TECHNICAL AND LAYING INFORMATION This technical document aims to provide suggestions for the correct working and installation of the VETRITE slabs produced by SICIS and tips on how to choose the most suitable materials (adhesives and mortars for sealing the joints manufactured by Litokol S.p.A.) for installing the slabs inside both residential and public/commercial buildings, to cover floors and walls. All the information provided in this document also applies to the most recent VETRITE collections such as Electric Marble, Gem Glass and Spathula. 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION OF VETRITE ............................................................................................................................ 4 2. VETRITE AND THE ENVIRONMENT ..................................................................................................................................... 4 3. TRANSPORT AND STORAGE ............................................................................................................................................... 4 4. QUALITY ASSESSMENT ....................................................................................................................................................... 6 Quality assessment methods .............................................................................................................................................................. 6 Size requirements ............................................................................................................................................................................... 6 5. GEOMETRIC PATTERNS, SYMMETRY AND TONES OF VETRITE’S DECORATION ....................................................... 6 6. WORKING VETRITE ON THE CONSTRUCTION SITE ......................................................................................................... 8 7. INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE APPLICATION OF VETRITE IN THE PRESENCE OF WALL-MOUNTED FURNISHING ELEMENTS .......................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Example of application of VETRITE together with wall-mounted sanitary fixtures ........................................................................... 10 8. CONTROLLED TIGHTENING TOOLS ................................................................................................................................. 12 9. MANUAL CUTTING OF VETRITE ........................................................................................................................................ 13 10. CUTTING VETRITE WITH THE CURCULAR SAW .............................................................................................................. 14 11. WATERJET CUT ................................................................................................................................................................... 15 Waterjet - parameters ....................................................................................................................................................................... 15 Work surface ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 16 Breakthrough .................................................................................................................................................................................... 16 Warnings regarding the Waterjet cut ................................................................................................................................................ 17 Removing the slab from the work surface ......................................................................................................................................... 18 12. EDGE POLISHING ................................................................................................................................................................ 19 Jolly edge / 45° edge ........................................................................................................................................................................ 19 13. EDGE PROFILING ................................................................................................................................................................ 20 Profiling unit (straight machine) - parameters ................................................................................................................................... 21 CNC machines equipped with side cutters - parameters .................................................................................................................. 21 Parameters and characteristics of cooling water .............................................................................................................................. 22 14. CLEANING VETRITE BEFORE LAYING ............................................................................................................................. 22 15. LAYING VETRITE ................................................................................................................................................................. 22 16. CHOOSING THE ADHESIVE ................................................................................................................................................ 24 17. ADHESIVES .......................................................................................................................................................................... 25 18. SEALING THE JOINTS ......................................................................................................................................................... 25 19. EXPANSION JOINTS ............................................................................................................................................................ 26 20. APPLICATION OF VETRITE IN WET ROOMS/INDOOR POOL AREAS ............................................................................ 26 21. EXPOSURE TO HEAT .......................................................................................................................................................... 28 22. OPALESCENT FINISH AND BACKLIGHTING .................................................................................................................... 30 Laying opalescent VETRITE slabs on the illuminating device (i.e. LED panel) ................................................................................ 30 2 23. RAISED FLOORING (STANDARD AND BACKLIT) ............................................................................................................ 32 Standard (non-backlit) raised flooring composed of 25 mm thick units ............................................................................................ 32 Backlit raised flooring composed of 45 mm thick units ..................................................................................................................... 33 LED panel – custom option ............................................................................................................................................................... 34 LED panel – commercial option ........................................................................................................................................................ 35 Installation procedure ........................................................................................................................................................................ 36 24. SICISGRIP ANTI-SLIP TREATMENT ................................................................................................................................... 37 25. SPECIAL APPLICATIONS.................................................................................................................................................... 37 26. CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE ........................................................................................................................................ 38 Cleaning and maintenance of VETRITE with satin finish .................................................................................................................. 38 27. REMOVING SCRATCHES .................................................................................................................................................... 39 28. GLASS REPAIR KIT ............................................................................................................................................................. 40 29. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS................................................................................................................................................ 41 Substances non-compatible with VETRITE ...................................................................................................................................... 41 30. VETRITE AND SAFETY ........................................................................................................................................................ 43 3 1. TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION OF VETRITE VETRITE is a decorative technical glass slab, which is obtained by pressing together polymers in liquid phase, metal foils and textile fibres. The result is a