Expert Answers in stone

ANSWER - Many natural stones that are produced around the world are treated with a type of sealer to enhance the color of the stone.  If some type of solvent gets on the countertop e.g.…

ANSWER -  We have seen where the installer will cover the entire tile with thin-set adhesive (back buttering) and then use globs or spots of the adhesive to attach the tile.  This is not an…

ANSWER -  In terms of manufacturing of ceramic tiles, which includes porcelain tiles that are a type of ceramic tile, there are quality control standards in ANSI A137.1  that allow a small percentage of tiles…

ANSWER - TCNA Handbook does say that movement joints within the tile assembly should be at least ¼” wide, but the current version of the handbook does indicate that if your movement joints are installed…

There should be a 1/8" joint between the wood and marble.  It would be best to caulk that joint as there is likely to be movement.   If you don't have a joint then when the…

ANSWER - It is hard to see exactly what they did.  Your message says “photo thin set 1/16” is on the floor, 1.5” to 2.5” of mortar mix with less than 90% coverage, and thin-set 1/16”…

ANSWER - First you need to determine what caused the smudges on the tile in order to determine how to remove them. If you have a polished porcelain tile there is a condition known as…

ANSWER - The Natural Stone Institute, formally the Marble Institute of America, Dimension Stone Design Manual states that "Cracks occur in stones as a result of man-made mechanically induced stresses during handling, fabrication, transport, or…

ANSWER: According to Pizzul Marmi Aurisina's website blog, due to their technical characteristics, stones are particularly suitable for different applications and, indeed, have been used since the ancient times of the Bronze Age in any kind of…

ANSWER - There are 3 subcategories of limestone per ASTM C568.   Their physical properties vary from being vary porous to very low absorbing. How fast the limestone will dry depends on how absorbing it is,…