marble slab for shower wall and floor

[Anonymous]

I am about to start my master bathroom remodel project. I like the look of marble slab shower wall. My real concern is that they are hard to avoid stain or keep clean. Any suggestions? Thanks.

	Marble MARBLE: CHARACTERISTICS This standard includes general information on the characteristics and common uses of marble and identifies typical problems associated with the material. INTRODUCTION Marble is an extremely hard, metamorphic stone composed of calcite (CaCO3). It is formed as a result of the recrystallization of limestone under the intense pressure and heat of geologic processes. The effect of this process is the creation of a stone with a very tight crystalline structure and small but definite porosity. Because of its structure, marble can take a very high polish and is a very popular decorative stone for architectural and sculptural uses. The limited porosity of marble, especially polished marble, makes it less vulnerable to the leaching effects of water. Calcium carbonate, however, of which marble is composed, is highly susceptible to attack by acidic agents. Marble is readily dissolved by acids, even very dilute acids, however the actual results of acidic exposure will vary with the nature of the acid. Chlorides, nitrates, sulfates and other chemical compounds react differently with marble and produce various by-products, which have a wide range of solubility and impact on the durability of marble. For this reason, it is always important to determine the exact type of pollutants causing marble deterioration. Marble itself can be of two types, one composed of calcite and the other of dolomite. Dolomitic marble is much more resistant to acid attack than calcite marble. The color of marble ranges from the brilliant white of calcite to black, including blue-gray, red, yellow and green, depending upon the mineral composition. TYPICAL USES Marble has many decorative and structural uses. It is used for outdoor sculpture as well as for sculpture bases; in architecture it is used in exterior walls and veneers, flooring, decorative features, stairways and walkways. The way in which the stone is used may be a factor in limiting or controlling the severity of exposure. The use or function of the marble may also affect the feasibility of applying certain treatments, but type of use is not the primary factor in the major types of deterioration and damage to which marble is susceptible.

First let me say welcome on behalf of the board.
What type of marble are you planning to use in the bathroom?
What do you plan to use for the join?
Will you use the shower as a steamer?
I know you came looking answers and instead I am asking you questions.
Your answers will determine the answers you revive.

	Marble MARBLE: CHARACTERISTICS This standard includes general information on the characteristics and common uses of marble and identifies typical problems associated with the material. INTRODUCTION Marble is an extremely hard, metamorphic stone composed of calcite (CaCO3). It is formed as a result of the recrystallization of limestone under the intense pressure and heat of geologic processes. The effect of this process is the creation of a stone with a very tight crystalline structure and small but definite porosity. Because of its structure, marble can take a very high polish and is a very popular decorative stone for architectural and sculptural uses. The limited porosity of marble, especially polished marble, makes it less vulnerable to the leaching effects of water. Calcium carbonate, however, of which marble is composed, is highly susceptible to attack by acidic agents. Marble is readily dissolved by acids, even very dilute acids, however the actual results of acidic exposure will vary with the nature of the acid. Chlorides, nitrates, sulfates and other chemical compounds react differently with marble and produce various by-products, which have a wide range of solubility and impact on the durability of marble. For this reason, it is always important to determine the exact type of pollutants causing marble deterioration. Marble itself can be of two types, one composed of calcite and the other of dolomite. Dolomitic marble is much more resistant to acid attack than calcite marble. The color of marble ranges from the brilliant white of calcite to black, including blue-gray, red, yellow and green, depending upon the mineral composition. TYPICAL USES Marble has many decorative and structural uses. It is used for outdoor sculpture as well as for sculpture bases; in architecture it is used in exterior walls and veneers, flooring, decorative features, stairways and walkways. The way in which the stone is used may be a factor in limiting or controlling the severity of exposure. The use or function of the marble may also affect the feasibility of applying certain treatments, but type of use is not the primary factor in the major types of deterioration and damage to which marble is susceptible.

One great thing about slab walls in a shower is they are really easy to keep clean. A squeegee works so much better on slab than it does on tile.

[Anonymous]

I plan to have Diano Reale marble slab. I will hire contractor, so I don't know what is used for joint. It is going to be shower, no steam room.

