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Setting a marble saddle

musashi | Posted in Construction Techniques on April 21, 2006 02:02am

Hello:

I am going to set a new marble saddle into the threshold of my recently redone bathroom. What should I set it in?

It is going onto a very uneven surface, consisting of the edge of the old oak flooring, the original subflooring in the middle, and the new ply subflooring peeking out under the new bathroom tiles and Wonderboard. Three different levels, plus the fact that my new bathroom floor is level, whereas the hallway floor is way off, so over the 2 feet of the saddle, there is a height difference of over 1/2″. (It will be even with the tiles, and I will deal with the funny transition somehow on the outside, with wood.)

Thank you for your suggestions. I have never done stonework before, and I’m clueless about this.

AR

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  1. Danno | Apr 21, 2006 03:57pm | #1

    Until someone else replies, I'll do the equivalent of what is called a "bump" (just moves you up towards the top of the list) by telling you I would use modified thinset (mortar) and put it down fairly thick--like maybe with a 1/2" x 1/2" notched trowel. See what others say though.  Level the threshold in both directions when you squish it down into the mortar.

  2. User avater
    JDRHI | Apr 21, 2006 04:05pm | #2

    I'm assuming the tile floor is higher than the oak?

    J. D. Reynolds

    Home Improvements

  3. Aaron | Apr 21, 2006 04:05pm | #3

    Make your oak taper first, and then put the marble in--you'll have a tough time trying to slide something in after the marble is down.

    You will want to use white thinset--I think gray may show through the marble.

    Aaron

  4. DonCanDo | Apr 21, 2006 05:01pm | #4

    One thing that's important for marble saddles is to avoid any voids (places where saddle is not in contact with the thinset).  Marble is quite brittle and will crack if not evenly supported.

    If you need to build up a little extra thickness, mix the thinset so it's not too wet and be sure not to step on it for at least 24 hours.

    -Don

  5. musashi | Apr 22, 2006 02:05pm | #5

    Upon further consideration, I see that the flooring just outside the new bathroom is far too spongy to allow for any kind of stone saddle. I will put in an oak one instead, and seal it well.

    Ripping up and redoing the hallway flooring is just not part of the plan right now.

    Thank you all for your suggestions.

    Alex

    Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.
    -Groucho Marx

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