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aiallega

So upset about marble floor

aiallega
9 years ago

This is how my expensive marble basket weave floor is turning out. After looking at all the boxes of tile, I could see that there was some variation in color and of course I know it's a natural product and variation is normal. This is the ugliest marble floor I have ever seen and want it taken up. The installer and my husband think I am unreasonable to want this crappy floor tile removed! What should I do about this? I can't believe that I have dreamed of a marble basket weave floor for years and now this is what I get! The tile is the Avenza carerra from Marble Systems. Someone help me figure out how to proceed. Thank you. Amy

Here is a link that might be useful: tile floor laid today

Comments (48)

  • sloyder
    9 years ago

    from what I can see, it looks like the installer did not match the color of the tiles, as I see very light ones and dark ones randomly mixed in. Are the tiles from the same lot#?

    I would have taken the tiles out of the box, and laid them down as they would look in the room as a dry run, and then placed the tile where it would look good.

    If you really hate the floor. I would tear it out, and maybe look at a White Carrera basketweave. This would probably match better than the gray.

  • aiallega
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I asked him to make sure he mixed the boxes but there is such a wide variation in color that I really don't think there was a right way to do it. I honestly didn't think it would look this bad. I ASSUMED he would lay the mosaic sheets out first to see how it looked before he laid them. That's what I get for assuming anything. I'm going to have to replace it with something else but need someone to agree with me that it is a hot mess. I did not see lot numbers on the boxes. The boxes are gone now so I'll never know about that.

  • jerzeegirl
    9 years ago

    I just want to say that I think the floor looks very nice. It does have variations in background color but that is to be expected in a natural product and you might be able to get used to it, especially once the bathroom is finished and all the other parts of the bathroom come together. It takes a while to recover from "shock of the new". I experience it every time I remodel something (which is why I hate changing anything!)

    That being said, one of the reasons I did not use marble tile in my bathroom is because I could not get a straight answer from the vendors as to whether the tiles originated in China. A lot of the marble that you see in the stores is labeled "Carrera" (with an e). The place in Italy where the marble comes from is Carrara (with an a). My theory is that the Chinese exporters change one letter and they won't be sued for misrepresentation.

    In all the examples I saw the Chinese Carrera marble was greyer than Italian Carrara marble, was more translucent and had more variations. Do the boxes have the country of origin?

    It's entirely up to you if you really need to change out your floor, but I would give it a few days to see if your eye adjusts.

  • ResourcefulDesigner
    9 years ago

    Wow. I'm on a quest to find flooring right now and came across your post. So sorry about your floor and don't think your being unreasonable at all. I'm pretty picky & think I'd feel the same as you do. In the photo, it almost looks as if there are clean spots and the rest look dingy. Hopefully the photo isn't really doing it justice. Have you tried contacting the manufacturer? Maybe they would be willing to work with you at least on the cost of materials? Good Luck.

  • tlbean2004
    9 years ago

    I can see why you would be upset, but i honestly don't like the basket weave pattern. I would go with something more subtle.

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    9 years ago

    luvscritters:

    Be patient. It looks like some of the tile are sucking up moisture and some aren't. Give it a week or so.

  • Bunny
    9 years ago

    I'm sorry this has happened to you, but I'm in total agreement that it's not acceptable. It looks like there are variations within each sheet of mosaic, so rearranging them wouldn't help. It's like strong shadows are being cast.

    However, Trebruchet makes a good point and offers some hope. As disappointed as you are, give it a week or so before you make any decision to tear it up.

  • Vertise
    9 years ago

    Oh my. Your reaction is completely normal and understandable. It doesn't look like natural variation to me, it looks dirty. So maybe it does need to dry out. Look for changes in the shape of the gray areas while you wait it out. I would think your tile guy would know about that and have advised. I also hope he used the white thinset to lay it and not the gray.

    Otherwise, if the option were there, out it would come. Looks awful, as you know!

  • lazy_gardens
    9 years ago

    I agree with Trebuchet ... it looks like some of the tile setting material is still wet behind some of the tiles.

    TIP FOR OTHERS: If uniform color is critical to you ... buy the porcelain look-alikes instead of natural anything.

  • aiallega
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thank you everyone for the help. I'm still not sure what to do and I'm waiting until Monday to make a decision. Right now I'm favoring tearing it up but have no idea what I would replace it with. I did see the boxes in the garbage and I'm going to try and find lot #'s and country of origin in the morning when I can see.

