Tumbled Marble Shower & Floor

[scotucla]

I've been reading through some of the threads below and there's a lot going on with regard to sealing. So, I'm thinking baby steps are appropriate here as it is pretty overwhelming to try and deduce the answer to my questions with all the manufacturers/product/jargon floating around.

I just had my shower and tub done and would like to know professional opinions. I thank you all in advance for (i) dealing with a likely repetitive question; and, (ii) your time.

- Should I seal the stone itself or just the grout? I'm thinking both because I have a make-up vanity for the wife and I would imagine some bottle of face-beautifier will fall eventually take a tumble.

- Do I need to seal the tile and grout with separate products?

- If I absolutely do not want any sort of shine/sheen on the post-sealed tile & grout, is there a certain type of product I should be looking for? Ideally, I'd love a matte finish similar to the unsealed finish of the tile.

- Lastly, do you have any installation recommendations above and beyond the directions on the product?

Thanks again...

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[MDS]

Nice looking bathroom! I'm pretty sure I know what the stone is, but identifying that precisely (like off the box it came in) helps even more than the pics.

Executive summary - spend about $100 a gallon on the sealer and follow the directions.

You can get lots of opinions on this. Mine is use Stonetech Heavy Duty Sealer. Does a nice job on both the stone and grout and will not change the appearance. Stonetech's Bulletproof is supposed to be better (it costs more) but I find it a PITA to use.

The biggest mistake I see people making with clear sealers is trying to "pile too much on". The stone will only take so much and letting it dry too long can cause a haze that it tough to buff off some stones.

[scotucla]

Tile came in plastic: Receipt just says Philadelphia tumbled marble. Floor is mediterranean Beige Antinqued. Grout is Hydroment sanded grout.

If you have a pretty big area like this (220+ sf on tub & shower; 90+ sf on the floor), do you like to work in sections? Or do you just blaze through the whole thing? Thank you.

[MDS]

Sections for sure. The stone and grout will suck up all it can pretty quickly. I would work maybe 6 - 10 sq ft at a time. Spray it on (wear a respirator), spread it around with a cloth damp with sealer and then buff it dry with a dry cloth. Work your way out the room so you don't have to walk on anything you have finished. Stay off the floor for several hours. 24 hours dry for the shower.

[scotucla]

thanks for the info...sounds like I've got a few hours work ahead of me.....:)