Maniscalco Stone

Maniscalco Installation Instructions

Botany Bay Pebbles, April 2009

Botany Bay Pebbles are naturally occurring river or beach pebbles.
Each series has a different look achieved by the style of mounting and stone.
Opus pebbles are a thin-cut stone with a tumbled edge.
Sliced pebbles are the same basic stones as in the Natural and Stacked types, they are just thin slices of those stones. The Sliced Black is stained to enhance the color. Only water- based sealers should be used with the Sliced Black so as not to damage the stain.
Stacked pebbles are cut in half to show the edge of each stone and achieve the appearance of a pebbles stacked on top of each other. Use caution when using on floors.
Natural pebbles are the standard river smoothed stones laying flat on the sheet. Some of the thicker stones may have the bottoms shaved off to level out the sheet.

In all cases, the size, shape, and color of the individual stones on a sheet may vary from batch to batch. Lay out all the sheets and blend them to achieve the best look before installing. When installing the sheets, most end users want a seamless finished look. They want to hide the joint where the sheets come together. It may be necessary to remove some individual pieces and reposition them to help hide the naturally occurring joint between the sheets.

Make sure the product is inspected by the end user before installing. No refunds or adjustments of any kind will be made by Maniscalco or the supplier after the product is installed.
Botany Bay Pebbles may be installed commercially and residentially on interior or exterior vertical areas, in wet or dry locations. It may be installed on floors residentially. It can also be used as an insert around the edge perimeter of a room. Although Botany Bay Pebbles may survive commercial floor installations, there is no commercial testing available, so it is not recommended for this installation. Botany Bay Pebbles can be used in submerged installations. The pebbles have not been tested for chemical resistance, so use in pools is at your own risk. There is no warranty /guarantee as to the performance in areas where acids, chlorine, bromine, and etc. will be used.
Use a tile wet saw with a diamond blade for cutting. Always wear eye protection.

Suggested Installation Method

Always use a licensed contractor.
Always confirm in person with the end user / specifier that the product being installed is the correct product before installing it.
Always inspect the product for unintended flaws that are not part of the fashion or style of the product. Do not install defective or damaged product. If there is a question about the quality of the product contact your supplier before proceeding.
Make sure the substrate is suitable for pebbles. Choose and follow the best technique for your project. Refer to the TCNA and ANSI handbooks for proper substrate preparation.
Make sure crack isolation membranes and water proofing membranes are considered for your type of installation where necessary.
TCNA handbook, page 9, 10
ANSI a118.10, A108.12
Make sure expansion joints and movement joints are considered and used when necessary. Use a soft joint where two different planes come together and where the pebbles meet plumbing fixtures, cabinets, counter tops, window or door moldings, and bath tubs in accordance with the TCNA handbook.
TCNA handbook, page 8, 9, 68, 69, and EJ171-05.
Use a modified white or gray thin-set mortar that meets or exceeds ANSI standards Follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Epoxy is ok for setting pebbles, however it would be very difficult to use as a grout. Organic Mastic is not recommended for Botany Bay Pebbles.
Use the correct size notch trowel depending on the size of the product and your desired results. In most cases a 3/16x3/16 v-notch trowel will be used. Do not allow the thin-set to rise up in the joints. Make sure you achieve full contact between the back of the pebbles and the thin-set; you may use a clean grout float to embed the pebbles.
Allow the thin-set to cure according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
With the exception of the Sliced Black, pebbles are un-treated. A grout release or sealer may be used to seal the tops of the pebbles before the grouting process. Don’t allow the grout release to run down onto the edges of the pebbles as this could prevent the grout from sticking to the sides of the pebbles. By doing this optional step it will allow for easier cleaning after grouting. Allow the sealer to dry according to the manufacturer’s instructions before grouting.
The Stacked pebbles are more difficult to grout due to the shape of the stone. You may use grout and a special additive that will allow the grout to act as the adhesive so that the normal grouting process may be skipped. Most major grout manufactures make an additive.
Sanded grout should be used. Make sure the installer and end user are in agreement about the finished depth of the grout. By over-filling or under-filling the joints the appearance of the finished job can be dramatically changed. If undecided about the grout depth, perform a test before proceeding with the installation.
Read and follow all manufacturers’ instructions on the grout.
Buff and cure the grout according to the grout manufacturer’s instructions. Once the grout is cured, you should seal the pebbles with a stone sealer. Only use a water based stone sealer on the Sliced Black pebbles.

Care and Maintance
Regular cleaning with a neutral stone cleaner or neutral tile cleaner and a soft cloth or sponge according to the manufacturer of the cleaner is recommended. Do not use acids, corrosive, or abrasive cleaners.

We hope this will give the installer an avenue to become and stay educated with the most current recommendations. Please refer to the TCNA hand book regularly because it is revised each year and techniques can change. Our goal is to have trouble-free long lasting installations that can be enjoyed for a lifetime. Use constitutes acceptance, there will be no credits, refunds, or cash settlements, and etc. made after the product is installed, regardless of the circumstances. The TCNA web site is www.tileusa.com .