How to Hang Marble Tile

Calacatta marble tile

Marble wall tile can enhance any room of the home. Marble has a natural beauty that is unmatched by man-made products and can be installed on floors or walls. Hanging marble tile on walls requires a white thinset and an impregnating sealer to help impede staining of the tiles during installation. Once installed, marble tiles can last for many years.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring tape
• Straight edge
• Pencil
• Tile saw
• White thinset
• Trowel
• Impregnating sealer
• Foam paintbrush
• Lint-free cloth
• Grout
• Grout float
• Damp sponge

Instructions

1. Measure the area to be tiled and mark off an area of equal size on a floor or work surface nearby, to set out the tiles in a dry layout.

2. Arrange the marble tiles in a dry layout, which will help determine cuts, placement of tiles and grout joints. Lay the first tile in what will be the bottom center of the wall. Lay the next tiles out evenly to each side, and above the first tile. Mark any tiles that need be cut with a straight edge and pencil.

3. Cut the edge tiles on a tile saw and return them to the dry layout to double-check placement and fit.

4. Install the tiles in the layout determined by the dry layout. Use the trowel to spread a small amount of thinset over an area to be tiled. Rake the thinset with the teeth side of the trowel until the ridges are uniform in height. Press each tile into the thinset firmly and twist it slightly into place to ensure a good bond. Continue laying tiles in small areas until all tiles are laid.

5. Allow the thinset to cure for 24 hours, and then seal the marble with an impregnating sealer to help facilitate easy grout cleanup and to impede staining of the tiles. Use a foam paintbrush to spread the sealer over the tiles. Allow the sealer to penetrate the tiles for one hour, and then wipe off the remaining sealer with a lint-free cloth.

6. Grout the sealed tiles by packing the joints between the tiles with grout, using a grout float. Wipe off the excess grout with a damp sponge, taking care not to over wash the grout with water, since this may lead to a reduction in grout color. Allow the grout to cure for 24 hours.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are installing black or green marble tiles, use an epoxy thinset. Black and green marble tiles may curl or flake if they absorb water from standard thinsets.

References

• The Tile Doctor: Tile Interior Walls
• Hometime: Installing Wall Tile
• Marblelife: The Importance of Sealing Your Stone