Damaged stone cladding

Hurricanes are a testament to the awesome power of nature. Torrential downpours, massive storm surges, flooding, and wind speeds exceeding 155 miles per hour can all occur during a category 5 storm. Homes, businesses, trees, roads, and even lives can all be destroyed in an instant. StonePly travertine, marble, and granite cladding, however, is likely to come through the worst storm unscathed.

The Problem: Hurricanes and Damage to Natural Stone Cladding

When natural stone cladding systems other than those created by StonePly are used for building exteriors, the scene in the photo above is an all too familiar one when an area is hit by a severe hurricane.

Extremely high winds alone can be sufficient to harm marble or travertine cladding, but the most severe damage to stone during hurricanes is often due to flying debris. Objects are tossed and hurled through the air. If they happen to strike regular granite cladding, the stone may crack or even completely shatter.

The Solution: Hurricane-Resistant StonePly Panels

The uncertainty and potential losses and disruptions associated with hurricanes make them inherently stressful weather events.

When you choose StonePly, destroyed travertine or marble cladding is one thing you won’t have to worry about in the aftermath of the storm. Why? Our natural stone cladding panels:

• Have been tested for wind speeds in excess of 300 miles per hour (almost double the minimum sustained wind speed for a rare category 5 hurricane)
• Can withstand wind loads of 400 pounds per square foot
• Exhibited no delamination or disengagement in positive and negative wind load testing (pressures were equal to winds exceeding 245 miles per hour)
• Passed a large missile impact test (no breakage or shattering occurred when a 2×4 was fired directly at our natural stone cladding at a speed of 50 feet per second)
• Are up to 60 times more impact resistant than 1.5-inch granite slab stone

StonePly Panels: Lab and Field Tested For Severe Weather

While lab results are convincing, one question you may still have is: “How will StonePly panels perform during a real storm?”

As our work on the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas demonstrates, the simple answer is: extraordinarily. The gorgeous travertine cladding here survived a number of hurricanes, one of which was a devastating category 5. These stone cladding panels remained undamaged despite being struck by flying tree limbs and other debris.

For More StonePly Information

A full summary of our laboratory testing results and technical info about StonePly panels and wind loads are available at the StonePly website. You can also view hundreds of stone choices that can be used to create hurricane-resistant stone panels and learn more about our lengthy track record of success. If you’d like to take the next step and discuss the details of your project with a representative during a free initial consultation, contact us. We can be reached through the contact form on our site or by phone at 903-454-4630.

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