[dzvero]

Appreciate all replies , some pics will be nice too

[dzvero]

Originally Posted by P1et

Our apartment has a lot of marble and it needs a lot of TLC. You put a drink down and have to careful the sweat from the glass doesn't leave a ring on the marble.

Originally Posted by radiofrequency

Having remodeled several homes, my advice to you would be to visit one of the larger tile stores such as Arizona Tile: https://www.arizonatile.com

Visit when you have a few hours to work with one of their consultants. I have found them to have a pretty unique selection, and the folks I have worked with there are thoughtful and considerate when assembling a solution for me. You just might be blown away by how great you can make a bathroom look when you step back for a moment and consider several options. Bathrooms and kitchens sell homes, as important as the latter, is that women love their bathrooms. If you are married, it's probably a great idea to have your wife accompany you to Arizona Tile. It's just a fact of life that women have a different lens through which they view this (and other) types of choices. They tend to spend a lot more time in the bathroom, so they seek ambience, amongst other factors when making choices of this nature. It's really a force multiplier having your SO along with you when seeking ideas. It's an important decision as you're going to be looking at that bathroom for a long time.

You may pay a little more going this route, but you will certainly get the wow factor going, and it's actually a lot of fun when you take the time to consider several choices. You might, in your case, actually pay somewhat less, as incorporation of tile into your project while you are still using marble, may reduce costs. I also find a lot of inspiration looking at Houzz.com - their photographs are incredible, you can set up albums on their website and save the images of bathrooms you like. Good luck!

Looks like its little too far and time is not on my side but will try to visit them . Thanks

[The Choosey begger]

I want this bathroom

[FD3S]

Personally I have been in the marble business for many years.
Different kind of marbles have also different chemical composition. The reason why some marbles are porous and suck liquids is mainly because of their composition.
Also people confuse (which is logical) marble with limestone, sandstone and granite.
Each of those depending of its composition needs specific kind of treatment.
Granite is the most durable from all. Some researches have prove that in big quantities it can be can carcinogenic. To avoid misconceptions when we are talking about big quantities we are not talking about a countertop.

A general rule is the more calcite a marble has the more durable it is.

[BayMoWe335]

Marble horrible for wet areas.

Marble in the US is also cheap and typically backed with a resin, making it unsafe to set with traditional thinset.

[KingOfJericho]

Carrara marble only comes from one place...

[W Cole]

Originally Posted by BayMoWe335

Marble horrible for wet areas.

Marble in the US is also cheap and typically backed with a resin, making it unsafe to set with traditional thinset.

Unsafe? How so? What type of thinset should you use?

[tranquility]

Interesting discussion. I dunno much about materials but I personally would only use white color and minimize or totally avoid any type of grouting as I'm extremely practical esp when it comes to the bathroom.

[dzvero]

Some recommend this :
http://www.contractortalk.com/f73/pr...-marble-97485/

[fkim119]

I read comments on here saying that marble is bit old but most of the high end, modern remodels I've seen, walked through in Southern California use Calcutta marble or Carrera marble to get that light and bright room most are looking for. If they are not using marble, they are using quartz (Caeserstone). In the bathroom, it is ok to be porous. In the kitchen , the staining and the lack of durability may be an issue. I'd be more worried about the white grout that is associated with marble. That is definitely a PITA to keep clean even with grout seal.

Granite is the finish most are trying to stay away from. It's a durable stone, but there is no contrast.

[BayMoWe335]

Originally Posted by W Cole

Unsafe? How so? What type of thinset should you use?

Resin and any type of thinset will not bond properly and will likely fail over time. You need to use an epoxy if the marble tile has resin backing.

On the bag of thinset, it will say something like "do not use with resin backed tile." This is what it's referring to.

[eluded]

I did large format Italian tile. 1x2 feet. Looks amazing.

I don't like materials that require lots of make maintenance or that don't hold up.

[upstatedoc]

[turboawd]

So how's it holding up? Personally I would never install marble anywhere that gets wet.

[hooligan_F39]

Originally Posted by turboawd

So how's it holding up? Personally I would never install marble anywhere that gets wet.

Same. If I wanted that look today, there are tons of options in quartz or porcelain that replicate the same aesthetic with zero maintenance required.

[chassis]

Natural products (stone, marble) look best when freshly installed. Not so much, in high water exposure, 10 years later. Unless meticulous maintenance and cleaning is done.

Porcelain for me.

[MADBMWX5MC]

Gotta love this forums...informative, entertaining and funny can all be found inside one single post..drive on lads...keep it coming.

[wrickem]

Originally Posted by turboawd

So how's it holding up? Personally I would never install marble anywhere that gets wet.

Mine's been in for 6 years now (2nd post) and still looks like it did the day it went in with 2 people using it at least 2x/day each... and probably until tonight as punishment for opening my big yap, no slips or falls.

It's not for everybody or every house, but in this very old house, it made sense, and it's very easy to live with for us.

But...

In a powder room that we redid last year, we used acid etched marble half way up the walls. THAT is THE WORST. I can't even touch it because it's scratchy and it's hard as F&#* to clean. Don't ever use that! Big mistake on our part.

[rebekahb]

Originally Posted by chassis

Natural products (stone, marble) look best when freshly installed. Not so much, in high water exposure, 10 years later. Unless meticulous maintenance and cleaning is done.

Porcelain for me.

This is what I'm struggling with in my shower. We have natural stone on the floor and bench surround. I've had to seal it twice and it just looks like shit unless it's wet. I'm so frustrated because I can't clean it to make it look new again.

I clean my shower weekly but it doesn't even help. This is about 4.5 years in.

I would love to change it out but my husband might shoot me if I suggest that right now.

[jsf721]

Marble counters, walls and floor.

Won’t do it again. Water spots are a pain in the butt. Get them polished and sealed every few years. Granite is a better choice or a synthetic stone.

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by rebekahb

This is what I'm struggling with in my shower. We have natural stone on the floor and bench surround. I've had to seal it twice and it just looks like shit unless it's wet. I'm so frustrated because I can't clean it to make it look new again.

I clean my shower weekly but it doesn't even help. This is about 4.5 years in.

I would love to change it out but my husband might shoot me if I suggest that right now.

He will. Don’t suggest it.

[F32Fleet]

Marble is slick as cat shit on a frozen pond. This isn't a positive feature.

I prefer ceramic tile floors and solid surface material with perhaps a tile inset for shower