Four regions, four systems, one material. This is the reference page — bookmark it and stop looking up which test does what.
Europe — EN standards, CE marking and the Declaration of Performance
The product standards
These are harmonised standards, which means a product covered by one requires a Declaration of Performance (DoP) and CE marking to be placed on the EU market.
| Standard | Product |
|---|---|
| EN 1341 | Slabs of natural stone for external paving |
| EN 1342 | Setts of natural stone for external paving |
| EN 1343 | Kerbs of natural stone for external paving |
| EN 1469 | Slabs for cladding |
| EN 12057 | Modular tiles |
| EN 12058 | Slabs for floors and stairs |
| EN 12059 | Dimension stone — worked units |
A DoP is not a certificate you buy. It is a declaration by the manufacturer of the product's performance against the characteristics the standard requires. A supplier who does not know what a DoP is has not sold into the EU.
The UK now operates its own conformity marking regime alongside recognition of CE marking in Great Britain. Confirm the current position with your compliance adviser — it has moved more than once.
The test methods
| Standard | Measures | Answers |
|---|---|---|
| EN 1926 | Compressive strength | Can it carry load |
| EN 12372 | Flexural strength under concentrated load | Can it span |
| EN 13755 | Water absorption at atmospheric pressure | How porous is it |
| EN 1936 | Density and open porosity | Pore structure |
| EN 12371 | Frost resistance, over N cycles | Freeze-thaw survival |
| EN 14157 | Abrasion resistance | Wear under traffic |
| EN 14231 | Unpolished slip resistance value (USRV) | Slip |
| EN 12407 | Petrographic examination | What the stone actually is |
| EN 13373 | Dimensional and geometric characteristics | Tolerance |
The three that matter most, and why
EN 12407 — petrographic examination. This is the test that settles what a stone actually is, and it is requested in Germany far more often than anywhere else and volunteered by exporters almost never. It resolves the marble/quartzite/limestone questions that cause disputes — including whether Fantasy Brown from Sawar, Ajmer is a marble or a quartzite. It is a quartzite.
EN 12371 with EN 12372 before and after. A frost-resistance pass tells you the specimen survived. Flexural strength measured before and after the cycling tells you how much strength it lost getting there — and a stone can pass with no visible damage having lost a third of its flexural strength. This matters enormously for pedestal-mounted terraces and unsupported spans. Full treatment: Frost-Resistant Indian Sandstone Paving.
Ask for the cycle count. EN 12371 can be run at different numbers of cycles. A pass at 12 and a pass at 168 are not the same claim.
Germany — the DIN slip classes
German specifiers ask for a class, not a value. A generic EN 14231 number is supporting data; it is not what the specification asks for.
DIN 51130 — oil-wetted inclined ramp, shod. Produces R9 to R13, plus a displacement space value (V4, V6, V8, V10) for profiled surfaces. Used for workplace floors, commercial areas and external surfaces.
DIN 51097 — wetted ramp, barefoot. Produces classes A, B, C. Used for pool surrounds, changing rooms, spa areas and shower floors.
The class belongs to a finish, not a stone. Flamed and polished granite from one block are different products in DIN terms.
Germany also brings a non-technical requirement: social-compliance certification — XertifiX or Fair Stone — which many municipalities have written into procurement rules. See Selling Stone to Germany.
United Kingdom — PTV
UK specifiers reference the Pendulum Test Value per BS 7976, with UK Slip Resistance Group guidance treating a wet PTV of 36 or above as low slip potential.
For memorials, the governing documents are the NAMM Code of Working Practice, BRAMM registration and BS 8415. See Granite Headstones for the UK.
United States — ASTM
The material specifications
| Standard | Material |
|---|---|
| ASTM C615 | Granite dimension stone |
| ASTM C503 | Marble dimension stone |
| ASTM C568 | Limestone dimension stone |
| ASTM C616 | Quartz-based dimension stone (sandstone, quartzite) |
| ASTM C629 | Slate dimension stone |
The test methods
| Standard | Measures |
|---|---|
| ASTM C97 | Absorption and bulk specific gravity |
| ASTM C170 | Compressive strength |
| ASTM C99 | Modulus of rupture |
| ASTM C880 | Flexural strength |
| ASTM C241 / C1353 | Abrasion resistance |
| ASTM C1028 / ANSI A326.3 | Slip — note that US slip testing methodology has changed; confirm the current reference with your specifier |
The Natural Stone Institute is the US industry body whose technical bulletins your fabricators and specifiers will reference.
