How to test your shower's tile

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JohnfrWhipple

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Soak testing your tile selection is a simple step that can alert you to problems you might not have expected.
 
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ShowerDude

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Im about to set A good amount of polished Marmara Linear mosaic, client bought very affordably online....Ill grab a sheet today and soak it this weekend see what comes..

Last month I had a client soak test her online glass mosaic purchase....After a few days submerged all glue and mesh intact.......
 

Eurob

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The marble tiles with the mesh in the back are epoxy reinforced . The epoxy and the mesh become part -- fused -- of the marble tile . The humidity will not affect the epoxy backing , but the bond to it is most of the concern .

If tiles are not loose , the polish of the tiles can present some challenges if the quality is not there . If you have water drops staining , it can either be hard to be cleaned or some minor etching is present on the polished surface . Polishing the surface to an original factory finish is probably best , but hard to say with certainty if you do not see the actual installation .

Marble is much more difficult to preserve than porcelain tiles , but some like the patina and daily use markings on it .
 

ShowerDude

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im about to soaktest the marmara polished linear mosaic im installing.

do you guys use the same water source as the shower? to soak
 

ShowerDude

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image.jpg
 

ShowerDude

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its a long holiday weekend! this test will be 6 days when i check it!

very little glue holding mesh on. surely water base.

i used the source water the shower will be subject to.
 

ShowerDude

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after 6 days the tile has mostly fallen off the mesh, the water ever so slightly cloudy, and no funky smell.

the tiles themselves have some re-emulsified glue on back of them. the tiles show no discoloration or negatives.

i have installed a lot of mosaic mesh backed tiles over the years. not one problem.

hmmmmm????

a water base adhesive offers up move-ability of the tiles themselves .....as you install and the adhesive releases .........as the thinset sets up you have a window of time to correct bad joints.

John? Roberto?

why do some companys spot adhere there mesh with a non- water base adhesive? that wont re emulsify?


i know for sure 1 thing. Paper faced mosaics are the best and always cost a premium price such as bizazza glass

but these are larger turkish marmara.

hmmmmm?


The tile installer has a lot to worry about.
 
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