I need some advice on laying marble, I have a bit of experience on laying ceramic tile, my wife purchased marble tile that she wants installed in our master bath, on the sink counter and around the tub, etc… my questions are”is laying marble the same as laying ceramic tile?” “Do I need to use any special medium or adhesives?””How wide do the grout joints need to be?” “Do you use sanded or unsanded grout?” I would appreciate any advice in this area.
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Substrate has to be dead flat. Marble is soft and will crack if the substrate is not dead flat. Probably 1/16 over 8'. Any thinset will do. Grout lines look better if smaller, like 1/16.
Boris
"Sir, I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow" -- WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1927
I definately agree, smaller grout lines look better
Check the labels on products that you plan to use. For instance, some latex additives for the grout specifically state that it is not for stone or marble. I put a "tumbled" marble tile, 3x3 tiles, floor in a powder room last year. Other than no latex modification for the grout, basicall the same as a ceramic tile floor. Used Durock over 3/4 plywood decking, thinset and sanded grout with 3/16" grout lines. Came out great.
This site is a great help, I will be visiting from time to time to pick your brains. Thanks!
Marble can be very pourous. Some adhesives will show "bleed through" and for that reason I seal the back of all marble with expoxy. Especially if you are wet bedding a floor.
thanks
I laid marble in my bath 7 years ago. Still looks great. I used thinset on the floor and on the shower walls with a "butted" fit. I used epoxy for grout on walls and unsanded Color grout in tubes for floor. One caution - do not mark precut pieces with felt tip pens. I had numbers bleed through when the water from the thinset was bleeding through in drying. Fortunately a punice compound applied to the face bleed it out. whew !!!. On the counters I used epoxy adhesive to the old imitation marble base. I have also used this on 3/4 plywood with no problems.
Thank you for the advice : will be starting this project very soon.