Installing a marble tile floor can provide you with an extremely beautiful addition to any room. Marble tile has a unique grain to it that you really cannot get from any other product. While there are some cheaper imitations, nothing can replace real marble tile floor. When installing this type of product, there are several things that you will want to keep in mind. Here are some installation tips when installing a marble tile floor.
Subfloor Preparation
When you plan on installing marble tile, you need to make sure that you are dealing with a structurally sound subfloor. If you have a concrete subfloor, you can install the marble directly onto it. Concrete is strong enough that it will support the marble tile and prevent it from breaking. If the concrete is not level, you may need to use some self-leveling compound to even it out. You could also simply apply some more thinset to the uneven areas when you are installing the tile as well.
If you have a wood subfloor, you will need to reinforce it with cement board before installing the marble tile. Some people try to take a major shortcut by installing the marble tile directly on to the wood subfloor. If you do this, it will not be long before the tile has broken into pieces. Wood subfloor moves too much to support marble tile. Therefore, you need to install cement board first. In order to install cement board, you will need to apply thinset between the cement board and the floor. You can then screw or nail the cement board down to the wood subfloor. Fill each one of the holes in the cement board with a nail or screw.
Cutting the Marble
When you are installing a marble tile floor, you will need to make some cuts to finish the job. While you might try to get by with standard tile snappers, this will not be sufficient when working with marble. While tile snappers are great for ceramic tile, you should not try to cut marble with them. Instead, you will need to use a wet saw for this project. The wet saw needs to have a diamond tipped blade to cut through marble. You need to be very careful when cutting marble because it has a tendency to break with the grain inside of the tile. This means that you need to be sure to make a clean cut.
Cleaning the Tile
Once you have put the tile on the floor, you need to make sure that you thoroughly clean it. If you get any of the thinset or grout on top of the tile, it could dry and cause you serious problems. Use a sponge and a bucket of water to clean off the top of the tile before you finish the job. This will provide you with a very clean look and it will look more like a professional installation.
Source: www.DoItYourself.com
