I Marmi Tile from Italy: Installation Tips

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JohnfrWhipple

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After opening and shuffling seven boxes (42 tiles 1'x2' 30cmx60cm) I tried as hard as I could to make the Calacutta Gold Looking I Marmi Tile look like a slab. It was not possible, I worked on it for two hours and used 100% overage. I settled on a tame down version of the photo below and then changed my mind after looking at this photo. I searched a few pictures to see if anyone else achieved it and could find no examples online.

My client came by to sign off on the tile layout (6" offset running bond) and asked me to make her bathroom look like this photo below. I showed her the picture on my IPhone.

0-Statuario-12x24.jpg

Photo Source

Henry+Asencio+(29).jpg

Photo Source
I think the strong bands of veining on the Marmi Tile remind me of an art its brush strokes on canvas. When I was fine tuning the floor layout looking at the top photo above really helped group some of the strong veining components together.

Searching for pictures of Madonna's shower I found an interesting selfie of her in her shower and a bathroom shown on an English web page showing what I think is a bathroom renovation showcased by the Daily Mail UK shows a new shower built in just ten days for Gwyneth Paltrow. She had the space renovated so she could skip hotel life for a spell and the tile choosen by Gwyneth's designer looks to me like more of the I Marmi but with the Carrera White colour choice.


article-0-09CC072A000005DC-964_634x546.jpg


Gwyneth Paltrow's Nashville Shower

Tip # 1
It's not going to look like a slab cut and pieced back together


Photo Source: www.No-Curb.com

Two plus hours of suffling.
Seven Boxes (42 pieces) of tile.
=
No Successful slab like appearance


Calacatta%20Gold-resized-600.jpg

Example of full slab Calacatta Gold Marble

calacatta_gold.jpg

Example of full slab Calacatta Gold Marble

calacatta-gold.jpg

Example of full slab Calacatta Gold Marble

calacatta_gold_marble_slabs.jpg

Example of full slab Calacatta Gold Marble




 
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JohnfrWhipple

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The max offset is still in question. My pickle here is there is three different rules I should follow.

1). The store that sold it wants a max 6cm offset. (2.36")
2). The Industry Guidelines want a max 20cm offset (8")
3). The maker of the tile wants a max 15cm offset (6").


I choose to use the makers specs since it adheres to the Industry Guidelines and I think that someone at C&S tile read the box wrong and typed cm inlace of inches.... I'll check that another day. But I'm all in on a 6" off set running bond....




Wedge Shape Shims (red)
Eye balled grout lines. Roughly 1/8" - 1/16"
I noticed that the tiles shown are cut from one large 2'x2' tile. Without four factory edges I worry that rigid fixed spacers will net a poor looking floor. So I used my eyes and my gut to layout the grout lines.

The tiles are being installed over Strata Mat. Set with Ardex X32.

I love trying to match tiles like this. I'll do a little of this in the shower niche and when I wrap a few corners. Not too much - just a little. Above shows an acceptable 1/3 running bond. But that is a no go from this tile maker. 6" max required.


at six inches these two tile look like crap stacked on top of each other....



6" or 15cm or 1/4 running bond. All in. Final Answer.....


I really need a good mat outside the door to knock the dirt off my shoes. Of course this was all cleaned up prior to setting the tile.....


 
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Eurob

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Nice effort there John to make a slab looking out of tiles which are not made to make one . You would need at least double sf. material to maybe accomplish it .

Was there lippage issues present when offset more than 20cm or it just didn't look right -- pattern formed --?
 

ShowerDude

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i hate stairways. one reson you cannot price a job without site visits , how far was your truck from the entry??? any ice there to slip on ???? nice effort on layout.......
 

Jadnashua

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For those who may not know why the industry guidelines on offsetting the tile, it is to minimize lippage or steps from one tile to the next (in elevation). If you use no more than 1/4 offset, on a typical tile, that would put the lowest point about 1/2-way between that low point and the highest point (the tile often are bowed, end-to-end). IF your tile are quite flat, you can ignore that, but if they have a pattern on them, then it only becomes an aesthetic issue, not a mechanical one. To test, pick a couple of tile samples at random, and place them face to face, then back-t0-back, and hold the edges together at one end. THen, look in the middle to see if there's a gap. Some tile are nearly perfectly flat, some are off by a lot, and even if they are 'relatively' flat, the bigger they are, the more things can stick up (even it the percentages are the same - 1% of 12" is less than 1% of 24", for example).
 

Vegas_sparky

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You pros earn more of my respect every time I layout large tiles. Its not like the old days of 4 1/4" D100. These large tiles seem much less forgiving when it comes to making them look "right". I've spent hours today scribbling on my own walls.

