Construction projects can sometimes feel like needy children that demand conflicting things. If you’re working on designing a room, then you might feel like you’re torn between ADA compliance and moisture protection. There’s no reason you can’t have both. Marble thresholds from STONEXCHANGE are designed to comply with all ADA rules while still holding up against moisture and humidity.
Keep a number of these pieces on hand for all your next major development chores so you can kill two figurative birds with one literal piece of stone.
ADA Compliance Requirements
If you’re planning on installing a piece, then it helps to fully understand all of the rules you need to follow. Keep in mind that if you operate a warehouse or distributor you’ll need to stock plenty of pieces that can be used in compliant installations to please your clientele.
Marble thresholds have to be recessed to the floor that’s immediately adjacent to them. The bevel has to be raised off the floor while the bottom piece remains recessed. Federal ADA requirements for these thresholds include:
- All height changes between 1/4-1/2″ must feature a beveled slope along a 1:2 ratio.
- Height changes up to 1/4″ may be vertical, though they do not require an edge treatment.
- Thresholds placed at an exterior sliding doorway must not exceed 3/4″
- Those installed on all other types of doors may not exceed 1/2″
Opt for standard thicknesses and you shouldn’t have too many problems installing them properly. Standard pieces from STONEXCHANGE are 5/8″ thick for pieces four inches and wider. Pieces half as wide are offered in 3/8″ and 1/2″ sizes.
Blocking Moisture with Marble
Take a good look at those thicknesses and then think to yourself about how much water really splashes around on a tile floor. It’s easy to see that a piece of marble cut to these specifications should be more than sufficient to act as an effective moisture barrier. In fact, some designers have a habit of specifying dimensions that are a bit on the small side.
If you’re looking at blueprints that call for 3/4″ marble thresholds, then you’re probably thinking that a 5/8″ thick piece could never work. Architects often assume that thresholds have to be custom cut from marble slabs that are around 3/4″ in the first place. Slimmer thresholds are generally better. All of the thresholds we carry are cut overseas and should work within ADA regulations as soon as you get them.
Federal regulators can be real sticklers anyway. Technically, the ADA bans all thresholds that are thicker than 3/4″, which means our 1/2″ pieces should work perfectly in an overwhelming majority of situations.
Bulk Moisture Barriers
All-natural stone pieces have long been a favorite choice of designs because they’re so efficient at blocking moisture. Water can’t cross over a threshold due in part to properties inherent in the material itself. As a result, genuine stone works best to divide rooms.
You may call it the ultimate ADA compliant moisture barrier after all. Plan for the future and make sure you have plenty of material on hand if you need to tackle any major projects. Contact us on the web today or call STONEXCHANGE at 305-731-2400 to speak with one of our knowledgeable representatives about getting enough marble thresholds to outfit every project your development firm is working on.