Techniques for Reinforcing Stone Countertops
1. Fiberglass Mesh for Stone
Some natural stone slabs may have internal impurities that may result in the stone cracking. To reduce the risk of this happening, fiber mesh is used to reinforce them.
Fiberglass mesh is used to reinforce stone slabs by applying the mesh evenly across the back (or underside) of the stone and affixing it with an epoxy product. The fiberglass mesh strengthens the stone and makes it more resistant to cracking from the impurities that might be inside the Stone.
2. Rodding Stone Countertops
The sink cutouts result in narrow strips of stone bordering the opening. These areas often require a significant amount of reinforcement. However, these are not the only areas where bracing can be beneficial. Depending on the slab, there may be other areas of the stone that could benefit from substantial reinforcement.
3. Steel Rodding
The first rodding option is steel rodding. Reinforcing stone using steel rodding is straightforward. Simply cut a slot in the underside of the stone slab where you want to reinforce it. Then place the strip of steel rodding in the slot and completely cover the rodding with epoxy. It is important to completely encase the steel rodding in epoxy to prevent oxide jacking.
Oxide jacking is a chemical reaction that can result in the stone breaking from pressure buildup due to the reaction occurring in a very tight space. One way to protect your slabs from oxide jacking is to use a rust-proof material.
4. Fiber Rodding
Fiber rodding is used in the same way as steel rodding. However, it will not rust. Since oxide jacking is the result of a chemical reaction that occurs when rusting takes place, using fiber rodding made from rust-free material serves as a protection against breakage from oxide jacking. There is more than one kind of fiber rodding including:
• Fiberglass Rodding
• Carbon Fiber Rodding
