[Jeff Handley]

Fellow Fabnetters,

The MIA is pleased to unveil an all new look for http://www.marble-institute.com.

It features a more robust members only area, and easy to find information for homeowners and design specialists.

Check it out and let me know what you think.

Special thanks to Andy for his valuable insight and expertise during the final phases.

Merry Christmas to all, and a peaceful and prosperous New Year too.

Jeff

[Un-Authorized]

Jeff:

That looks very professional. Nice job.

I am concerned over the MIA’s allowing wood shim use for countertop installation. (Homeowners Guide to Natural Stone Countertop Installation, Page 5., #8.) Wood shims are not dimensionally stable and are compressive in nature, traits that can be disasterous for seams and splashes. I strongly suggest you eliminate them from your manual and recommend only noncompressive shims like these which should be adhered in place.

The accessability to screws specified in the drawings is unrealistic when shoehorning a large sink into a tight cabinet. Mechanical fastening of sinks should be stressed. I’ve repaired at least twenty failed wood shim and polyester sink “installations.”

I’m glad to see the MIA advocate for the use of trivets on natural stone in the very first paragraph of Care and Cleaning for Homeowners. I was thrown off of the Stone Fabricators Alliance website for pointing out their hypocrisy for supporting the MIA standards in writing, yet at the same time calling a video showing steak frying on a granite countertop the best video ever. They can’t have it both ways.

Thanks for bringing realistic expectations to homeowners through your publications.

Joe

[Jeff Handley]

Joe,

Thanks for the input on shims, I have submitted it to our tech dept.

If MIA standardized the use of non-compressive shims, wouldn’t we also have to standardize non-compressive cabinetry?

Using a trivet on a top, and heating a piece of stone are 2 different things. Granite can take heat (and a lot of it) uniformly without much problem. Heating a small portion of a larger stone surface can be a big problem where the hot (expanding) and cold (contracted) areas meet.

Jeff

[Un-Authorized]

Posted By Jeff Handley on 22 Dec 2011 01:59 PM
Joe, 

If MIA standardized the use of non-compressive shims, wouldn’t we also have to standardize non-compressive cabinetry?

Using a trivet on a top, and heating a piece of stone are 2 different things. Granite can take heat (and a lot of it) uniformly without much problem. Heating a small portion of a larger stone surface can be a big problem where the hot (expanding) and cold (contracted) areas meet.

Jeff

Jeff:

Cabinets are virtually noncompressive. Most are made of MDF or plywood, more noncompressive than a wood shim on the flat (and much more dimensionally stable), since the sides of the cabinet are verticle.

I’m glad to see we agree about heat and granite. Don’t say that on the SFA site though. They’ve cooked their steaks and as you know, seeing is believing.

Joe

[Andy Graves]

The new site is amazing compared to the last site. Huge improvement and I am glad to see you took the time to do it right rather than a half ass attempt.

The navigation is much improved and finding what you need is much easier.

[Author]

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