Dimension stone
anchoring guide
New ASTM document covers design, selection,
and installation methods for stone cladding
By Kenneth A. Hooker
S
ince the early 1980s, shifts in
architectural fashion have
combined with advances in
fabrication technology to increase
the prevalence of natural stone as
building cladding. The introduc-
tion of new attachment methods
and the hunger for information
among many architects unused
to working with stone led ASTM
Committee C-18 on Dimension
Stone to develop a new document
offering guidance. This document,
called ASTM C 1242 “Standard
Guide for Design, Selection, and
Installation of Exterior Dimen-
s i o nS t o n e Anchors andAnchoring
Systems,” was approved in July
and published in September 1993.
ASTM C 1242 is not meant to
provide specific solutions to spe-
cific design problems, nor to be
referenced in contract documents.
Rather, it sets forth basic require-
ments for the design of anchor-
age systems and provides a prac-
tical checklist to make sure each
requirement has been considered.
Recognizing the pace of engineer-
ing innovation in the field, the
authors expect the guide to need
frequent updates and are solicit-
ing comments from users to facil-
itate the process. This article
covers some of the main issues
addressed by the new guide.
Design considerations
Before you can select a suit-
able anchoring system, you need
to establish a number of factors:
■ The physical characteristics of
the stone, based on informa-
tion provided by the supplier
and on the results of a speci-
fied test program (See “Testing
Thin Stone Veneers, Parts 1
and 2,” Masonry Construction,
March and July 1991)
■ Design loads and safety factors
for the cladding
■ Wind and seismic loads on the
building
■ Anticipateddimensionalchanges
in the building due to wind-
load sway, thermal expansion
or contraction, elastic deforma-
tion, seismic movement, creep,
and shrinkage
When combined with the con-
ceptual design for the building
exterior, these factors will help
determine the size and thickness
of stone panels to be used and the
Attaching stone panels to prefabricated
metal trusses can ease installation of
complex cladding systems.
type of backup system to which
the panels will be attached. The
configuration of windows, flash-
ings and weeps, insulation, and
other elements of the exterior
skin also will affect the choice of
anchoring system.
Regardless of the anchoring
method used, the following gen-
eral rules are helpful:
■ Make connections simple, us-
ing the fewest components pos-
sible. Use the fewest possible
types of connections within a
project.
■ Distribute the weight of each
stone or panel over no more
than two anchors to simplify
design calculations.
■ Make sure connections are ad-
justable, to accommodate
tolerances in materials and
construction.
■ Where either a round hole or a
slot in the stone can accommo-
date a given anchor, a round
hole is preferable. In stone of a
given thickness, stresses are
better distributed around a
round hole than a slot.
■ Make sure connection locations
are accessible to installers dur-

Figure 1. Strap anchors fit into sealant-
filled kerfs at the edges of stone panels.
ing construction.
■ Design connection components
to avoid trapping moisture.
Erection standards
Construction documents set
standards formaterials a n dw o rk-
manship and identify the scope
of the work. These documents
may be issued by the architect,
engineer, design-build authority,
or others.
Require shop drawings. In
addition to the usual architec-
tural drawings and specifications,
dimension stone projects need
shopdrawings that detail all parts
of the work required, including
material types, thicknesses, fin-
ishes, and all other pertinent in-
formation dealing with fabrica-
tion, anchorage, and installation.
The drawings should show con-
tiguous materials or assemblies
that are provided by others.
Establish and monitor tol-
erances. The construction docu-
ments also specify erection toler-
ances that contractors are bound
by contract to work within. The
specification should require the
erection contractor to progres-
sively examine the construction
to which his work attaches or ad-
joins. It’s important for the erec-
tion contractor to report to the
prime contractor any condition
that might prevent performance
within the established toler-
ances. Some conditions to watch
for include variations from plumb
or level, variations from linear
building lines shown, and varia-
tions in the face plane of adjacent
cladding pieces.
