Methods for Preparing and Installing A Natural Stone Surface and A Tiled Natural Stone Paving System Therefor

Abstract

A system and method are provided for designing/creating, preparing, and installing a natural stone tiled surface at a site that provides a perception of randomness to the observer while actually following a predefined pattern that facilitates simple installation by unskilled trades and allows for the advanced preparation of the stone tiles used. Advanced preparation of the stone tiles allows the offloading of at least some cutting, preparation and installation steps normally required onsite, to an offsite location. In this way, significant time and cost savings can be achieved by shifting time and resources to an offsite location, which minimizes disruptions onsite, allows the building of an inventory of standard shapes, all without compromising the aesthetics or quality of the installation. The system relies on the tessellation or tiling of a specific outline of an irregular concave polygon, that itself includes an internal set of irregular convex polygon shapes. The tessellation of an outline that includes such a set of shapes provides an optical effect that makes it difficult for an observer to recognize the repeating nature of the stones within the patterned outline.

1 . A method of preparing a set of natural stone shapes for installation as a tiled surface, comprising:
 determining a tessellation outline comprising three or more sides;   dividing the tessellation outline into a plurality of internal two dimensional shapes; and   cutting one or more natural stone slabs into each of the plurality of shapes to form at least one set.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a first pair of the three or more sides forms a first concave vertex, and a second pair of the three or more sides forms a second convex vertex to define the tessellation outline as an irregular concave polygon. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first concave vertex and the first convex vertex are counterparts to each other such that in one set the first convex vertex aligns substantially with the first concave vertex in another set when the sets are laid adjacent one another. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tessellation outline is divided into a set of comprising an odd number of internal shapes. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tessellation outline is divided into a set comprising an even number of internal shapes. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of internal two dimensional shapes is formed as an irregular convex polygon comprising all convex vertices. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a boundary constraint or obstruction for a planned installation; and   cutting a portion from at least one of the internal shapes to accommodate the boundary constraint or obstruction.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein a plurality of the internal shapes are cut to accommodate the boundary constraint or obstruction. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of shapes are cut to include gaps between the plurality of shapes when laid according to the tessellation outline. 
     
     
         10 . A method of installing a tiled natural stone surface, comprising:
 cutting one or more natural stone slabs into each of a plurality of two dimensional shapes that form at least one set of shapes, wherein each set of shapes, when combined, form a tessellation outline comprising three or more sides; and   arranging the plurality of shapes according to the tessellation outline to install the natural stone surface.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising transporting the cut shapes from an offsite location to an onsite location wherein the stone surface is to be installed. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein at least one complete set of shapes is installed. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein a plurality of sets of the shapes is installed by arranging a plurality of the tessellation outlines adjacent one another with a respective set of the shapes being arranged within each tessellation outline. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising
 determining a boundary constraint or obstruction for the stone surface; and   cutting a portion from at least one of the internal shapes to accommodate the boundary constraint or obstruction.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein a plurality of the internal shapes are cut to accommodate the boundary constraint or obstruction. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein a first pair of the three or more sides forms a first concave vertex, and a second pair of the three or more sides forms a second convex vertex to define the tessellation outline as an irregular concave polygon. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first concave vertex and the first convex vertex are counterparts to each other such that in one set the first convex vertex aligns substantially with the first concave vertex in another set when the sets are laid adjacent one another. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the tessellation outline is divided into a set of comprising an odd number of internal shapes. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the tessellation outline is divided into a set comprising an even number of internal shapes. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of internal two dimensional shapes is formed as an irregular convex polygon comprising all convex vertices. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of shapes are cut to include gaps between the plurality of shapes when laid according to the tessellation outline. 
     
     
         22 . A tiled natural stone paving system, comprising a plurality of two dimensional shapes cut from natural stone that form at least one set of shapes, wherein each set of shapes, when combined, form a tessellation outline comprising three or more sides, wherein the plurality of shapes are arranged according to the tessellation outline and the outline is tessellated to create the natural stone surface. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein a first pair of the three or more sides forms a first concave vertex, and a second pair of the three or more sides forms a second convex vertex to define the tessellation outline as an irregular concave polygon. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the first concave vertex and the first convex vertex are counterparts to each other such that in one set the first convex vertex aligns substantially with the first concave vertex in another set when the sets are laid adjacent one another. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the tessellation outline is divided into a set of comprising an odd number of internal shapes. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the tessellation outline is divided into a set comprising an even number of internal shapes. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein each of the plurality of internal two dimensional shapes is formed as an irregular convex polygon comprising all convex vertices. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the plurality of shapes are cut to include gaps between the plurality of shapes when laid according to the tessellation outline.