installation for high-quality residential and commercial applications. We guide you through the selection of stones like marble, limestone, sandstone, slate, and granite, ensuring they meet the specific requirements of your project.

Our detailed CAD services include:

Comprehensive layouts and intricate stone detailing.
Precise manufacturing cutting sheets and fixing details.
Coordination with secondary structures and building works.

We ensure optimal abrasion and slip resistance, appropriate treatments, and expert installation guidance for enduring beauty, referencing relevant standards such as:

BS EN 12057 (Modular Tiles): For natural stone products – Modular tiles – Requirements. These set out dimensional requirements, visual appearance, and technical requirements for tiles 12mm thick or less, generally up to 600mm x 600mm.
BS EN 12058 (Slabs for Floors & Stairs): For natural stone products – Slabs for floors and stairs – Requirements. This applies to stone thicker than 12mm used for floors and stairs.
BS EN 1469 (Slabs for Cladding/Lining): For natural stone products – Slabs for cladding (Lining) – Requirements.

When selecting stone for interior applications, we consider the following:

Petrological Description: Establishing the traditional name, petrological family, quarry location, and country of origin.
Technical Characteristics: Verifying that packaging is marked and refers to a product standard (e.g., BS EN 12058 for floors and stairs). Essential characteristics and test results for intended use must be shown.
Abrasion Resistance: Checking the results of abrasion testing to ensure suitability for the application.
Slip Resistance: For flooring and paving, we scrutinize how the stone performs in wet conditions, with particular attention to values relating to the specific surface finish.
Treatment and Cleaning: Establishing whether the stone requires sealing and the recommended product, along with appropriate cleaning methods and products.

Our process ensures optimal abrasion and slip resistance, appropriate treatments, and expert installation guidance for enduring beauty, with stone designed and installed in accordance with:

BS 5385 Part 1: Natural stone wall tiling
BS 5385 Part 5: Natural stone tiles and slabs for floors
BS 8298: Design and installation of natural stone cladding and lining

Structural & Material Condition Surveys

Gain clear, actionable insights into the integrity and health of your stone structures with our comprehensive condition surveys. We provide detailed assessments of natural stone cladding, masonry facades, pavements, interior lining, and floors. Our reports precisely identify defects, assess material degradation, and recommend optimal cleaning, repair, and restoration strategies for both modern and heritage stonework.

Our investigation methods consider:

Visual and advanced diagnostic techniques.
Analysis of specific stone types and their unique vulnerabilities.
Adherence to conservation principles for listed buildings.

Surveys are conducted in strict accordance with British Standards like:

BS 8221-1:2012 – Code of practice for cleaning and surface repair of buildings. Expert cleaning of stone, brick, terracotta, and concrete substrates.
BS 8221-2:2000 – Code of practice for cleaning and surface repair of buildings. Restorative surface repairs for natural stones, brickwork, and terracotta.

We undertake investigations for architects, property owners, developers, and insurance companies, providing both photographic and detailed written reports of failed stone cladding, paving, masonry wall lining, and floors. For listed buildings or those within conservation areas, we meticulously investigate the original stone to ensure the correct replacement is used.

Engineered Stone Fixing Design

The security and longevity of stone installations hinge on impeccable fixing design. We specialize in developing robust and bespoke fixing systems, including critical secondary steelwork, for every stone application. Our engineers conduct meticulous design analysis, accounting for stone characteristics and specific site challenges, to ensure optimal load transfer and enduring stability.

Our fixing design services deliver:

Customized fixing solutions, from simple restraints to complex structural integrations.
Independent design analysis to validate system integrity.
Detailed fabrication drawings for seamless execution.

Expert Stone Consultancy & Technical Guidance

Leverage our extensive technical expertise and practical experience for comprehensive support throughout your project lifecycle. We provide crucial insights and solutions for all stone-related challenges, ensuring informed decision-making and optimal outcomes. Our involvement in the production of British and European Standards and industry codes of practice underscores our deep understanding.

Our consultancy services encompass:

Development of precise stone specifications.
Development proposals for suitable substrates and backing structures.
Expert advice on stone suitability, limitations, and testing interpretations, assisting developers, institutions, architects, façade engineers, and specialist stone companies.
On-site diagnostics for existing stonework issues (e.g., marking, staining, pitting, cracking, installation problems).

Confident Stone Selection & Compliance

Choosing the right stone is fundamental to your project’s success. We empower you to make fully informed decisions with confidence, ensuring selected materials meet both aesthetic desires and stringent statutory requirements. Our process includes rigorous vetting and comprehensive documentation for compliance.

Our comprehensive stone selection and compliance services include:

Independent Stone Assessment: Evaluating suitability across igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic types, considering geological variations and quarry practices. Our independent experts assess the stone’s suitability for your project and help you make a fully informed choice.
Quality & Supply Assurance: Regularly visiting quarries, mines, and processing plants to verify ethical practices, quality control, and consistent supply. This includes close examination of exposed faces and the potential for geological variations between different beds or types of stone. We also call for testing sample plans and reports.
Regulatory Compliance: Ensuring all stone materials comply with relevant Harmonised Standards (EN) and are supported by essential UKCA/CE Certificates and Declarations of Performance (DoP). This includes scrutinizing recent test production data to confirm technical properties and calling for additional investigation or tests when necessary. All stone elements introduced to the market within the UK and European Union require DoP and UKCA/CE certification, regardless of their country of manufacture. The certificates must show:
- Traditional name
- Petrological family
- Typical color
- Place of origin
- Intended use
- Essential characteristics (test results)

At Façade Creations, we are your Stone Consultant & Design Engineers. We help you select stone with confidence, specify it correctly, and create architectural features and details that are sympathetic to the stone selection. We provide a comprehensive design service, expertly translating your vision using both traditional and contemporary methodologies. Our experienced team will advise on, and undertake, all aspects of your stone cladding, paving, flooring, and traditional stone masonry requirements, for any type of new construction, refurbishment, or heritage restoration. We are happy to liaise with any third party nominated by you to ensure the successful development and completion of your project.

We have access to a significant knowledge resource, based on the latest standards and a vast accumulation of collected data. As well as receiving expert design advice, you can be confident that the fixing and maintenance of stone and other masonry materials such as brick, reconstituted, and precast stone will receive our clear professional guidance.