Attaching Granite pieces for outdoor use

[Rebecca Hardesty]

Hi,
I am laser engraving some granite tiles (polished on the top, non-polished on the bottom) to attach to a granite bench (polished on top). This will be an outdoor memorial marker, so I need to know what kind of adhesive to use to permanently attach the tile to the bench (un-polished to polish). I need something that will last 50+ years if possible, so we don't have to constantly mess with it. I was thinking 100% silicone but have never tried it. Any ideas?
Thanks
Rebecca

[Bill Cunningham]

Welcome to the creek Rebecca, and your first post!
100% silicone is what I use. You want the adh. to be flexible enough to move with temperature changes. If you use a epoxy or some other solid cement, when the bench and granite plate move a different rates due to temp. the granite plate may break. It also helps those morons that like to steal and/or destroy things because they can, to find out quickly they can not pull or pry it off. But they can smash it, that's why for public benches (usually not granite) I use cermark, 16ga stainless, silicone, and four bolts with the thread peened over the nuts on the other side..But with a granite bench, silicone would work well.

[Rebecca Hardesty]

Thanks so much - that's what I'll use - it's on private land, so no problems there. I really appreciate it!

[Jesse Anderson]

I have had Epoxy resin job hold up pretty nice here in the summer time.. I found out pour on epoxy holds up better in varying temperatures... I have some test samples that i let sit outside all winter.. One was a 25 lb brick epoxied upside down for about a year... I would occasionally walk by it and grab it and try to jiggle it.. Would not budge.. Not to mention a Tile would probably have more surface area than a brick. So it probably would hold better.

Do not take my suggestion though.. This is not my experienced area. So i would listen to the Silicone Dude...

I am doing some other self experiments with pour on epoxy this summer... First list on the job is Epoxying leaky gutters. For some reason the stuff i have been using has not been holding up to well. Some kind of Scam Sham Wow, Snuggy, Oxy Clean, Spray on rubber sealant..

Hope the epoxy rivals the magic spray on rubber/repair a space ship at home and Almost aproved by nasa stuff.

[Doug Novic]

Hi Rebecca,

I have always had good luck with 3M VHB Tape #5952-Black and no call backs. I attached some granite signage to a building with vinyl siding. I was leary but at the advice of 3M I did it. That was 2 years ago and no problems to date. Since then I have talked with numerous sign companies and even general contractors that swear by it as well as museum display manufacturers. I have been using it ever since. I even found some at our local Staples" store. Who would of thought?