I just installed 12" marble tile (it’s a high gloss marble called creama marfil) on the kitchen and bathroom floors.

I know the grout lines are supposed to be sealed, but is the high gloss marble suppose to be sealed too? I used some expensive stuff from Lowe’s to seal the grout and marble tile, but it doesn’t seem like it’s doing a good job on the tile. In fact it came out a little dull on the tile. Before the tile was nice and smooth with a high shine to it. Now it’s a little dull and not as smooth.

Is there a trick to sealing high gloss marble floor tile? Or does it need to be sealed at all? I’m thinking that maybe I should just seal the grout lines and leave the tile unsealed?

Thanks.

You absolutely must seal ANY natural stone tile including marble. All stone is porous and WILL absorb liquids and can easily be stained by acidic items such as mustard and other foods and oils! If the sealer you put on dulled the floor it is most likely the wrong type of sealer for your marble. I recommend Sealers Choice Gold 15 by Aquamix to seal both the marble and the grout. The shine on the marble comes from a mechanical grinding, sanding and polishing process not from a topical product. Be VERY sure that the cleaner you use on this is a low pH non acidic cleaner made for natural stone. Most other cleaners (yes including dish soap and Windex) are mildly acidic and will slowly remove the sealer and with any porous stone the improper cleaner can make your beautiful new floor a maintenance problem. Be very sure never to use any kinds of acids on your marble as they will not clean problem areas but will ruin the surface of the stone. It can be repaired if this were to happen but would cost at least $5.00 to $6.00 per square foot to have done. With proper care you have an especially beautiful floor that will give you great pleasure for a lifetime.

Marble tiles become art as Kristen Hunter for HamptonArt stamps, sprays, and decorates them into the perfect gift or home decoration featuring the unique idea of stamping on marble!

Duration : 0:3:46

Read the rest of this entry »

Thinking of buying a house with approximately 800 sf of pink (yes, pink) marble tile throughout the main floor. It needs to be removed. I’d like to do the work myself, but not 100% sure what’s involved. Will I have to replace the subfloor due to the mortar used? Any advice or help would be great!

Removing marble tiles is not a simple job. The tiles could have been installed using a thin-set application, meaning there is only a thin layer of mortar between the subfloor and tile, but it is more likely that a thick set application was used. With a thick-set application, as the name suggests, the mortar is quite thick. With either installation method, I would recommend that the subfloor be scraped as clean and level as possible, then just install a 1/4" thick plywood over it, screwing it down securely, and adding additional screws to the existing subfloor if needed first.

Although this job is not difficult in terms of skill required, it is exceptionally labour-intense, exhausting, dirty, and unforgiving on your hands/skin. Good luck!

Thinking of buying a house with approximately 800 sf of pink (yes, pink) marble tile throughout the main floor. It needs to be removed. I’d like to do the work myself, but not 100% sure what’s involved. Will I have to replace the subfloor due to the mortar used? Any advice or help would be great!

Removing marble tiles is not a simple job. The tiles could have been installed using a thin-set application, meaning there is only a thin layer of mortar between the subfloor and tile, but it is more likely that a thick set application was used. With a thick-set application, as the name suggests, the mortar is quite thick. With either installation method, I would recommend that the subfloor be scraped as clean and level as possible, then just install a 1/4" thick plywood over it, screwing it down securely, and adding additional screws to the existing subfloor if needed first.

Although this job is not difficult in terms of skill required, it is exceptionally labour-intense, exhausting, dirty, and unforgiving on your hands/skin. Good luck!

Julie at Marble Slab gets her treat

Duration : 0:0:54

Read the rest of this entry »

these are the best sites 4 ur answers

i know it needs to be sealed or it will discolor with the grout but my husband wants to spray the sealer on and soak the whole floor and i want to wipe it on with a sponge, then after the grout is in, seal the whole thing again by soaking it with the sprayer (the sealer we bought is for granite, marble, ceramic and grout and comes in a big spray bottle). i’m concerned the grout won’t adhere correctly and will chip and pop with time as we walk on it.

Normally the sealer is apply after the grout put in. after is dry and for 2 day. make sure to clean all the marble tile, try to keep the dust to min. And apply the sealer after that. If you apply the sealer before the grout. the sealer will seal all the surface of the marble, and the grout will not adhere correctly.

I love the look of marble way more than granite. It just looks so rich, but I don’t want it to look ugly after a month. Does treating it make a difference? Is it expensive to treat it (seal it)?

Sealing is not the question dealing with marble, the problem with polished marble on a countertop is the usage. If you are doing a kitchen countertop, sealing will not help because the reason marble is not used in this situation is due to etching.
Any acidic element that gets on the marble eats the polished finish off, ie.. coke, citris juice, lemon juice . If using marble in a kitchen, it must be a matte finish ( honed) and then sealing keeps the stains from going into the stone for a period of time depending on the perosity of the stone.
Try looking at honed travertine, it will hold up better and give you the look.

Ceramic Tile and Slate
Clean tile and slate with warm water only. Prevention becomes essential with these floor surfaces. Regularly apply a sealant found in tile stores to slate, tile and especially the grout. Clean spills immediately. Cleaning stains out of grout can test your patience. The porous nature of grout means liquid cleaners seep right through. First thoroughly spray a 50/50 solution of hydrogen peroxide and water directly on the spot. Let that set 15 minutes and repeat. Do not use this mixture on colored grout. Peroxide is bleach, safe but nonetheless bleach. It removes the color from colored grout. If the stain refuses to budge, soak a heavy-duty paper towel with straight peroxide laying the towel on top of the stain. Cover the towel with plastic wrap to prevent the peroxide from drying out quickly. The towel holds the peroxide on the surface giving it time to dissolve the stain. If that doesn’t work, mix a paste of straight peroxide and baking soda. Allow the bubbling to subside. Apply to the stain and let it set. Re-spray with peroxide as it dries out.

Shaving cream sprayed on stains also does a good job removing them. If your grout is colored test an inconspicuous spot first. Tile stores now carry a cleaner stick that resembles chalk. It is safe to use on colored grout and works wonders. After you remove the stains from the grout, seal them.

Marble Floors

Use only warm water on marble floors. The mild acid in vinegar damages marble surfaces. Again, wring out all excess moisture from a towel and damp mop. Immediately follow with a dry towel. Always dry marble floors, they spot easily.

Good Luck !

I think I would bite the bullet and have it professionally cleaned. It would be a lot of work to get it back into a new condition. Then take good care of it as to the professionals recommendations.