Laying marble advice needed!

[steve mason]

Im going to have a look at a flooring job tomorrow night, its 11m2 of 4inch square marble. Ive never laid marble before but im sure it will need sealing. Do i do this once when its laid then again after its been grouted? (any brands you recomend) Also do i have to wet cut them or is there a dry tile cutter that would cut them like the rubi 700?

 

[White Room]

I take it your talking tumbled marble or similar

 

[doug boardley]

I'd wet cut steve, and use impregnating sealer after grouting

 

[peckers]

If its tumbled marble, then i always lay them on a white adhesive and clean excess adhesive that comes threw the joints as i go, when they are set i then give them a clean with a cleaner which helps to draw the dust out of the surface of the tiles, you will have to wait a few days after this for when they are properly dry (drying times vary due to the situation warmth etc) in the mean time you may have to protect the tiles from dirty shoes etc so they dont get stained, then i apply a sealer and then grout, once grout has set i then wash down with a cleaner again to remove grout haze, then once they are totally dry i then give them another coat of sealer.
1 use a wet cutter
2 I prefer lithothin sealers and cleaners(but have used hg/fila etc depends wot is in stock near you)
3 i use white adhesive,helps stop staining in the laying process

 

[steve mason]

Cheers guys im off to have a look soon so ill let you know how i get on, i take it that if its polished marble that it just needs sealing before and after grouting?

 

[steve mason]

Thanks for such detailed reply, ive been to have a look and they are covered in dust so i take it thats what you mean by tumbled. When you clean them after you have laid them do you just need a cloth with the cleaner to get the dust off or something more abrasive? Plus after grouting should i clean excess grout off with water or use a cleaner? sorry for questions but the marble wasnt cheap!

 

[doug boardley]

tumbled is nothing to do with dust mate, it's a process to get the edges soft not sharp

 

[White Room]

Tumbled look like the edges have been rounded, are the face of the tiles pitted. The dust needs removing with water no need to use anything abrasive

 

[Big D]

It is always worth cleaning all tiles before laying as dust can disguise colour variation and proceed to lay tiles, seal with lithothin stain stop if surface is not pitted ,grout and seal afterwards,
If surface is pitted grout before sealing as the grout will not bond to pits in face of tiled if sealed.

 

[doug boardley]

It is always worth cleaning all tiles before laying as dust can disguise colour variation and proceed to lay tiles, seal with lithothin stain stop if surface is not pitted ,grout and seal afterwards,
If surface is pitted grout before sealing as the grout will not bond to pits in face of tiled if sealed.

 

[steve mason]

cheers guys, yes they are pitted i think cleaning will take time as ive got 13m and there 4inch square! happy days

 

[doug boardley]

lol, shame it's not winter, to wile away the long dark nights:8:

 

[White Room]

So thats 1300 tile's then:yikes: