Tumbled Marble Tile Trouble

[darkstar2001]

Heres the problem - our very nice Polish installers put up our 2x4 inch "mugla white" tumbled marble tile and grouted it, with gray grout, BEFORE sealing. Now the tiles are significantly grayer than they were. I can live with them if I have to, but much prefer the tile color we originally chose.

Is there any way to remove or at least lighten the gray? Husband-person tried scrubbing a few tiles with bleach water and a scrubbie, but that didn't help.

HELP!

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[Davestone]

Well,that was dumb, heh?A very light open pored stone and a very dark grout, that's gonna be near impossible to completely remove, but you can try a couple cleanings with our Klenzall,from the TYW store above, and an acid brush( a small bristled hand brush).After that picking out some of the larger holes filled with grout may be an option...then you might look into using an enhancer to bring out more white..of course this may also bring out the gray, so you would have to test a small amount first..but see what it looks like when you get the stone wet,this is a good indication of what enhancer will do...good or bad.Can you post a name with your posts.

[darkstar2001]

My name is Sue, but you can call me "Idiot" if you prefer. It's what I'm calling myself right now. I shoulda checked this stuff out in advance, instead of assuming the contractor knew what to do. His guys are aces at tile-setting, but obviously downright ignorant when it comes to this kind of stuff. At least they were - after I talk with them tomorrow, I think they'll be much more knowlegable about the proper procedure for marble tile.

Thanks!

[darkstar2001]

By the way, which sealer - Impregnator or Bulletproof - would you recommend? What's the difference? And where can I buy an acid brush and what are the bristles made of?

Thanks again!

Sue

[Bri]

Any chance it looks "grey" because the stone is still damp from grouting?

[darkstar2001]

Nah, it's dry. Dry enough to tell I've got a problem anyway. Hey, what about the Heavy Duty Coating Stripper the TYW store sells? Should I try that before the Klenzall maybe?

Much appreciated.

Sue

[doitright]

Hi Sue, Welcome! :)

I must call a spade a spade, and terminate with "Houston, we have a problem!" :eek:

I don't think any non acidic product is going to help your situation.

Can you post a picture?

From what you're describing, it sounds like this was installed on a wall? :shades:

How many square feet?

If you have an inconspicuous are, I would TEST a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water. Beware that this may etch the stone, but if you want any chance of cleaning the stone, this is what I'd try.

Other options are coloring the grout (extremely time consuming in your application), using a Fein tool to lightly sand the tiles, grout removal including cleaning out the pits (extremely time consuming), a tear out, or live with it. :shake:

Bulletproof is the top of the top of the line flouropolymer water based sealer. Impregnator Pro is the solvent version.

[darkstar2001]

Thanks guys for the great advice. I'll let you know how it all turns out. By the by, the reason, according to the contractor, for not sealing the tiles before grouting, was that sealing the tiles makes it difficult for the grout to stick - unless you (he) handpaints each individual tile with the sealer. Is this a reason or an excuse?

[doitright]

Hi Sue :)

It just depends on the situation. Obviously, if a contrasting color of grout is used, then so should a sealer. The sealer will tend to repel moisture. In the case of the crevices, the grout will stay put.