steam shower enclosure

Thank you for your informative website and links. I am relieved to have found an excellent source of information and cleaning supplies. Our 1960s home has some terrazzo floors and we recently installed Azul Aran counters and travertine flooring in the kitchen. Now I am selecting materials for a master bath update. For the countertop and tub deck, we already have slabs of polished Blue Polare Extra (looks similar to Volga Blue, but I suspect you already know that!). We like a not-too-busy classic Old World look. Our West Texas water is very hard, but we do have a water softener. Despite the desert location, we sometimes get mildew in the shower. Ease of maintenance is a primary concern. I am considering something like a tumbled stone (e.g. Daltile) for the shower, but I do not know what kind of stone this product is. What materials would you recommend for the steam shower? Thank you very much for your time. Best regards,Susan

 

Dear Susan:

 

“ tumbled stone ”

 

Meaning?... I mean, what kind of stone is that? Tumble-finish is just a way to finish stone and could be produced on a variety of stones. So, which stone is it that's tumbled?

Typically the most popular are either marble or travertine. If that's the case, then both are very enjoyable stones for the purpose that you have in mind, providing that they're installed properly, of course. If it's travertine, the holes will need to be filled on sanitary considerations, and the best material to fill them with would be color-matching caulk. It will take lots of patience to do it right with that material, but the final result is well worth the extra cost: water-proof and stainless. You can't beat that!

If it's marble instead, the issue does not exist. In both cases I would suggest the application of a good-quality stone color-enhancer like MB-6 to put some “life” back on those otherwise “pale” tiles. As for the cleaning products, you seem to have the right intelligence already… :-)

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

Ciao and good luck,

Mauri z io Bertoli

 

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