How to Install Marble

Marble tiles make installation easier.

Marble's delicate veining and subtle color variations turn each piece into a decorative item. Marble is widely available and is suitable for flooring, walls and countertops in kitchens and bathrooms. Rather than paying a contractor to install a marble slab, you can choose marble tiles. Just like ceramic tiles, marble tiles can be installed by just about anyone with do-it-yourself skills. Make sure you have enough marble for the job, plus 30 percent extra to allow for material waste in cutting and potential breakage.

Things You'll Need

• Rags
• Claw hammer
• Chisel
• Broom
• Wood filler or putty
• Putty knife
• Chalk line
• Tape measure
• Pencil
• Diamond-blade wet saw
• Notched trowel
• Cement or thin-set mortar
• Builder's level
• Grout squeegee
• Sponge

Instructions

1. Clean the surface of your floor, counter or walls to remove dirt and debris, using soap, water and rags. Remove loose nails, screws, flaking paint or plaster with a claw hammer or chisel. Sweep the surface with a broom to clear leftover dust. Fill in nail holes or cracks with wood filler or putty, applied with a putty knife.

2. Arrange the marble pieces over the entire installation area. Snap a chalk-line grid on your installation surface to show where the grout lines between the tiles will be located, if you need a visual guide for installation.

3. Cut and trim marble pieces to fit into corners or around architectural details, using a wet saw equipped with a diamond blade. Measure carefully with a tape measure. Mark the measurements on the marble with a pencil before you cut. Handle the marble gently and cut slowly to help prevent stresses that may cause the marble to crack or split.

4. Mix cement or thin-set mortar according to the package directions.

5. Apply the mortar 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick on the tiling surface and the back of each marble tile, using a notched trowel. Adhere each marble tile to the surface. Press down gently until you feel suction between the layers of mortar. Check the tile with a builder's level to make sure it is even. Repeat the process for each tile until the surface is completed.

6. Allow the mortar to cure for at least 24 hours.

7. Apply grout to the entire marble surface with a flat squeegee. Press the grout into the grout lines with the squeegee. Wipe away the excess grout with a sponge. Let the grout dry.

References

• Inside Woodworking: Marble Flooring for Your Home