	Marble MARBLE: CHARACTERISTICS This standard includes general information on the characteristics and common uses of marble and identifies typical problems associated with the material. INTRODUCTION Marble is an extremely hard, metamorphic stone composed of calcite (CaCO3). It is formed as a result of the recrystallization of limestone under the intense pressure and heat of geologic processes. The effect of this process is the creation of a stone with a very tight crystalline structure and small but definite porosity. Because of its structure, marble can take a very high polish and is a very popular decorative stone for architectural and sculptural uses. The limited porosity of marble, especially polished marble, makes it less vulnerable to the leaching effects of water. Calcium carbonate, however, of which marble is composed, is highly susceptible to attack by acidic agents. Marble is readily dissolved by acids, even very dilute acids, however the actual results of acidic exposure will vary with the nature of the acid. Chlorides, nitrates, sulfates and other chemical compounds react differently with marble and produce various by-products, which have a wide range of solubility and impact on the durability of marble. For this reason, it is always important to determine the exact type of pollutants causing marble deterioration. Marble itself can be of two types, one composed of calcite and the other of dolomite. Dolomitic marble is much more resistant to acid attack than calcite marble. The color of marble ranges from the brilliant white of calcite to black, including blue-gray, red, yellow and green, depending upon the mineral composition. TYPICAL USES Marble has many decorative and structural uses. It is used for outdoor sculpture as well as for sculpture bases; in architecture it is used in exterior walls and veneers, flooring, decorative features, stairways and walkways. The way in which the stone is used may be a factor in limiting or controlling the severity of exposure. The use or function of the marble may also affect the feasibility of applying certain treatments, but type of use is not the primary factor in the major types of deterioration and damage to which marble is susceptible.

[JRigutto]

I've torn appart quite a few old slab showers. Those were put in with the plaster and wire anchoring method. A very old method where holes are drilled into the edges of the slab top and bottom and copper wire is inserted into the holes and anchored with a wooden wedge. The wire on the bottom is straight, and comes straight out of the bottom edge of the stone and seats into a hole in the floor that has been filled with freshly mixed casting plaster. The hole on the top of the slab is notched to the back of the stone. The wire comes out of the hole and is bent back to the wall and a hook is bent into the end of it. This hook is inserted into a wire basket that has been inserted into a hole cut into the plaster, wall board, or cement backer board. The basket is filled with fresh casting plaster and the stone held in place by a clamp or some happles helper who then gets ribbed constantly by everyone who walks past her on the job - been there done that :wink: - until the plaster hardens. The walls above the top of the stone are then finished after the stone is installed.

I've used thinset mortar to install slab granite on collumns where I wasn't able to use a mechanical installation. I just mixed the thinset up faily stiff and spotted the back of the slabs with fairly large wads of the stuff. Then put the pieces in place and clamped them till the next day when the mortar had set up, I don't know why you couldn't install the slabs that way in a shower. My brother has a fabrication shop and they're doing a lot of slab showers, even slab floors in homes. I'll ask him what he uses, I don't think he does a mechanical installation.

As far as how to treat the joints, I'd really recomend calking either with silicone, or better yet, a siliconized acrylic latex calk that matches the color of the stone as closely as possible. That way your joints will move with the house, and move they will, I've seen too many corners where walls come together crack when cement grout has been used in those inside corners. I'd also calk at the wall/floor/curb joints and at the wall/ceiling joints. Also, if you have a niche installed, I'd calk those joints too. Nuthin' like having an area that can easily trap water begging to leak.

I wouldn't think you'd have too much trouble with the stone staining unless you are using a shampoo with a lot of color in it, I'd be more concerned with soaps, etc. damaging stone that was in a niche or shelf or the floor where the containers were sitting. That I have seen. To get around this you could use one of those coated wire caddies that hang on the shower head and use a couple of suction cups as stand offs to keep it off the stone. That and rinsing the shower and using a sqeegee when you're through each time should keep your shower clean and free of soap scum.

You'd probably be best off to have your fabricator do the slab installation too, or someone they recomend if they don't install. If you go with a regular tile contractor, make sure they know what they're doing regarding slab installation, get references etc.. Slab and tile are two entirely different critters.

Good luck and have fun with your remodel.

	grout GROUT The material used to fill in the joints between stone tile. Grout can be cement or plastic resins.

This is all i can find so far.

A brown-beige limestone.
Technical and physical characteristics: Bulk density: 2,620 - 2,640 kg/dm³, bending strength: 14,91 - 15,50 N/mm², compression breaking load: 201,11 - 215,82 N/mm², water absorption: 0,41 - 0,45 weight-%, polish constant only inside.
Uses: Ornamental stone, available are several sorts.

This stone internationally may be nominated as a marble . For the US- and Chinese market this is correct according to ASTM C 119 resp. GB/T 17670 . But in the area of application of the European Standard (EN) this stone must be nominated as limestone because the EN 12440 demands a scientific terminology for the denomination of natural stones, determined with a petrografic examination according to EN 12407 and 4.2 of p EN 12670 . In case of doubt please ask your supplier.

	limestone LIMESTONE A sedimentary rock composed of calcium carbonate.

