EXTERIOR STONE AND TILE CLADDING

A cracked panel, stained wall, or hollow-sounding tile is the beginning of an investigation. Finding out what it means requires understanding the assembly behind the surface.

Exterior Stone and Tile Cladding: Inspection, Troubleshooting, and Testing is a practical manual for inspectors, consultants, engineers, architects, contractors, and building owners investigating exterior cladding problems.

Across 31 chapters, the manual examines adhered tile, anchored stone masonry veneer, mechanically attached stone panels, and framed ventilated facades. It explains how to trace support and restraint, investigate water entry and concealed drainage, document movement, preserve samples, and choose tests that answer defined questions.

Topics include:

• Loose, debonded, and falling cladding.

• Cracking, bowing, and displacement.

• Water stains, efflorescence, and biological growth.

• Freeze-thaw and weathering damage.

• Failed joints, flashings, and earlier repairs.

• Sounding, moisture screening, and thermal observations.

• Pull testing, attachment testing, and laboratory examination.

• Report writing, temporary stabilization, and permanent repair planning.

Conceptual illustrations, hypothetical case studies, checklists, a glossary, technical references, and reusable field forms help readers organize their work and explain their findings.

Drawing on Frederick M. Hueston's more than 45 years of stone and tile investigative experience, along with input from contributing specialists, this manual emphasizes a disciplined approach: identify the assembly, follow the evidence, and keep conclusions within what the investigation supports.