Fireplace Tile Project

[cheapdave]

I purchased some "made in china" marble tile from big box store, .size is

12 x 12 x 3/8 25 @ $2.00. I'm liking the price, and they look good, but now am concerned the quality may not be so great.........I reached to pick up one tile that was sitting on the counter.... and the corner broke off in my hand...........they are a little heavy and I guess that when I tried to pick up by the one corner it put too much stress on it??????????? I have very little experience with tile so not sure if this is unusual or this is poor quality tile?

[Ed Pawlowski]

Sounds like it was not handled very well in shipping. Stress cracks don't always show, but they give no warning either, just fall apart. Check the box for evidence of a shock. Could have been dropped, whacked with a fork lift, etc. Are they all breaking in the same place?

[krw]

Marble isn't very strong. I don't think it's a good choice for tile but once it's up it might be OK on a fireplace.

[RicodJour]

Chinese marble has some known deficiencies. Obviously there's a reason that the tile is so cheap. The worst thing that could happen would be for you to install the tile and have it crack. In that case it wouldn't matter if you got the tile for free, or they _paid_ you $2 a tile, you still wouldn't be happy looking at it every day. Cut your losses and return the stuff.

Some of the Chinese marble actually deforms when someone tries to use the typical water-based thinset to set the tile. If it's that sort of tile, and it's going on a floor where the edge discrepancy would be an issue, epoxy thinset is the way to go. Probably not an issue for your fireplace.

R

[gpsman]

Some tile has to be handled gingerly, but 12x12x3/8" seems it should be sturdy enough to pick up by a corner.

I'd give a few pieces a twist from each set of diagonal corners. Tile damaged in shipping generally all bust similarly. If they hang together, I'd set 'em. -----

- gpsman

[RicodJour]

The standard tile/slate test is to rap it with your knuckles. If it has a dull thud sound, it's an imperfect piece with hidden cracks. It should almost ring when you hit it. Pennsylvania black slate is notorious for hidden fault lines - it's called 'ribbon' slate by some because of those lines. Unfortunately they're not always visible, but you can always hear them.

R

[SgtBilko]

Thanks for advise.........I will return the the marble tile and go with a natural stone tile.