	Marble MARBLE: CHARACTERISTICS This standard includes general information on the characteristics and common uses of marble and identifies typical problems associated with the material. INTRODUCTION Marble is an extremely hard, metamorphic stone composed of calcite (CaCO3). It is formed as a result of the recrystallization of limestone under the intense pressure and heat of geologic processes. The effect of this process is the creation of a stone with a very tight crystalline structure and small but definite porosity. Because of its structure, marble can take a very high polish and is a very popular decorative stone for architectural and sculptural uses. The limited porosity of marble, especially polished marble, makes it less vulnerable to the leaching effects of water. Calcium carbonate, however, of which marble is composed, is highly susceptible to attack by acidic agents. Marble is readily dissolved by acids, even very dilute acids, however the actual results of acidic exposure will vary with the nature of the acid. Chlorides, nitrates, sulfates and other chemical compounds react differently with marble and produce various by-products, which have a wide range of solubility and impact on the durability of marble. For this reason, it is always important to determine the exact type of pollutants causing marble deterioration. Marble itself can be of two types, one composed of calcite and the other of dolomite. Dolomitic marble is much more resistant to acid attack than calcite marble. The color of marble ranges from the brilliant white of calcite to black, including blue-gray, red, yellow and green, depending upon the mineral composition. TYPICAL USES Marble has many decorative and structural uses. It is used for outdoor sculpture as well as for sculpture bases; in architecture it is used in exterior walls and veneers, flooring, decorative features, stairways and walkways. The way in which the stone is used may be a factor in limiting or controlling the severity of exposure. The use or function of the marble may also affect the feasibility of applying certain treatments, but type of use is not the primary factor in the major types of deterioration and damage to which marble is susceptible.

[JRigutto]

I talked to my brother this morning when I was borrowing the family community chipping gun to do a tear out on a shower floor. :wink:
He said he likes to use an adhesive AND mechanical anchors. Sometimes the adhesive is silicone, sometimes Sikaflex - a type of urethane sealant, and sometimes thinset for the adhesive. Sometimes he uses copper wire, sometimes dead load clips, etc. for the anchors. It just depends on the application and the jobsite requirements.

BTW, nice avatar Huligar. 8)

There is no comparision in tile vs slab, the ease of cleaning coupled with a beautiful long flowing mineral patterns always makes slab installations a winner.

Michael

Originally Posted by JRigutto

sometimes Sikaflex - a type of urethane sealant

Glassman here, Sika makes windshield glue. We used to use it heated to 180 degrees. Had a tube warmer plumbed in line with our mobile install van's cooling system, so whatever temperature the van was running, that was the temp of the glue. The hotter it is the faster it sets up. This stuff will stick anything to anything guaranteed, but cleanup is a pain. Never thought of that, but this stuff could be used for countertops and stuff too. No thoughts on whether or not the black color would bleed through the stone though, I have seen it leech color into standing water before.

Let me speak my mind, I have restore many marble bathrooms, more 12X 12 than slabs. I have restored more marble slabs than granite slabs do see where I am going with this. Marble is sensitive, in a shower stall you are going to subject the stone to elements that may not be favored by the marble. A granite slab will be more resilient to these conditions. No matter what stone you install have them use an epoxy grout.

	epoxy EPOXY A two part resin with superior adhesion properties used for joining and filling stone. Also used for grouting stone and tile.

	grout GROUT The material used to fill in the joints between stone tile. Grout can be cement or plastic resins.

	Marble MARBLE: CHARACTERISTICS This standard includes general information on the characteristics and common uses of marble and identifies typical problems associated with the material. INTRODUCTION Marble is an extremely hard, metamorphic stone composed of calcite (CaCO3). It is formed as a result of the recrystallization of limestone under the intense pressure and heat of geologic processes. The effect of this process is the creation of a stone with a very tight crystalline structure and small but definite porosity. Because of its structure, marble can take a very high polish and is a very popular decorative stone for architectural and sculptural uses. The limited porosity of marble, especially polished marble, makes it less vulnerable to the leaching effects of water. Calcium carbonate, however, of which marble is composed, is highly susceptible to attack by acidic agents. Marble is readily dissolved by acids, even very dilute acids, however the actual results of acidic exposure will vary with the nature of the acid. Chlorides, nitrates, sulfates and other chemical compounds react differently with marble and produce various by-products, which have a wide range of solubility and impact on the durability of marble. For this reason, it is always important to determine the exact type of pollutants causing marble deterioration. Marble itself can be of two types, one composed of calcite and the other of dolomite. Dolomitic marble is much more resistant to acid attack than calcite marble. The color of marble ranges from the brilliant white of calcite to black, including blue-gray, red, yellow and green, depending upon the mineral composition. TYPICAL USES Marble has many decorative and structural uses. It is used for outdoor sculpture as well as for sculpture bases; in architecture it is used in exterior walls and veneers, flooring, decorative features, stairways and walkways. The way in which the stone is used may be a factor in limiting or controlling the severity of exposure. The use or function of the marble may also affect the feasibility of applying certain treatments, but type of use is not the primary factor in the major types of deterioration and damage to which marble is susceptible.