Australia and New Zealand — AS / AS-NZS
| Standard | Covers |
|---|---|
| AS 4586 | Slip resistance classification of new pedestrian surfaces — produces a P0–P5 pendulum classification and a barefoot ramp classification |
| AS 4663 | Slip resistance measurement of existing pedestrian surfaces |
| AS 4204 | Headstones and cemetery monuments |
ASTM and EN data are both widely accepted in Australia for material properties. AS 4586 is the one that is specifically required and cannot be substituted.
Australia also brings two non-technical requirements: biosecurity — see Australia Biosecurity for Stone Importers — and, since 1 September 2024, duties covering all crystalline silica substances in processing.
The Gulf — conformity, not a single standard
There is no single Gulf equivalent of the EN system for natural stone.
UAE conformity requirements for building materials sit with the federal authorities — historically ESMA, whose functions now sit under the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology — alongside emirate-level requirements from bodies such as Dubai Municipality, and whatever the project consultant specifies on top.
The practical advice: establish the conformity route at design stage with the consultant and the main contractor. It varies by emirate, by project type and by client.
What is constant is the documentation you will need: compressive and flexural strength, water absorption, density and porosity, abrasion, slip for the supplied finish, petrographic description, and an origin statement. EN and ASTM data are both accepted.
Gulf projects also run on physical mock-up approval rather than paper submittals. Budget the calendar time. See Natural Stone Exporter to the UAE and Dubai.
The cross-reference table
| Question | Europe | USA | Australia | Germany specifically |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| How strong in compression? | EN 1926 | ASTM C170 | EN or ASTM | EN 1926 |
| How strong in bending? | EN 12372 | ASTM C880 / C99 | EN or ASTM | EN 12372 |
| How porous? | EN 13755 | ASTM C97 | EN or ASTM | EN 13755 |
| Frost resistant? | EN 12371 | — | — | EN 12371 |
| How much wear? | EN 14157 | ASTM C241 / C1353 | EN or ASTM | EN 14157 |
| Is it slippery? | EN 14231 / PTV (UK) | ANSI A326.3 | AS 4586 | DIN 51130 / DIN 51097 |
| What stone is it? | EN 12407 | Petrographic | EN 12407 | EN 12407 |
| Product compliance? | DoP under EN 1341/1342/1343/1469/12057/12058 | ASTM C615/C503/C568/C616 | — | DoP |
The four rules that apply everywhere
1. Test data must be for the quarry, not for the stone name. "Indian sandstone" does not have a water absorption figure. A quarry does.
2. Slip data must be for the finish you are ordering. A polished result tells you nothing about the flamed version of the same block.
3. Ask for the cycle count on frost resistance, and the before-and-after comparison on flexural.
4. Get EN 12407 where the material class matters. It is the only test that settles what the stone actually is, and it is the cheapest way to prevent the most expensive kind of argument.
What Gemarix does differently
We supply the data we hold and we say plainly when we do not hold it. If a stone has never been frost-tested for a quarry and you need it for a northern European exterior application, we will say so and arrange the testing rather than send a generic sheet with the stone name typed at the top.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Declaration of Performance for natural stone?
A manufacturer's declaration of a product's performance against the characteristics a harmonised European standard requires. For stone that means EN 1341 for paving slabs, EN 1342 for setts, EN 1343 for kerbs, EN 1469 for cladding and EN 12057 or EN 12058 for tiles and floor slabs.
What is the difference between DIN 51130 and DIN 51097?
DIN 51130 is an oil-wetted ramp test with shod feet producing an R9 to R13 classification for workplace and general floors. DIN 51097 is a wetted barefoot ramp test producing classes A, B and C for pool surrounds, changing rooms and shower floors.
Which ASTM standards apply to dimension stone?
ASTM C615 for granite, C503 for marble, C568 for limestone and C616 for quartz-based stone including sandstone and quartzite. The test methods behind them are C97 absorption, C170 compressive, C99 modulus of rupture, C880 flexural and C241 or C1353 abrasion.
What is EN 12407 and why does it matter?
Petrographic examination — the test that settles what a stone actually is. It is requested in Germany far more often than anywhere else and volunteered by exporters almost never, and it resolves the marble, quartzite and limestone questions that cause disputes.
Which slip standard applies in Australia?
AS 4586 for classification of new pedestrian surfaces, producing a P0 to P5 pendulum classification and a barefoot ramp classification, with AS 4663 covering existing installed surfaces. EN and ASTM data are accepted for material properties, but AS 4586 cannot be substituted.