  • jerzeegirl
    9 years ago

    Here's something to try that might be helpful. Go to Houzz and search for marble basketweave. There are a lot of photos of this kind of floor and a number of them look like yours. Sometimes it helps to see other photos of what's out there.

  • aiallega
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Jerzeegirl, I have looked on Houzz but I have not seen one blotchy in a squared pattern. I expected there to be variation within the sheets but not such a contrast between individual sheets. I appreciate your advise and I'm going to look again right now. Thank you so much

  • kudzu9
    9 years ago

    I'm voting with Trebuchet about possible temporary moisture being the problem. Give it some time to dry out before deciding to destroy it.

  • jerzeegirl
    9 years ago

    I took a look at your photo on a better monitor and now I can see what you are saying. It looks like the tiles came from two entirely different lots and mixing the boxes before installing emphasized the differences. If it doesn't lighten as it dries out, then I agree that it's a problem.

    I have heard that some people buy double the marble they need and then cherry pick the ones that are the most uniform and sell the leftovers on craigslist. That can become a very expensive proposition.

    When you look at the boxes, try to see if there is a lot number or some kind of inventory number. If the numbers on the box don't match, then I think you would have a good argument for a refund.

  • MongoCT
    9 years ago

    Honed can absorb clean up moisture easier than a polished.

    Did the installer use a white thinset? He should have.

    And the floor was just installed the day you took this photo? And already you want to rip it out before giving the floor a chance to dry out and show its final color?

    Too bad. It's a nice pattern.

  • lotteryticket
    9 years ago

    I agree that you should give it some time to dry. We put in marble basketweave on our shower floor and went over it before setting it almost piece by piece. And I was still unsure about it until it dried. Now it looks fine.

  • enduring
    9 years ago

    I bet it's a wet floor. I'd wait. It looks pretty.

  • Vertise
    9 years ago

    Are you seeing any changes in the shapes of gray yet?

    Also, wet a small area from the top, as if bathing, to see if it turns gray and how long it takes to dry.

  • Errant_gw
    9 years ago

    So, how does it look now that it's dry??

  • aiallega
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I so appreciate everyones help. Well here is a pic of how it looks today. I put the two sheets back in place so you can get the full effect of how awful it looks.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Floor today with removed sheets replaced

  • aiallega
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    The way I see it there was no way these tiles could have been laid and look nice. It doesn't help that the tile guy ordered just enough tile. Had I known better I would have done what Jerzeegirl said and buy twice the amount of tile and pick and choose. Can this floor be saved by buying more tile and replacing the worst sheets? Or do I scrap the whole thing and start with something different? Thank you for all the help. Amy

  • aiallega
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    The only possible lot number I could find on the boxes was a sticker with 2 on it . All boxes had this same sticker. Could not find a country of origin on any of the boxes.

  • jerzeegirl
    9 years ago

    Amy: Just throwing out some thoughts here. Have you tried posting on John Bridge? They are many experts on that site and might be able to help you determine what your options are.

    What is really bothersome is that square in the front that is so white among the darker tile and the two dark squares in the back that stick out in a field of lighter tiles. I wonder if you could remove just those squares and replace them with tiles that are closer to the colors surrounding them. The other parts of the floor seem to blend better.

    Have you tried speaking with the store where you bought the tiles? I don't expect you will be able to do that until Monday, but I think it's worth a try to go there to register your unhappiness with their product and see if there's anything they can do for you.

    If you absolutely have to replace the tiles and still want basketweave, you can go to one of the big boxes and buy their marble basketweave tiles in a sufficient quantity and return the ones you don't use. Unfortunately, your tile setter will most likely want to get paid again if you do this.

  • aiallega
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    The one very white sheet in front was the only one left to put in after I had him remove a very dark one there (so it was never actually laid).

  • Vertise
    9 years ago

    It definitely appears to be fading and evening out. Give it some time.

    I found many pictures with gray mottling, but it was distributed nicely and natural looking. Should this remain blotchy as it is, I would consider it an inferior product, barring an install problem like dark thinset.


  • aiallega
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    White thinset was used

  • Bunny
    9 years ago

    I don't know that it's evening out. The second shot is from much father away. The extreme dark and light are roughly square shapes, as if the color is just what the entire square looks like. If it were just that the tiles needed to dry, wouldn't the dark and light be more randomly scattered?

  • Vertise
    9 years ago

    Could you post an apples to apples shot showing the full area at the door.

