Split face marble tiles and bathrooms

[Orangepop]

Can anyone help? I have fallen for some split face marble tiles and wanted them on one feature wall, at the back of a bathroom, which will also be the back wall of a wet room type shower. There is no way this will not get wet. The adverts for these tiles show them in bathrooms or as sink splashbacks but a showroom today told me they are not bathroom suitable.
I can see why, they sit tight together and leave no room for grout and so arn't water tight, and they are going to be hard to clean but....i still love them.

Now, i am guessing if they were the showroom would have been keen to secure a sale, they have no reason to tr and convince me not to use them. But, hoping against hope that someone will have positive experience of split face marble tiles in this sort of application.

I am not going to try diying them whatever,i just do not want to land the tiler and builets with an impossible task.

 

[Orangepop]

Not ungrouted that why I suggested perhaps just a skim of epoxy grout while it is going up bit like brickwork on a house but not visible. Perhaps thinking a bit to much outside the box.

And if they are fully sealed before they go up with a premium sealer and then periodically sealed I think the cleaning should be quite easy. Wash down after every shower then once a week a neutral cleaner then a rinse down.

Hmmm, might this work? They are super tightly packed. I would be very excited if this would work!

 

[The D]

Not ungrouted that why I suggested perhaps just a skim of epoxy grout while it is going up bit like brickwork on a house but not visible. Perhaps thinking a bit to much outside the box.

And if they are fully sealed before they go up with a premium sealer and then periodically sealed I think the cleaning should be quite easy. Wash down after every shower then once a week a neutral cleaner then a rinse down.

your not a tiler are you ?

 

[MARBLE_TONY]

Done a couple of course but in my mind definately not remember it was only a suggestion though!

 

[The D]

Not having a pop at you or anything its just that If you had to fix them and grout them in the way you have suggested and then guaranty there will be no problems you would not make such suggestions.

 

[MARBLE_TONY]

Educate me then I'm all for it learning that is and don't take anything on any forum as having a pop. It is what they are for sharing each others knowledge and evolving our skills surely?

 

[The D]

Ok firstly my priority would be to make them water tight witch is easer said than done grouting them as you go without it coming to the front of the tile is as near to impossible as you can get. Then if the joint is not full you will have a problem with water sitting in the open joint and germs will defiantly thrive so from a tilers point of view I can see nothing but problems with using these tiles in a wet area.

 

[Turkish tiler]

anywhere in bathroom these will be MOULD NEST

 

[Orangepop]

Thank you all very much, I well and truely get the message!


I wonder if there are any more suggestions of white tiles that would give a textured look, preferably but not exclusively looking at natural materials. Is there a better board on this forum to ask that question?