In a joint effort, Ruag Aviation’s completion and refurbishment specialists and List components and furniture have outfitted the first Global 5000 to include true stone flooring in the entry and galley areas, as well as in the crew and passenger lavatory.

The stone flooring was developed by List of Edlitz-Thomasberg, Austria, and was introduced at Ebace last spring as the first flexible stone application for lavatory and galley flooring and counter tops. The technique is relatively simple but requires great precision. A thick slate of natural stone, such as granite or marble, is glued to a strong backplate and then sanded to a pre-determined thickness. The remaining layer, typically about 2 mm thin, can then be twisted and glued on various forms.

It will “microbreak” but without visible damage and can be made watertight by application of a special sealant. “The appearance of the polished stone surface
is phenomenal and meets all certification requirements,” said List business development director Helmut Wiesenberger.

The weight of List’s stone veneer is approximately half the weight of Corian
and other synthetic countertop surfaces, and according to a company spokesman, the first two retrofit interior projects showed only minor weight increases over the previous carpet floor covering.