Stone Forensics will be conducting a Stone Inspector training program in January, 2013, during Stone Expo in Las Vegas. The program is designed to teach the basics of inspecting stone and ceramic tile installations. According to Fred Hueston, who will be conducting the training, “The amount of failures, poor installations and other issues with stone and tile flooring are on the rise. There are only a few qualified inspectors in the United States and there are unfortunately few quality training opportunities in this discipline.”
The program is being offered in Las Vegas so students can observe failures of stone and tile installations in real time. “We will spend an entire day going on inspections as part of the class,” said Hueston.
The program is a a full five days with the certification test on the last day and is only offered once per year with the class size limited to 10 students. The cost of the class is $2,500 per person.
The following will be covered: the geology of stone; understanding the structure of different kinds of stone and marble materials; identification of stone and tile types; quarry techniques that affect the final product; production of tile and slabs; fabrication and installation requirements; physical and chemical testing; stone and tile forensic investigation; diagnosis of problems; stone and tile restoration; repair and replacement; stain removal; troubleshooting; report writing; expert witness testimony; slip resistance; and laboratory testing.
