Expert Answers in stone

ANSWER - Hollow sounding tiles is not a defect per se.  Depending on the substrate and installation materials and methods being used the tile can have a hollow sound without anything being wrong. On the…

ANSWER - The Natural Stone Institute (previously the Marble Institute of America) Dimensional Design manual state that the grout joint on a stone should never be less than 1/16"  wide and preferably 1/8" wide.  To…

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…