MANUFACTURING / JAPAN SOURCING
A natural stone sample is approved. How should the delivery lot be compared?
Keep the stone, finish and reference samples identifiable. Then agree how a delivery lot will be checked across the intended wall or floor before installation.
A small sample does not show the whole wall
Imagine selecting a pale natural-stone sample for a reception wall. The delivered pieces share the product name, yet the assembled wall could look much busier because the sample did not show the broader vein pattern. The unresolved question is the appearance of a continuous surface, not whether one piece resembles one corner of the sample.
Kentou’s catalogue distinguishes sample material from the delivered lot and notes natural variation within and between lots.[1] Treat the small sample as an identified reference for the decision it actually supports. Ask which material and finish it represents, whether it is from the proposed lot, and what additional pieces or views are available.
Compare individual pieces and the proposed surface
Keep the product reference, stone type, source information, finish and sample date with the drawings. Ask for examples that show the relevant range of colour and pattern. For a strong directional pattern, show the intended direction and the pieces that will be adjacent. A photo may help with identification, but it does not reproduce the physical viewing conditions.
DINAONE’s notes for one natural-stone product call for a lot sample and a layout before installation.[2] Agree a review suitable for your project: which pieces or area are shown, how they represent the supply, the viewing conditions, and who reviews the result. Do not pick only the quietest pieces and assume they describe the whole delivery.
- 1Reference set: identify the stone, finish and examples of the appearance range
- 2Delivery: keep the lot or piece identities with the material being reviewed
- 3Layout: record positions and direction before fixing the agreed arrangement
The panel patterns and layout are schematic. They do not show a required mixing ratio, prescribed joint width, structural fixing or an accepted colour limit.
Record what the appearance decision covers
Distinguish colour and pattern from the dimensions, thickness, edge condition and other specified requirements. If a product includes filling or another surface treatment, ask what will be supplied and which reference shows it. Natural variation does not remove the need to agree what constitutes a nonconforming piece.
For the reception wall, mark prominent positions, returns and adjoining pieces. Record whether the reviewed layout is a particular numbered set or an example of the range expected across the lot. Agree what happens when a delivered piece raises a question before it is installed.
| Stage | Record to keep | Question to resolve |
|---|---|---|
| Selection | Record to keepStone/product reference, finish, sample IDs and date | Question to resolveWhat does the small sample represent? |
| Lot review | Record to keepProposed lot identities and representative pieces or views | Question to resolveWhat range and pattern will the order contain? |
| Layout | Record to keepPiece positions, orientation, viewing conditions and reviewer | Question to resolveIs this a fixed arrangement or a range example? |
| Receipt | Record to keepPackage/lot links, condition and agreed checks | Question to resolveDoes the received material correspond to the reviewed supply? |
| Additional order | Record to keepOriginal records, location to match and new-lot proposal | Question to resolveWhat can be matched, and what must be reviewed again? |
Identify reviewed lots through delivery and installation
Agree how the reviewed pieces or lots will be identified on packing records and on site. Check that the received product, finish and identification correspond to the order, then use the agreed appearance review before fixing. Record uncertainty with the supplier and project reviewer while the pieces can still be compared and rearranged.
Appearance approval does not confirm suitability for a floor, exterior wall or wet area. Give the intended location and destination requirements to the supplier and project designer, and request the relevant performance and installation information separately. This article concerns natural stone; stone-look porcelain, engineered stone and other construction materials need their own material-specific evidence.
For an additional order, send the original references, lot details and photos showing the location to be matched. Kentou notes that a later lot can differ.[1] Ask what can be supplied and reviewed rather than promising an exact match. When sourcing through Japan, also confirm the declared origin and processing location: a Japanese supplier does not by itself mean the stone was quarried in Japan. Send HAM the project location, material references, area/quantity and the sample or lot question still open.
Questions to send your supplier
Open supplier questions
Project location, use and destination: Natural stone type, supplier/product reference, declared origin and finish: Sample IDs, dates and what each sample represents: Proposed delivery lot identities and available representative pieces/views: Surface drawing, visible area, adjacent pieces and pattern direction: Layout review area, viewing conditions and responsible reviewer: Fixed piece arrangement or example of the lot range? Appearance range, dimensions and condition requirements agreed separately: How will pieces/lots and packing records stay connected? Receipt checks and process for uncertain pieces before installation: Separate performance and installation evidence needed for this use: Additional-order matching needs, quantity/area, timing and open questions:
Sources
- Kentou — Natural stone catalogue, usage notes
Read natural-stone usage notes on samples versus delivery lots, variation within/between lots and pre-installation layout. Supplier-specific terms and installation advice are not made universal.
- DINAONE — LUNGA MULTI COLOR product notes
Product notes retrieved through indexed primary-source text; live HTML omits dynamic product details. Lot samples and pre-layout are product-specific examples. Listed Brazilian origin is not evidence of Japanese extraction. No dimensions, joint widths, installation recipes or acceptance of cracks adopted.