1.1 This guide is intended to be used by architects, engineers, specifiers, contractors, and material suppliers who design, select, specify, install, purchase, fabricate, or supply natural stone products for construction applications.

1.2 Consensus Standard—This guide is an industry consensus standard drafted in a cooperative effort among engineers, architects, geologists, producers, and installers of natural stone.

1.3 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each system are not necessarily exact equivalents; therefore, to ensure conformance with the standard, each system shall be used independently of the other, and values from the two systems shall not be combined.

1.4 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.