Consult specialists when
needed. In some instances, the
services of professional stone
cladding designers can be helpful.
The need for such special skills
will depend on such factors as:
■ The performance record of the
specified materialsandmethods
■ The complexity of the cladding
system, anchors, and connec-
tions
■ Any unusual or extreme load-
ing conditions
■ An unusual frame or struc-
tural system
■ The requirements of the appli-
cable building code
Anchor types
ASTM C 1242 defines “anchor”
as a metal shape inserted into a
slot or hole in the stone that pro-
vides for the transfer of loads
from the stone to the building
structure,eitherdirectlyorthrough
an intermediate structure.
Metal that is in contact with
stone preferably should be 300
Series stainless steel. Other met-
als can be used if they are prop-
erly protected from moisture and
galvanic action. Metal not in di-
rect contact with exterior stone
can be stainless steel, galvanized
steel, zinc-rich painted steel,
epoxy-coated steel, or aluminum.
The standard describes basic
types of anchors—strap, rod,
tooled rod, rod and plug, adhe-
sive embedded, disk, and wire
tie—a n dg i v e s guidelines o nt h e i r
proper use. It also discusses an-
chors used to fasten stone to pre-
cast concrete backing and those
used strictly in repair applica-
tions.
Strap anchors (Figure 1) are
flat metal bars designed to fit in-
to a slot or kerf cut into the edge
of the stone. The portion of the
anchor inserted into the kerf ap-
plies a load to the kerf walls.
Strap anchors must be strong
enough to maintain their de-
signed shape under load. The
size, number, and location of
strap anchors should be deter-
mined from analysis or testing,
but each stone should have at
least four separate anchorage
points.
The depth of the kerf and the
length of the embedded portion of
anchor are important. The slot
should be as shallow as possible,
but deep enough so the anchor
won’t disengage because of build-
ing movement, anchor distortion,
or joint enlargement.
Point loading can damage the
kerf and compromise the perfor-
mance of the connection. Avoid
point loads by using straps strong
enough that they won’t distort un-
der load, chamfering or shimming
the kerf edge, or providing extra
tolerance in the cut (Figure 2).
Fill kerfs with a nonstaining
sealant to prevent entrapped wa-
ter from causing stains on the
stone face or fracturing the stone
when it freezes. The sealant also
cushions and, under certain con-
ditions, distributes the load be-
tween the anchor and stone. To
prevent a f a i l u r ei n o n ef r o mc a u s-
ing a failure in the other, keep
the kerf sealant from contacting
the joint sealant.
Rod or dowel anchors are
round metal bars designed to fit
into holes drilled into the stone
(Figure 3). They will function un-
Figure 2. Design connections to avoid point loading at the edge of a kerf.
til the shear capacity of the stone
at the drilled hole is exceeded.
The size, number, and location
of rod anchors must be deter-
mined from analysis or testing.
However, at least four rod an-
chors are required for each stone
panel, two each at opposite edges
of the stone. More dowels may be
required depending on the load.
Preferably, anchors should be
located at one-fifth points along
the edge unless more than two
anchors per edge are required. In
that case, they should be spaced
to satisfythose load requirements.
Anchors should be located in
the center one-third of the stone’s
thickness, at a constant distance
from the finished face. Anchor di-
ameter should not exceed one-
quarter of the stone thickness.
Dowel embedment depth should
be at least four times the dowel
diameter. The dowel should be 1⁄16
to 1⁄8 inch smaller in diameter
than the dowel hole.
Bottom-edge anchors can be
combined with a steel angle for
gravity support (Figure 4). The
dowel is fixed to the angle and ex-
tends up into a round hole drilled
i n t ot h e bottom o ft h es t o n e . These
anchors also can be used to an-
chor two stones at once. In that
use, the dowel is passed through
a hole in the angle and extends
both up into the bottom of the
supported stone and down into
the top edge of the stone below to
act as a lateral support. The dow-
el need not be fixed in the angle.
Again, install a nonstaining
sealant in each dowel hole to
prevent point loading and water
entrapment.
