Holcim Geostone
You’ll find answers to some of the frequently asked questions about our products here.
In the context of concrete, Global Warming Potential (GWP) refers to the total greenhouse gas emissions associated with producing the concrete, expressed in terms of kilograms of CO₂ equivalent (kg CO₂-eq) per unit of material (commonly per cubic metre).
A color’s Light Reflectance Value (LRV) measures the amount of visible and usable light that reflects from or absorbs into a specific surface. Simply put, LRV measures the percentage of light a surface color reflects.
The Solar Reflectance Index (SRI) is a measure of the solar reflectance and emissivity of materials that can be used as an indicator of how hot they are likely to become when exposed to the sun. Solar reflectance is the ability of a material to reflect solar energy from its surface back into the atmosphere.
“Slip rating” refers to a classification system that quantifies a surface’s ability to prevent slips and falls, particularly when wet. The main applicable testing methods for most pedestrian surfaces, both interior and exterior where water might be present is the Wet Pendulum Test, which yields a P-rating (P0 to P5, with P5 being the highest slip resistance). Architects must specify the appropriate slip rating based on the intended use and potential environmental conditions of the decorative concrete surface, ensuring it meets the safety requirements for the specific application (e.g., a polished indoor floor will require a different rating than an outdoor exposed aggregate pathway). Typical medium exposed aggregate achieves a slip rating of P5 – this is only a guide and comes down to the placing contractor. Exposure levels, and type of finish, will affect the achieved slip rating.
To place an order, call the Customer Service Centre on 13 11 88. To ensure availability, an order needs to be placed a minimum of 7 days in advance of the required delivery date. Remember to notify us if your project will be completed over a period of time.
View our full list of Approved Installers using the link below. When choosing an installer we recommend you always ask for recent customer references and view some of their recently completed work. Remember to make sure both you and your installer agree on the desired finish and discuss any unique requirements for your project.
Yes, but be aware that as Geostone is a natural project, completing a project over a number of days can result in colour variation. Talk to your installer and make sure they take into account weather conditions as well as staging the installation if you are placing Geostone in a few different areas of your home (e.g. one day for the driveway followed by another day for pathways) to reduce the appearance of any variation that may occur.
Visit one of our national Display and Selection Centres to view the entire Geostone range available in your area. You can find your nearest Display and Selection Centre using the link below.
The stone in Geostone is a raw material and is selected for its natural variation in colour, size and shape, therefore some variation can occur from batch to batch and such variations can influence the overall colour and appearance of your finished project.
Where the concrete is placed can also have an effect on the final appearance; concrete placed in shaded areas can appear different to concrete placed in direct sunlight, and concrete placed in cold conditions can appear different to concrete placed in warm conditions. Additionally, variation in the exposure level (e.g. the volume of stone showing or the extent to which they protrude above the concrete) or, inconsistent levels of stone exposure on a project, can also result in colour variation.
Please consult with your approved installer.
It is quite common (and recommended) for concrete projects to be engineer designed. You may wish to consult with a structural engineer at the outset to specify and design your project, this is particularly vital for internal flooring and commercial projects.
We recommend that control joints be cut to a minimum of 25% of the concrete depth in order to be effective.
We recommend that control joints be cut by trowel or jointing tool whilst the concrete is ‘plastic’, or by saw no later than 18 hours after the concrete is laid.
We recommend discussing and planning this with your installer.
Control joints are placed in the concrete to encourage any cracking that may occur to happen in predetermined locations, allowing the customer to control to an extent where the cracking happens and reduce cracking as much as possible given the terrain.
We recommend discussing this with your Geostone installer.
Where possible, it is better to avoid pouring on days of high temperature or high wind as your concrete may dry too quickly which can lead to cracking. If it is critical to pour on such days, it is essential that the necessary steps are taken to prevent rapid drying. Discuss with your installer what steps will be taken to prevent rapid drying on your Geostone project.
The level of exposure can be controlled; light exposure reveals a few stones in the surface while heavy exposure creates a more coarse effect with more stones protruding from the surface. Make sure you discuss the options with your installer before starting your Geostone project.
Only commercially available retarders (a chemical used to prevent the top layer of concrete from hardening) should be used when exposing the stone in your Geostone project. Sugar should never be used as a retarder as it has been our experience that it will not achieve a consistent result. Your installer should include the cost of retarders in their quote.
We recommend avoiding adding water to the mix as this will affect the colour, finish and strength of your concrete.
To protect your Geostone concrete, it is recommended to seal the decorative concrete surfaces. Read more on sealing here. Decorative concrete is quite easy to look after. Click here to read more tips for cleaning decorative concrete.
We recommend resealing your Geostone concrete every 2 years to keep it looking the way you want it to. Keep in mind this depends on the amount of traffic and resulting abrasion on the concrete surface.
As concrete is a porous material it can absorb contaminants which can lead to staining if not treated. Not all installers include sealing as a standard so make sure you ask your installer about sealing at the outset of your project.Click here to read more on sealing your decorative concrete.
The process of exposing aggregate and grinding polished or honed concrete floors produces sensitive waste materials such as cement slurries, care should be taken to retain all waste on site and then dispose of it in a responsible manner. Contact your local council for more information.
Not sure how much concrete you will need? Use our Concrete Calculator. Concrete Calculator
This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.
