Replies

1. 
   kaorisdad | Dec 30, 2003 08:42pm | #1

   I put down alot of marble in my house.  Perhaps others have a better way, but I was told to glob thinset on each corner of the tile and in the center, and then level it to the adjacent tile.  I suggest making the thinset a little stiffer as the tile will tend to settle a bit.  I used a torpedo level to check the edges to make sure the tile was flush to the adjacent tile and level.  It's a pain, and you have to double check the tiles every so often because they do settle.  I did 12-inch marble tiles.  The 18-inch travertine may require you to blob more thinset at various locations under the tile so you don't get any hollow sounding spots.

   Find the high spot on your floor and set the first tile, level it and let it set up a bit.  Then do the rest of the floor to that tile.  Be advised that doing it this way uses alot of thinset.

   You can also use an old peanut can to run accross the edges to make sure they are flush too.  But I've found the torpedo level the best and you can gently push down on it to level the tile edges.

1. 
   scrubble4 | Oct 11, 2009 11:17pm | #3

   Hi kaorisdad:  What type of thinset do you recommend for setting white carrara (sp?) marble?  Thanks Scrubble4

1. 
   kaorisdad | Oct 14, 2009 02:18am | #7

   I would think that a regular latex-modified white thinset would be ok for that Carrera marble.  It's white, correct?

   Watch out for "lippage" as both light and dark colors reflect images showing any imperfections in installation.  That Tuscan system is intriguing - not so sure about how easy it really is to break off the tabs without damaging the tiles.  Also, what happens if the tab breaks above the level of the tile?  It says you have to make sure that excess thinset does not squeeze around the tabs, which to me seems like a PIA with those blocks in the way.

1. 
   Mongo | Oct 14, 2009 04:42pm | #8

   Tuscan system works well. There are a couple of others that mimic the idea.Large format tile, yeah, you need a flat surface upon which to set the tiles and a thicker setting base to allow wiggle room as needed, the 3/4" trowel should do that. I wouldn't advise dot installation on the floor, you can get a hollow sounds. I've used a 1/2" trowel and burn thinset on the back of the tiles. I would not go smaller than a 1/2" trowel.Large format stone installations can be a trade off of sorts...you can spend additional money now for the Tuscan system so you can install faster...or you can install without a leveling system, but depending on your technique and skill, avoiding lippage may increase the hours of labor spent on this job.Or you can install it at a "normal pace" as best as you can, trying to avoid lippage but accepting it where it occurs, and then grind down and polish the floor after the installation is complete. A modified white is fine for setting marble. Depending on the stone, realize the floor can appear mottled until full curing/drying has occurred.

1. 
   designbing | Oct 14, 2009 07:50pm | #9

   Back butter all the tiles and that will help keep the mottled appearance from being permanent.

   Bing

2. 
   scrubble4 | Oct 20, 2009 04:26am | #10

   Yes it's white Carrara, thanks for the help. i will back butter and seal as well.

   Scrubble 4

2. 
   Scooter1 | Dec 30, 2003 09:17pm | #2

   J:

   First, check for flatness on the slab. You haven't told us, but if it is a washboard, there is no way that the marble will be flush. Check it with a long (4-6 foot) straight edge in all directions. Please advise.

   Second, assuming it is flat, natural stone has some imperfections insofar as thickness is concerned (called lippage), unlike manufactured tile. It might be as much as a sixteenth. Check some random tiles. Your 3/4 knotch trowl ought to put down a good three eights of inch of thinset on the slab which should be more than enough to level the lippage. Indeed, I would think a half inch trowel would be just about right, so I don't get it either.

   Third, and this may be your problem, the old thinset (we call it cutback) needs to be removed as much as possible. I'm not installing the tile, but I am guessing that when you set the tile, the corners are bumping into the cutback. You may have to grind the slab down, scrape it down, or float a skim coat of thinset (1/16 to 1/8") with a wide flat trowel or short straight edge, and let it thicken and cure for a couple of hours. This just might even up the floor enough that my half inch knotched trowel would work, and certainly your 3/4 inch trowel would work.

   Give these a try.

   Regards,

   Boris

   "Sir, I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow" -- WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934

3. 
   JohnCujie | Oct 12, 2009 03:19am | #4

   I've read about this system.

   http://www.tuscanleveling.com/index.html

   Have no idea how expensive or if it is practical for the size job that you are doing.

   John

1. 
   Jeff_Clarke | Oct 12, 2009 07:30am | #6

   That's (Tuscan Leveling) the coolest thing I've seen in awhile.

4. 
   G80104 | Oct 12, 2009 03:36am | #5

   If you have a Home Depot or Lowes close by? Try this...

   http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?keyword=lash&langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053