    Sometimes they back butter tiles, but not sure that can be done with mosaic.

    A block of gray tile is why I would consider it an inferior product. Square areas of variation is not representative of its natural beauty, it is a human induced blunder. Poorly designed product.

  • enduring
    9 years ago

    photo from 11-26-14

    Photo from 11-29-14

    They do look like they are changing. The area around the shower curb looks lighter in the second picture.

  • aiallega
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Here is the lightest and darkest sheet together. I also took a picture looking the other way (as best I could) just for kicks.

    Here is a link that might be useful: comparing lightest and darkest mosaic sheet

  • aiallega
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks for posting the pics like that, enduring. It does seem slightly lighter but still obvious square variation.

  • enduring
    9 years ago

    It appears that there is your problem. I assume both of these sheets are dry. If I was a tiler I would not lay both of those on the same floor.

    edited to add: I don't know the proper procedure to tile over tile. But I see that was done in your room. If there are cracks in the existing floor tile, they will probably telegraph through to the what ever tile you put down on top of it. I would think that a Ditra or other decoupling membrane would be used. But I don't know. Maybe Mongo or Stonetech will chime in.

    This post was edited by enduring on Sat, Nov 29, 14 at 17:46

  • Vertise
    9 years ago

    Well, you might have a combination of things at work. But if he installed dark sheets like that, there is obviously no hope. I would still wait to see what lightens, in the event you would like it with a few sheets replaced. I would also wet a light area to see if it darkens and then will take weeks to dry out.

    I would look for a manufacturer who is more selective and artistic next time.

    P.S. he should have recognized the problem and advised before installing them. Babysit next time, whoever does the work. You can't blindly trust, unfortunately, as you are learning.

  • aiallega
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    That dark one was actually laid but taken up within a few minutes. The whitest one was never laid because it was the last one left and it was obviously too light. I didn't know there was a color problem until the last few sheets were laid.

  • Vertise
    9 years ago

    Why not send a photo to Marble Systems to show them how idiotic their tile looks. They might care and assist, and adjust things at the factory.

  • debbie1031
    9 years ago

    I'm sorry. You are 100% correct. The variation is just too great!

  • mrspete
    9 years ago

    I don't like any marble, but this is just plain bad.

  • aiallega
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Well, I decided to order two more boxes of this tile and replace the worst looking squares and hopefully even things out. It did seem to slightly lighten in color overall. I'll post pictures of the result probably next week. Thank you everyone for your awesome help. Amy

  • Gwen Poth
    8 years ago

    I'd be curious to hear what the status is on your floor? We're having Avenza installed in our bathroom and it's much darker that the sample we chose. They're telling us it could take 3 weeks (or more ) to dry and lighten.

  • aiallega
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    Well, this is the end result. It honestly looks better IRL. The tile in front of the vanity are the darkest and I put a throw rug there. The dark area on the right is the shadow from the vanity. But, yes I would say it will take at least 3 weeks to dry out. If I had it to do over I wouldn't use this tile. I have also found that it scratches extremely easily! Is your tile from Marble Systems?

  • Gwen Poth
    8 years ago

    We purchased our Avenza through DalTile in North Carolina (not sure if they buy from Marble Systems or not?) and I'm already regretting not educating myself more before ordering it. I'm glad you're feeling a little bit better about your floor.

  • PRO
    By Any Design Ltd.
    8 years ago

    Anyone researching Marble use in a bathroom or shower should I think read this story first.


    [WHY MARBLE MIGHT BE WRONG FOR YOUR BATHROOM[(https://www.houzz.com/magazine/why-marble-might-be-wrong-for-your-bathroom-stsetivw-vs~12133357)

  • PRO
    Cabot & Rowe
    8 years ago

    IMHO natural marble is wrong for any bathroom. There are ceramic look-a-likes that are amazing

  • PRO
    Sombreuil
    8 years ago

    I like the marble basketweave I put in my bathroom; Get the same look from ceramic? I don't think so.

    Casey, amateur tile-setter


  • PRO
    By Any Design Ltd.
    8 years ago

    I bet that was the high spot on the floor and you have in floor heating. The warmest or maybe the coolest spot in the room. Cats and Dogs always find both.... :)

  • PRO
    Sombreuil
    8 years ago

    I think that was in the summer; Petey the cat likes the cool spots then, and stone is always the coolest surface, Couldn't afford a heat mat, but don't I wish.


  • Bunny
    8 years ago

    Nothing better than a brown mackerel tabby.

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