Impressive work there, Whipple.
 

JohnfrWhipple

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So yesterday I missed the directional arrows on the back side. I did look and thought it was weird there was none. This might be the reason why I struggled with this one tile. You can see it pulled in this picture.

That or there as a little X32 rock set up in the corner. Not sure. But it was late. I was tired and I did not want to $%^&^&*o around with the tile any longer. So I pulled it and scrapped the area clean.

Back now for the fix.



Missing tile from this row pulled last minute. trust your gut. I gave the grout joints one more raking and noticed a less than perfect corner. Tried setting the tile a hair lower with a some fist strikes. No good. Hurt my hand. Tried with a little Knee loving. Nope.

No fix. No good. So out it comes.​

Using a tile is a good way to check for dips. You can see the center is a little high here. The reason it works well is the sharp corner. Most level's have a rounded corner. They are good for checking the big picture. You need sharper edges when lining up tile. My metal 2' below is awesome for this. But tile's are always clean and handy.

I'll check out the direction arrows today as well. I'm pissed I missed this. I wonder if the arrow is on all tiles? I bet the one tile that I checked had none.... Or I'm just a dumb ass and was covering the arrow with my thumb when I lifted it up and flipped it to check....

I'm assuming that these tiles are cut from 2'x2' tile. I wonder if there is juts one arrow per 2'x2' tile? And maybe by my math that only every other tile is labelled.

 
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Eurob

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John , most of the 12x24 rectified tiles are cut from 24x24 . The arrows on the back of the tiles makes not much of a difference when the multidirectional pattern on the tiles is present or a non square tile is used . Combine that with the off set , normally a non offset is supposed to be used with the arrows , you get a non uniform pattern .

I think you are better off with trying to '' match '' the tiles -- as much as you can -- , or at least to a pleasing layout , if the effort is needed , but ....... if you ask me , it looks good from here . :)

Maybe a rubber mallet may help instead of fist strike love LOL
 
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Jadnashua

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One reason they developed tile leveling systems is to keep people from long-term damage to their hands if they're going to use them to hit nearly immovable objects on a regular basis AND if used properly AND you have prepped the area well, they can prevent lippage between tile. The cost of going back, chipping out a tile, cleaning the substrate, and putting in a new one, not counting the aggravation on your limbs long-term from hitting things makes them seem pretty cheap to use, unless you're someone like John.
 

JohnfrWhipple

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Thanks Roberto.

I checked the tiles today and I was right in my hunch. Only one arrow and only on one half of the original 2'x2' tile. The photo below shows two tiles sat together. Obvious from looking at then that one 2'x2' tile was cut in half. Do you see the arrow?

Set the last three tiles today and enjoyed some soccer matches. Humped in the rest of the tile order just so the day was not a total waste.
 
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JohnfrWhipple

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So far most of the work here shown and set I did with my snap cutter. I made a few wet saw cuts and have yet to use my diamond sanding pads or polishing pads. No angle grinder loving either.

That all changes today. Today I start the north wall's window tie in. Going to do all mitred joints and keep the tile just off the window's edge.

This is the fun part. Where you separate yourself and your work from what's average. What's OK. What everybody does. The difference in appearance is only noticeable I think to a smaller demographic. So many people just don't care about the finer details.

I do. And wrapping a vein from the tile around the corner for me is FUN
 
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JohnfrWhipple

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I printed off the top photo (shown below) so I can use it as a reference guide for today's install. My phone was getting a little dirty when I kept checking yesterday. This cheat sheet is so helpful. Wish I thought of this a few years back. Certainly would have made things easier.

0-Statuario-12x24.jpg


LOL

OK So I just grabbed my new cheat sheet blown up to a full page and this photo shows a 1/3 running bond. So the picture shows an incorrect tile layout.

Cheeky buggers



In case you love the tile I'm using here is the product codes.

Supplier: I Marmi
Pattern: Calcatta Oro Lev
Shade: 33A
Choice: 1
Size 300mmx600mm (roughly 1'x2')
UPC Code: 8 013216003828

 
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JohnfrWhipple

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So yesterday I learned something else about these Marmi tiles from Italy. The cut line where they cut the 2'x2' in half is re -edged. That is not shocker. But what I learned is that there is a oh so tiny dip in at the start and stop. A little hook or slice kind of.

Comparing a factory corner to factory corner joint is different than a cut corner to cut corner joint.

The tiles install nicer when the cut line is continuous but look better when fudged.

I'll try and get a few pictures to show case this better.
 