Tooledrodanchors a r er o u n d
bars with a tooled shape at one or
both ends that fits into a matching
hole in the stone. Most work with
a wedging action and are designed
to resist pullout. Included in this
category is the rod and plug an-
chor (Figure 5), which is a thread-
ed rod that is passed through the
face of the stone and screwed into
a tapped plug inserted in a round
hole in the edge of the stone.
Adhesive embedded an -
chors are rods or bars that are
bonded into angled holes in the
stone (Figure 6). The rods are
smooth, threaded, or deformed.
The holes are filled with epoxy or
polyester resin. Pullout strength
of these connections should be
tested without the adhesive. In
all applications, the integrity of
the connection should be calculat-
ed or tested only on the strength
of the mechanical fastener, not
the adhesive.
Disk anchors are used less
frequently. They are rod anchors
that have a round, square, or
rectangular plate attached per-
pendicular to the end of the rod.
The plate is imbedded into a slot
in the stone and the rod is at-
tached to the support structure.
T h ep l a t e ss h o u l d n o tb em o r t a r e d
in place.
Wire anchors generally are
used in interior applications and
for low-rise buildings where de-
sign loads and performance are
limited to the capacity of the an-
chors.
Sealant joints
Unrestrained movements in di-
mension stone cladding normally
cause no stress problems. There-
fore, providing soft, structurally
open joints in the cladding is one
way to help prevent it from fail-
ing. Soft joints between individu-
ally anchored stones keep loads
from transferring from one stone
to another. The joints usually are
sized at two to four times the ex-
pected movement.
 Joints in the cladding system
need to accommodate tolerances
in stone dimension and setting,
dimensional changes in the stone
due to temperature and mois-
ture, and movement of the build-
ing frame.
To make sure that sealantjoints
perform properly, keep all hard
materials out of the joint space
and select sealants with care.
Joint sealants. Follow manu-
facturers’ recommendations when
selecting joint sealants, but be
sure the product you choose pro-
vides the necessary tear and peel
strength, elasticity, compressibili-
ty, and hardness. The joint seal-
ant should resist soiling and fad-
ing, and be compatible with any
other sealant it may come in con-
tact with.
Test the sealant to make sure
it doesn’t bleed into the stone to
be used for the project. And fol-
low the manufacturer’s recom-
mendations as to the tempera-
ture of application, the condition
of the substrate, and the need for
a primer.
Backup structures
ASTM C 1242 also provides
guidelines for the backup sys-
tems commonly used to transfer
applied loads on the cladding and
anchors to the building structure.
To choose an appropriate backup
system, you first need to under-
stand the properties of the build-
ing structure, the properties of
the cladding material, and the
nature and magnitude of the ex-
pected loads. But other factors,
such as the location and capabili-
ties of the stone fabricator and the
schedule of exterior wall construc-
tion, also can affect the choice.
Dimension stone cladding can
be anchored directly to structural
frames of steel or reinforced con-
crete, to structural or backup
walls of masonry or poured con-
crete, to metal strut systems, or
to prefabricated metal truss as-
semblies.
Masonry or concrete back-
up. Although masonry or con-
crete backup walls are seldom
Figure 3. Rod anchors fit into holes
drilled in the edges of stone panels.
Figure 4. Bottom-edge rod anchors can
be combined with a steel angle for
gravity support.
used behind stone cladding for
high-rise curtain-wall construc-
tion, they are appropriate under
certain circumstances:
■ Where the backup walls serve
as part of the building struc-
ture, such as foundation, bear-
ing, and shear walls
■ Where dense masonry walls al-
so s e r v eo t h e r purposes,such as
reducing sound transmission
or protecting against hazards
■ Where the stone sizes or set-
ting patterns make only a ma-
sonry backup practical
Dimension stone with a ma-
sonry backup may be either set
in mortar or dry set. In a mortar
set system, all stone joints are
filled with mortar; in a dry set
system, joints between stones are
filled with flexible materials such
as gaskets or sealant. The dry
setting method is not practical
for small or irregularly shaped
stones. In either system, metal
anchors inserted in the stone
span a cavity and attach to the
backup. The anchors must be ca-
pable of transferring wind loads
to the backup.
