A stone slab is heavy, brittle at the edge and abrasive. Separators between slabs have to carry that weight without failing at the contact line, and they have to do it without embedding grit into a polished face. Honeycomb board works here because the core carries compression across the whole area rather than along a flute, and the facing stays smooth against the stone.
Where a slab pack fails
The edge. Stone chips at the arris, and a chip on a polished slab is not repairable. Most edge damage comes from the slab touching the frame or another slab, not from the separator.
The contact line. A soft separator compresses where the slab edge presses, and the slab above tips into the gap. A board that holds its thickness keeps the stack square.
Specification at a glance
Slab separators are usually 15-25 mm with a small cell, because the load per square metre is high and the board must not crush at the slab edge.
| Pack type | Separator | Cell | Note |
|---|
| A-frame, polished slab | 20 mm | 4 mm | Shear plus compression |
| Horizontal bundle | 15-20 mm | 4 mm | Base board doubled |
| Rough or honed slab | 15 mm | 6 mm | Less critical facing |
| Thin slab, 20 mm | 15 mm | 4 mm | Avoid point load at the arris |
| Crate lining | 20 mm | 4 mm | Between slab and frame |
A-frames, bundles and crates
In an A-frame the slabs lean, so the separator takes a combination of compression and shear. A 20 mm board with a 4 mm cell resists that better than a thicker soft board, and the slabs should be strapped to the frame rather than to each other.
In a horizontal bundle the load is pure compression, and the bottom separator takes the most. Doubling the base board is cheaper than going up a thickness for the whole pack.
Grit, moisture and the polished face
Stone dust on a separator becomes an abrasive under load. Keep separators wrapped until use, and blow off the slab before it goes into the pack. A contaminated separator will mark a polished surface even if the board itself is undamaged.
Moisture is a slower problem: a damp board against stone can leave a shadow on some finishes after a long sea leg. Dry storage and a wrapped bundle are the practical controls.
Questions buyers ask before ordering
Will the board hold a 3 cm stone slab stack?
A 15-20 mm board with a 4 mm cell is the usual starting point, with the base doubled. The frame and the strapping carry the pack.
Can honeycomb replace timber between slabs?
For separation and load spreading, often yes, and it avoids treated wood in the pack. The A-frame itself remains timber or steel.
Does stone dust damage the board?
It abrades the facing and can transfer to the next slab. Keep separators wrapped and clean the slab before packing.
Do you cut to the slab size?
Yes, to the slab dimensions, up to the standard production width of about 1,250 mm.
Is a coated board needed for a sea leg?
Discuss it for long routes. A dry kraft board is normally adequate for a short one.
For a quotation, post the product dimensions, load and destination port to mona@hengnicepacking.com.
