The Importance of Testing in the Stone Cladding Industry

Certification through independent testing along with intense internal testing is one of Stone Panel International\’s most significant points of differentiation.

Why is testing so important?  Architects, engineers and general contractors need to be confident the exterior wall cladding system will perform under all conditions and in all climates.

Stone Panels has invested well over $2 million in independent laboratory testing ranging from accelerated aging through various types of structural, fire, blast loading, and air/water infiltration testing.

SPI sets the standard for rigorous testing of our products in the stone cladding industry.  The StoneLite® panels system and its installing components have been thoroughly tested by leading global independent testing laboratories and we are the only lightweight stone supplier approved by the International Code Council (ICC).

ICC is the building authority that writes and administers the model code for all construction in the U.S. and many other countries.  The ICC-Evaluation Service has rigorous requirements that must be met for products and systems to gain acceptance.

StoneLite® panels are accepted by code officials in North America for unrestricted use as exterior cladding for Type 1 buildings and likewise are accepted throughout the majority of Europe.  Stone Panels, Inc. is also the only natural stone supplier accepted by the Miami-Dade County Building Code Compliance Office.  That organization is responsible for evaluating exterior wall systems and testing for proof of ability to resist hurricane winds and large missile impact.

Ongoing quality control procedures are monitored by the ICC, the Miami-Dade Compliance office, the British Board of Agrément in the UK, and the Avis Technique in France.  This testing, quality control, and building official acceptance assures the design-build community that they are buying a system that will perform for many years.

For more information on StoneLite® panels and our testing results, please contact us at 800.328.6275.