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JohnfrWhipple

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What a day.

Started my day like always with a clean up. Shim removal. grout prep. Layout.

Then I noticed that I miss layed the miter cut on the first window tile. $%^&$*.

Tile out almost 1/8". The dilemma was to rip it out or try and grind it down and re tool the miter in position. That's what I did. Then because of that the veining detail no longer worked or matched. So I searched and cut a new top tile.

Spent the entire day there and only fixed my mistake and set a whopping 4 tiles.

Oh well. The mitred corner in the end looked sweet and tomorrow is a new day.

Some progress pictures.

The next tile on the top right is going to be a bitch. It gets a double miter for the remainder of the bottom and right hand side. Then the notch cut around the other window sill on the opposite window well. hoping to have that piece milled and set before lunch! lol


Using a bunch of various sized shims for this install. I have a dozen plus red shims like this. When I ran out last night all I could find in my truck was some shooter nails. Used them with great success. I had to add yellow painter tape over the ends because I almost pocked my eye out with one while cleaning the wall and raking the grout joints.

Miter is tight. I like it. 100% back filled full coverage. Miter corner cleaned out after tile was set. You can see the hight of the top ledge. That is the height I set the miter faced tile too. So I needed to remove the step down. A $%&Ring bitch of a job and so dusty.​

Money.
 
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ShowerDude

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Looking good.... I like how you set the niche sil first, and proceed to close it in.... smart........... way to go cowboy, nails and no leveling system and eyeball grout lines. Kinda like your'e on auto pilot.
 

JohnfrWhipple

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Looking good.... I like how you set the niche sil first, and proceed to close it in.... smart........... way to go cowboy, nails and no leveling system and eyeball grout lines. Kinda like your'e on auto pilot.

LOL - It's my style. These are tiles. Not factory made pieces of plastic. They are close to perfect - but not perfect. The look of perfection is an illusion of perfection, Grasshopper.... :) lol

I set the wood ledger (should have taped it) because the wall was out so much. I believe the industry standard states for tile this size the wall needs to be within an 1/8" over 10'. Up and down it was out 1/2" in 8'. Left to right it was out in spots 3/8" over 10'. So of course I told the builder than I needed everything pulled. I needed the framers back. I needed new boarding. Just a better work place.... When he stopped laughing I told him I was kidding and I would fix it.

Cause that's what tile ninja's do - they make shit look pretty!

This video clip shows two part days. I'm loving the time lapse. My wife the most. She likes the little video clips to see what I'm up too in a day.​
 
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JohnfrWhipple

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This tile I cut at the miter and then milled new factory edges. Those then got mitred to achieve the veining detail to fold through the corner.

Looking pretty!​

Just dry fit right now.
 
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JohnfrWhipple

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Tile tip of the day is that each box contains 6 tiles. These 6 are 3 2'x2' tiles chopped in half (two shown side by side in the photo below). The East elevation window detail became a little complicated to achieve a folded vein detail. Because of the tile layout a folded corner would have added a seam or a second tile on the ledge.

These two tiles of the six have a nice vein running up from 4 o'clock to 11 o'clock. When the top tile is mitred the center vein detail will look awesome and be right in the center of the window wall.

To achieve the look the bottom tile gets cut at the red line and a new factory edge milled. Then the tiles where they meet get mitred edges. The top tile gets scribed and back bevelled where it meets the window.

A little work but I only need to do this for two tiles. The look will be killer.
 
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Eurob

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The last 3 posts ^^^^^^^ are just proof of how and why details and the right approach in specific installations are so important . John is giving you the right tips in accomplishing it .

BRAVO !!!:)
 

JohnfrWhipple

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Thanks Roberto.

The bathroom is taking shape. I went in today and milled and set some more. Meet with my client to review the vanity and stone installs. Took a little extra time and offset one tile to group a corner of three tiles into looking like they where cut from one piece.

You can see the veining detail is a little off to the left. By shortening the right side I could slide the detail over and make the corner look nicer where the two existing tiles meet the new top piece.

Almost a 1/4" needs to come off and then the cut edge needs to be milled and finished to look like the existing factory applied edges.

Now that that looks right I space the tile and measure the left side miter cut next. Step by step. Bit by bit the bathroom is taking shape.

When I mill or tool a new factory edge I never cut the line. Never snap cut the line - always cut outside the line. Then fine tune with the polishing pad. I find this to be the easiest way of getting perfection time and again.

A cut being buried by another tile. Snap cut or wet cut.

Needed to use the Tile Stretcher on the top tile.

The video above shows the tile install above the large triple window. Ten tiles and the job took an entire day!​
 
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