Tips of the trade stone cladding

1. Consider the relationship between the primary structure and the stone cladding build up. Is the cladding design suited to the type of structural frame and vice versa? Try to keep the load-bearing connections simple.

2. When designing the outer skin of the building be sure to design the interface between the stone and glazing in a way that will allow for total waterproofing. Unusual window design can create complications.

3. Stone is not an off-the- shelf product so allow enough lead-time in your programming and sequencing for stone selection and production. You should normally allow between three and four months for production and delivery of the order.

4. Consider speeding up construction by prefabricating parts of the cladding system. A prefabricated back-up wall, for example, can save significant time and eliminate the need for wet trades, leading to a more efficient and cleaner site.

5. Think about ways of avoiding double handling which costs time and can result in stone getting damaged. Consider where the stone is going to be stored and the best way to get it to the point of fixing.