- Tumbled marble is one of the softer natural stones to work with, which works well to its advantage. While polished marble can provide you with a polished sheen to the project, working with tumbled stone gives you a chance to experience the beauty of the natural product as it exists in the earth itself, transported directly into your home or project area. The colors range across the spectrum from light to dark, and the surface is such that it is neither rocky and craggy like slate, or polished like traditional granite. Tumbled marble offers an aesthetic that is all its own, and can be used in any type of installation you choose, from countertops and backsplashes to kitchen floors, bathrooms, entryways, or wherever you want to add a extra little something to spruce up an area.
- Since tumbled marble is largely unfinished, but simply cut into rough form by the manufacturers, there will be some significant variations in size, both in width and form. The surface is also pitted and extremely porous; sometimes there will be holes that literally penetrate through the entire stone itself. You can leave the holes open, or you can fill them in with grout after the installation, but the choice is entirely up to you, because each look offers a distinctly different result.
- When it comes time to install your tumbled marble, the first step is sorting through the stone itself to check for any drastically different pieces that are either extremely thick, extremely thin, or misshapen in some way that makes them unusable. As a general rule you should order 15 to 20 percent extra material any time when you are working with tumbled marble unless you are not worried about drastic inconsistencies.
Once you have sorted through the stones you can use latex-modified marble and granite thinset in your installation area, with an appropriately sized notched trowel dependent on the size of the stone you are working with. A typical 12 by 12-inch tile requires a 3/8-inch notched trowel, while larger tiles will require a larger notch, and smaller tiles vice versa. Simply spread an even layer of thinset in the appropriate area using the notched trowel, then apply gentle and firm pressure to the tumbled stone as you put it in place. Let it dry for a minimum of 24 hours before grouting.
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