The anchors can be attached to
the backup in several ways. Ex-
pansion bolts can be used with a
concrete masonry backup, provid-
ed the masonry units are at least
75% solid. Use through-bolts
with fish plates for a hollow ma-
sonry backup. Or, bolt the an-
chors to an intermediate struc-
ture such as an angle, tube, or
channel which, in turn, is fas-
tened to or built into the backup
wall.
Strut systems. Instead of a
masonry backup, dimension stone
cladding can be anchored to met-
al struts attached to the building
frame. Struts normally are pro-
vided in floor height increments
up to 15 feet long. They also may
back up stone spandrels from the
window head to the floor level or
window sill above.
In designing metal strut sys-
tems, consider the deflection of
the struts under wind loads, as
well as any loads applied by
contiguous window assemblies.
For spandrel struts, analyze ro-
tation as well as deflection. It
may be necessary to brace the
struts back to the spandrel beam
or floor slab.
Provide soft joints both in the
stone facing and between strut
sections to accommodate expan-
sion and differential movements.
ASTM C 1242 recommends
placing struts at one-fifth points
behind each s t o n ep a n e l .A l-
though placing struts at joint lo-
cations reduces the number of
struts needed, the need for
longer and stronger shelf angles
and thicker stone can offset any
potential savings.
Truss systems. Prefabricated
metal truss backup systems offer
several significant benefits.
When large panels (including in-
sulation and stone cladding) are
fabricated off-site, less time is
needed to enclose a building. The
greater control allowed by shop
fabrication makes truss systems
especially suitable for complex
facade configurations.
ASTM C 1242 recommends
rigorous testing of full-scale
mock-up panels, as well as indi-
vidual components, to ensure ad-
equate performance of the as-
sembly. And because
prefabricated panels generally
are large and heavy, consider us-
ing redundant connections to the
building to preclude a catas-
trophic failure if a primary con-
nection fails.
Water infiltration
Although a well-designed and
carefully installed stone cladding
system should allow little water
to penetrate, some water infiltra-
tion is bound to occur over the
building’s service life. When wa-
ter that penetrates the exterior
or condenses within the cavity is
Figure 5. Rod and plug anchor
Figure 6. Adhesive embedded anchors
may be smooth, threaded, or deformed.
PUBLICATION #M940208
Copyright © 1994, The Aberdeen Group
All rights reserved
trapped there, freeze-thaw cy-
cling can destroy the integrity of
the stone at anchorage points.
Trapped water also can cause
sealants to deteriorate, stone to
stain, and steel components to
corrode. The design guide recom-
mends providing a secondary de-
fense against water damage with
flashing, weep tubes, and suit-
able vapor retarders to complete-
ly isolate the wall cavity from the
building interior.
Weep tubes should be spaced
no more than 25 feet apart verti-
cally and 16 to 24 inches apart
horizontally. Vent tubes inside
the cavity should extend vertical-
ly from the weeps high enough to
prevent wind-driven rain from
entering.
Because joint sealant usually
f o r m st h ep r i m a r y defenseagainst
water infiltration, its suitability
should be confirmed in advance.
A field test panel erected at least
a month (preferably three or more
months) before cladding installa-
tion begins can be used to evalu-
ate sealant performance.
To obtain ASTM C 1242
Those involved with the design
and installation of stone clad-
ding systems can order their
own copies of the 11-page stan-
dard from ASTM, 1916 Race St.,
Philadelphia, PA 19103.
Editor’s Note: Portions of this article origi-
nally appeared in “Anchoring Dimension
Stone,” by Seymour A. Bortz, Don E.
Shorts, and Gail R. Hook, Masonry Con-
struction, December 1990, pp. 526-530.