RAPHA Stone - Description
It is a real stone veneer made from splitable slate rocks. Thin layers of approximately 0.1 to 2.0 mm are split from big, random sized rock sheets. A polyester resin and glass fibers a bonding the veneer layers together. The rough split surfaces and the ever changing color variations in each layer make each leaf a unique piece and a treat for the senses.

Base and balancing materials
The base material must meet the specific application. All wood and lightweight materials are suitable. If the RAPHA Stone is only applied on one side of a carrier material, it is important to have a counter balance on the other side for stability.
Mechanically mounted panels which have the RAPHA Stone on one side, need a craft paper or foil of at least 150 g / m2. If applied as floor or wall panels, different climate conditions have to be taken into
consideration.

Gluing
The polyester covered back side of the RAPHA Stone is treated with a special 90 g balancing fleece. It is now possible to glue these sheets with common dispersion glues, hot melts and PUR glues onto a variety of carrier materials such as wood, fiber cement boards and gypsum panels. For water resistant applications we recommend to apply a one or two component PUR adhesive (without the special fleece) onto the polyester backside. Please refer to the adhesive manufacturers technical data sheets.

NEU: RAPHA Stone peel & stick
RAPHA Stone pre-pressed onto a self-adhesive foil. Easy to use. For all kind of wall- and ceiling application.

Pressing
RAPHA Stone has a natural, rough split able surface with a tolerance of up to 2 mm. Thickness equalizing additions protect the veneers from being damaged.
Proven are 7 mm thick rubber plates with a shore grade of 50 and a temperature Resistance of at least + 80˚ C. It is important that the rubber mate has an insulating effect, so that the press time can be therefore extended. Pending on the adhesive type and press temperature of 80˚ C, press time approximately 6 minutes. Depending on the press configuration, the pressure has to be carefully set.

Tooling requirements
The RAPHA Stone has thin stone layers and can be cut with standard saw equipment. Due to the thin stone layer and the fiber cover on the backside, the down time of the saw is reduced.
Using panels with RAPHA Stone on both sides, it is recommended to score them because the stone surface on the backside tends to slightly splinter The routing process takes also only a short amount of time. For bigger production runs it is recommended to use diamond tools. Commenly used machine cutting speeds in the woodworking industry cannot be exceeded. Dull tools, too high of a revolution or feed rate too slow will generate friction/heat and result in the plasticization of the polyester layer on the backside.

Surface treatment
The rough-split surface is a raw stone surface with the natural appearance and color schemes of different minerals, metal oxidants and corrosion enclosures. This natural playfulness of colours and shapes on the stone surface makes the RAPHA Stone so interesting. The stone surface should be impregnated or lacquered where contamination can occur. For the stone surface protection we developed a water soluble impregnating solution, which is environmentally friendly and
very effective.

RAPHA Stone protection LE3
clear and transparent “Lotus effect” the perfect protection against dirt, water splashes and other contaminations.

RAPHA Stone protection super mat for high stress surfaces.

RAPHA Stone protection silk mat with a smooth texture for high stress surfaces.

Please refer to the technical data sheets!

These impregnations are easily applied with a cloth or sponge and provide a sufficient protection without compromising the color tone. The rough stone surface can also be treated against contamination with other wood lacquers. These wood lacquers can change the natural color appearance of the stone surface. The vividness the natural stone surface might be slightly

Notice
RAPHA Stone is a new product. At this time we only have some experience with this product. The end user has to conduct some field tests to verify the intended application. RAPHA Stone is a natural product. Variations in colour and grain may occur.