Natural stone veneer LIGHTWEIGHT

stonemarblepanel

Overview
Marble lightening is an innovative processing technique that transforms stone into lightweight, thin panels while preserving external appearance and mechanical performance. The method reduces slab thickness to a few millimetres and bonds the stone to lighter supports to achieve significant weight savings, structural resistance and, for translucent materials, enhanced translucency.

Process and Technique
At Pistore Marmi the lightening procedure follows a calibrated technical workflow to lower slab weight while maintaining structural performance:

• Bonding the stone to supports such as fiberglass, carbon fibre or metal sheets using epoxy resins.
• Material removal using CNC-controlled milling machines or a single-blade frame to split the slab according to original thickness.
• Calibration and surface finishing by polishing or honing after lightening.
• Use of alternative cores and couplings (honeycomb aluminium, glass, polypropylene, high-density polyurethane foams) selected based on project requirements to optimise weight, rigidity and translucency.

Compatible Materials
Lightening is applicable to a range of natural stones. Primary materials and effects include:

• Marble: main material for lightening; aesthetic qualities retained.
• Onyx and other translucent stones: lightening enhances natural translucency and backlit effects.
• Other natural stones: feasibility depends on structural characteristics and project requirements.

Applications
Lightened marble and stone are suitable where weight reduction is critical while preserving design quality. Typical applications:

• Aeronautical interiors (private jets)
• Naval interiors and yacht cladding, flooring and bathrooms
• Elevator interiors, doors and wall claddings
• Interior elements: flooring, wall cladding, furniture doors, staircases, fireplaces, tables, washbasins, bathtubs, decorative columns
• Facades and outdoor paving (when engineered for exterior use)

Advantages and Benefits
The technique provides multiple benefits for professional projects:

• Significant weight reduction facilitating transport and installation
• Structural efficiency maintaining resistance and functionality with less material
• Material savings reducing production costs and environmental impact
• Design flexibility enabling innovative and complex forms
• Resource optimization for sustainable projects
• Improved thermal and acoustic performance increasing interior comfort
• Rapid installation thanks to reduced weight
• Possibility of producing large pre-assembled elements for easy installation
• Enhanced handling and simplified movement
• Customization enabling made-to-measure solutions

Pistore Marmi expertise
Pistore Marmi provides specialised technical competence in marble lightening, offering process calibration, technical samples and performance testing. The company assists architects and designers in material selection, process optimisation and project integration for residential, commercial, naval and aeronautical applications.

Characteristics / technical specifications

• Typical final thickness: a few millimetres (varies with material and project)
• Support materials: fiberglass, carbon fibre, metal sheets, honeycomb aluminium
• Adhesive system: epoxy resins
• Material removal: CNC-controlled milling machines or single-blade frame splitting
• Finishes: polishing or honing after calibration
• Possible couplings for translucency: glass, polypropylene, high-density polyurethane foams
• Applications: aeronautical, naval, elevator interiors, interior and exterior cladding, furniture elements