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Rodding Frequently Asked Questions

People wonder about a number of things when they are looking to use a product. Rodding products and techniques for strengthening natural stone surfaces are some of the things that people want to learn more about and have questions. This page is dedicated to providing you with answers to rodding frequently asked questions.

 What kinds of rodding are there?

There are three different types of rodding from which to choose. Each of these will strengthen the material into which it is installed. Each of the types of rodding has specific things to keep in mind when using them. The three types of rodding are:

  1. Steel - this is the original material used for rodding stone surfaces. Steel rodding works well but it must be used properly for the results to be consistent with what is expected by consumers. Preparation of steel rodding includes cleaning the rodding thoroughly to remove any oil. Then, the surface must be roughed up using sandpaper to increase the adhesion so the glue holds better. Finally, steel rodding must be cut to length before it is installed.
  2. Fiberglass - this material reduces much of the preparation work that must be done if you are using steel rodding. Fiberglass doesn't need to be roughed up with sandpaper since the adhesive will bond to the fiberglass rodding easily. Fiberglass is also easier to cut than steel and it won't rust.
  3. Carbon Fiber - this rodding material offers the same benefits as the fiberglass rodding mentioned above. However, it is stronger than fiberglass. Compared to steel rodding, carbon fiber rodding is easier to cut and the preparation is significantly easier.
  4. Steel Carbon Fiber - this is exactly what it sounds like. The best of both worlds. Steel rodding encased in carbon fiber. The steel reinforces the carbon fiber, and the carbon fiber prevents the steel from rusting. For some, steel carbon fiber is the go to rodding.

So in summary, rodding a stone slab will strengthen it. However, the rodding used can impact the degree of strength. And while not all slabs require the most strength, it is nice to have options from which to choose.

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 What kind of adhesive should I use for rodding surfaces?

Tests have been done using various kinds of rodding material paired up with different adhesives. In fact Tenax performed a number of tests using all three types of rodding (steel, fiberglass, and carbon fiber) using a wide range of its adhesives. Among the adhesives tested by Tenax were glues of both polyester and epoxy. As a general rule, the epoxies performed better than did the polyesters. In fact, the combination of adhesive and rodding that performed the highest of all the combinations tested by Tenax was their Strong Edge Epoxy coupled with carbon fiber rodding.

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 What is the best rodding to use for strengthening stone slabs?

There are three kinds of rodding that are commonly used for strengthening stone slabs. Of the three types, (steel, fiberglass, and carbon fiber) each has a benefit. Steel, is the sturdiest material. Then carbon fiber, then fiberglass. Each rodding material has its drawbacks. Steel, must be prepared properly to make it rust resistant. Fiberglass's drawback is that of the three, it is the weakest, and carbon fiber is not as strong as steel rodding, but it is like fiberglass in that it does not rust.

So, the best rodding will depend on what is the most important to you. If you want strength and are willing to put in the extra work of preparing the rodding for the job, go with steel. If you consider price the biggest factor and just need standard strength, fiberglass works well. And if you want the rodding that gives you good results from various aspects, carbon fiber is the way to go.

All kinds of rodding will strengthen the surface and make it more durable than it is without. So, choose the right material for your particular needs. However, the highest quality rodding is the one that gives you both the benefits of steel and the non-rust property of carbon fiber. Steel carbon fiber rodding offers the best of all worlds.

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 Is rodding the only way to strengthen slabs?

The simple answer is, no. There are other ways that natural stone is strengthened. Depending on what you mean by "strengthening", there are several ways to strengthen natural stone these include:

  • Rodding
  • Fiber Mesh
  • Support Braces & Brackets

As you can see from those methods of strengthening stone, adding support is the common aspect. Rodding just inserts the support into the stone whereas the other two methods listed are not internal.

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 Do I need a specific kind of blade for rodding?

Just like most other tasks, using a tool designed for the task of rodding will yield that best results. There are diamond blades designed for cutting rodding channels in natural stone. Using a tool made for the specific task allows for the proper width and depth of channel in which to insert the rodding.

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Flowing Transparent 1 LT Flowing Transparent 1 LT

A high quality polyester mastic used to horizontally repair, bond, and fill and is very polishable and colors easily.

List Price: $17.66
5" Turbo Rodding Blade 5" Turbo Rodding Blade

5 inch turbo rodding blade designed to cut rodding channels in which to insert support rodding in natural stone slabs.

List Price: $53.04
4" WX2 Multi Blade 4" WX2 Multi Blade

4" Multi-purpose tool used as a diamond blade, a cupwheel, and a rodding blade when working with types of stone.

List Price: $53.55
5" Turbo 316 Rodding Blade 5" Turbo 316 Rodding Blade

5 inch diamond granite rodding blade that cuts 3⁄16" slots for rodding strips used to strengthen countertop surface cutouts.

List Price: $59.90
1:1 Cartridge Gun for 400 ML 1:1 Cartridge Gun for 400 ML

Cartridge glue gun designed for use with cartridge adhesives that require two parts for proper mixing at a 1:1 mix ratio.

List Price: $65.39
10" (250mm) Rodding Blade 10" (250mm) Rodding Blade

10" diamond blade for cutting channels in stone during the strengthening process using steel, carbon fiber, or fiberglass rodding.

List Price: $229.50
   
 
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