limestone shower (EEPS!)

I have at my disposal 6X6 tumbled Jerusalem limestone, that although pitted and made to look irregular, when you wipe the chalky dust there is a honed flat surface.I want to use it in my shower and I share your idea of honoring the materials we choose. Maintenance(which I am cheerfully prepared to do))is the key to all successful systems.I am a plasterer by trade and noticed in the 1980's people were choosing stone that installers couldn't advise them how to treat, seal you name it and I watched countless tests with all manner of products(some really toxic!)No one knew what to do. Thanks for taking upon yourself to educate all of us. I notice you have an amazing array of products. I would like some guidance to do the best possible job with an eye to longevity. I don't mind things looking old, but I don't want to harm the limestne by improper care. Everyone here where I am building does hotmop showerbeds. I am not impressed. What do you recommend as the best base? I have a copy of the 2008 Tile Council of North America Tile Installation handbook which documents, all accepted practices and their limitations, but it doesn't address my question. Although you don't recommend it, how would you have me proceed to ensure the best possible outcome, from the type of base, mortar bed,thin set, pre sealing face and leading edges of the limestone? What is motivating me to use the limestone is two fold. I got a bunch of it from a wealthy client for a song, and I like the timelessness of stone, how it feels, and the geology behind it. But if you said no way Delia-I would find another material. I am building my own house and I don't ever find anything tedious. I am trying to build a small well designed 200 year house. I Cut sheets of cementious siding into shingles so it will look good and is easy to care for for a hundred years at least. Please help me not to shoot myself in the foot, but if it was to get torn out and replaced I would be the one doing it, and that's not my style. I would like success but I'm not afraid of hard work to achieve it. I already downloaded the first article on limestone and tile maintenance. Walk me through your product list that I will be need to use.I believe that it all the years of your experience are priceless. I think people should pay you PER question! Let them all ask you the same q

 

Dear Delia:

I'm not really very good when it comes to installation matters, especially a shower stall. Therefore I don't feel comfortable at giving you advice on this particular subject.

As for the material, Jerusalem limestone is A-okay for the project: it is one of the few limestones that gets green light from me. No need to seal prior or after installation. However, you may want to consider using a grout release product before grouting: it will make the cleaning of the excess grout easy.

As for the rest, I believe that the article you purchased already gave you a bit of good info.

Thank you for your nice words.

May I ask you now to please read and e-sign our Statement of Purpose at: http://www.marblecleaning.org/purpose.htm?

Ciao and good luck,

Maurizio Bertoli

 

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