- Preparations before ordering the worktop
Before starting the installation work, the customer must prepare the installation area at their own expense as follows:
• make sure that the cabinets, furniture and support frames required for the installation of the worktop are in the same condition as during the surveying and installation work – properly installed, level and, if necessary, sufficiently supported;
• make sure that the openings in the cabinets, furniture and support frames under the worktop, which are necessary for the hob, sink(s), mixer(s), etc., are properly located and cut to the correct dimensions;
• make sure that the existing worktop and background have been removed to the required extent where necessary;
• when purchasing and installing cabinets, furniture and support frames, take into account the weight of the ordered products: quartz at least 75 kg/m2, granite and marble at least 95 kg/m2, ceramics at least 25 kg/m2;
• make sure that the floor of the installation area is covered with a strong, non-slip material. Hansakivi installers are required to wear safety boots that may damage the floor;
• make sure that water connections are closed and electrical connections are disconnected;
• allow installers safe and unobstructed access to the work area and remove objects that may hinder the work.
• if separately agreed in the order, the customer is responsible for lifting assistance.
- Installation of natural stone tiles
It is recommended to wash all natural stones with clean water before installation to remove dust residues from mining or processing. The construction of vertical surfaces with natural stone depends on the stone and its dimensions. Wider and more massive stones are laid as a separate wall and, if necessary, anchored to other structures. When gluing natural stones, it is recommended to use special natural stone adhesives and mixtures. After the mixture has dried, it is recommended to remove anchors made of non-rust-proof material to avoid rust stains in the stone joints in the following years. Only stone adhesive that breathes with natural stone can be used as a fixing mixture. A special natural stone masonry mixture with normal adhesion can be used as a natural stone masonry mixture.
Before starting work, it is recommended to familiarize yourself with the instructions for use of natural stone installation mixtures. We recommend treating damp rooms and outdoor areas with an adhesion dispersion before installing natural stones.
When installing translucent and light-colored natural stones, a white natural stone installation mixture is used.
To install thin 1-2 cm thick paving and garden stones, a concrete base must be poured in advance, onto which the natural stones are installed with stone glue. If the stone slabs are 3-5 cm thick, they can be installed directly on sand or crushed stone and the joints filled with decorative crushed stone or grass left between the stones. Thick natural stone slabs can also be installed on crushed stone with a wet concrete mixture, which hardens due to the moisture coming from the soil. Hardening occurs within about a week, during this period, avoid walking on the stones. The concrete reaches its final strength after the third week.