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Sanded or Un-sanded Grout on Dimensional Stone Floors
By: Mike Marsoun NuLife Stone Care (www.nulifestonecare.com.au) I have noticed an alarming trade practice here in Australia which desperately needs to be addressed. The root of this problem is the same as in the US where you will find ceramic... Read More
Crack In Newly Installed Quartzite Island Top
Q. Hi, the very first time I set a cutting board on the 6" hang over on my new sun gold quartzite island top, I noticed a crack 3 hours later. The crack extends 10" into the island top and also straight through the separate 2 1/2" beveled edge. This... Read More
Concerns About Tile Weight and Floor Collapse
Q. How do I know if my 2nd floor bathroom floor is strong enough to handle the weight of tile? There is vinyl on the floor now, obviously tile will add a lot of weight and I don’t know how to check this out. Â A. Thank you for sharing your... Read More
How do we remove one travertine tile from the floor?
Q. We just tiled our bathroom with travertine. I was cleaning the stone and getting ready to seal it when I noticed a crack in the doorway where the stone is. It runs from the corner by the door diagonally clear across the whole stone. It has not... Read More
Should I polish and seal my new marble flooring?
Q: Just had a new marble flooring installed (approximately 2500 sq. ft). Contractor did not mention polishing or sealing--job is now over..just told me to use water to clean the floor. I have since tried to find some info----do you recommend... Read More
What is the proper grout for exterior limestone walkway?
Q. What is the proper grout for an exterior limestone walkway? Is there a dry grout that can be swept between the stone? Where would I look for stone dust? A. The proper grout will depend on how the stone is set. Will it be set in mortar or placed on... Read More
Granite Edges Do Not Match Countertops
[Fabrication Company]Â installed Kashmir Gold granite kitchen countertops in our home and the surface tops are yellowed and the bullnose edges are without yellow. We complained immediately during installation and they promised that their polish would... Read More
Can I use kadappa black, kotah or shahabad yellow stone as an interior flooring?
Q: Are kadappa black, kotah and shahabad yellow stone good dense stones? can they be used in interior flooring? In India one of the top companies is indicted on doctoredstone.org so it is very difficult to trust any vendor. In such a... Read More
Cracked granite countertop
Q. I had granite countertops installed about five months ago. Yesterday, I noticed the granite had cracked all the way through on both sides of the undermounted sink. What caused this - was it improperly installed? Â Â A. Cracks of this nature can... Read More
Membrane for cracked tile replacement?
Q: Hello, I have a problem with a few cracked ceramic tiles in an entryway. The tiles have cracked due to cracks (mostly hairline) in the concrete foundation. I have heard of some kind of membrane material that can be used when such cracked tiles are... Read More
My travertine stone tile shower surround is too small for my new glass shower door.
Q: I bought a glass shower door. The opening is approx. 1/8" to small. I am checking on having the glass door reduced by that amount. Or is there a way I can sand the travertine tile so the door will close.A: No, you do not want to sand the... Read More
Minimize Earthquake-Related Natural Stone Cracking
Q. We live in San Francisco and are refurbishing our town house. We would like to use marble on our kitchen floor, but are concerned it may crack during an earthquake. Is there any way to install it that would minimize the cracking?  A. There are... Read More
remove travertine tiles
Q. I have to do a repair around a jetted tub set in 12" travertine tile landing. All the tiles are set in grout. Is there a way to dissolve the grout & save the tiles? Thanks, Tom--A. Hi Tom, There is a risk factor involved with this task. Of... Read More
Verde Fuoco Installation
Q. I have just had a large granite countertop installation done, including two large pieces of verde fuoco, which are riddled with fissures as well as several cracks, some but not all of which appear to have started out as fissures. I want to replace... Read More
travertine tile bathroom
Q. I have a 2nd floor shower with moisture resistant sheetrock. I want to put 18" travertine tile on the walls above the pan. Using modified mortar, can these tiles be put on the wall with mortar blobs leaving an air space behind tile or do the tiles... Read More
What do I use to reattach glass mosaic tiles?
Q. I have installed a stained glass wall and pond. The mosaic sits on a mortar base, redguard sealer, then more mortar to level the surface. The glass mosaic is put up with latacrete. All of this is put on to a 8 x 16 block wall. One side is peeling... Read More
Installing large format marble tile on kitchen wall.
Q. We are considering using a large format marble tile on a kitchen wall. The tile is 7 1/2" X 24" X 3/4". Is this size tile too heavy to use on a wall? Is special thinset needed? Currently the wall is lathe and plaster (100+ yr old home), should... Read More
Tiles popping
Q: I'm laying "penny" mosaic tile on top of a heating system. I had to use a light amount of thinset in some spots due to leveling issues. As a result I have some tiles that are coming up (I have not yet grouted). I am going to use spectralock... Read More
What should I ask a prospective tile setter?
Q. I am going to be hiring a tile setter. What kinds of questions should I ask them? By the way, I am in California. A. Here is what a consumer should ask a prospective tile setter: 1. Verify the contractor has a C-54 specialty license, along withÂ... Read More
Travertine Filling and Installation
Q. I found a pile of travertine tile in my newly purchased house. It's not used anywhere in the house but would like to use it for a bathroom floor. Problem is, many of the tiles have holes that go through, some as big as a dime. Is there... Read More
Slate installation
Q. Refacing a fireplace with 30cm slate tiles. What is the best adhesive to use (only about 25 pieces of tile involved so don't want to have to purchase a 50lb. bag of anything)? Would a premix mastic work? Will I need to provide support for the... Read More
Have you ever heard of Doctored Travertine?
Q: In India, I have heard that Travertine stone is doctored by adding a substrate to the base of another hard cheaper stone. How can I know whether it is so without breaking it? A: Many of the black granites from India are darkened with dyes, but to... Read More
Section of Newly Installed Stone Is Darker Than Surrounding Stone
Q. Natural stone tile installation has water marks that aren’t fading after 2 weeks of installation. Should I apply a poultice to remove the moisture? MSI sells the stone. It's called white oak. It's honed marble, 24 inch tiles, and... Read More
How to Tell the Difference Between Damage and Imperfections in Natural Stone
Q. I am purchasing natural stone countertops, and I am concerned that I might not recognize the difference between naturally-occurring imperfections and unnatural damage. Can you provide some resources to help me make a good decision on my purchase?... Read More
Does travertine pool coping need to be sealed? Can it be dyed?
Q. Does travertine pool coping need to be sealed? Can it be dyed? We are not really loving our new travertine pool coping. We love the material but not the color. The stone has a honed finish. We were thinking about putting some kind of dye intoÂ... Read More
Should my problematic new countertops be repaired or replaced?
Q. I was looking online for articles about quartzite countertops. We recently had one installed, and we're having issues with a crack that appeared. I need some information. Should my problematic new countertops be repaired or replaced? The... Read More
What is the industry standard for cracks in a newly installed quartzite top?
Q. Hello. I just received a new quartzite install, and there is a crack at the sink extending to the hole for the soap dispenser. The fabricator claims it does not affect integrity of the stone, since apparently it's not a full-depth crack. The... Read More