I just purchased an accent stone, 1" x 2" Persian travertine mosaic tiles on mesh. I see that some of the tiles have pin holes that go all the way through the stone. I am worried about water going through and sitting on the water-proof water membrane and causing mold or mildew to develop. I see that some travertine is "filled" so I wonder if I should do that and then seal the floor. Or if I should just seal the floor? Or do nothing? Do I have anything to worry about installing these tiles on the shower floor? Thank you so much for your insight.

 

Dear Marina:

 

“ I am worried about water going through and sitting on the water-proof water membrane and causing mold or mildew to develop. ”

 

And you are right at being worried. And yes you should fill the open holes using color-matching caulk. Sealing wouldn't do the first thing about that. Not to mention that's never a good idea to seal stone in a wet environment.

 

“ Do I have anything to worry about installing these tiles on the shower floor? ”

 

If the holes are properly filled and the shower stall is installed correctly, you should be all right.

Now remember, it's never too early to think about the proper maintenance of your stone. The issue of what you'll be doing day in and day out to your stone is – as it should be intuitive – vastly more important than its sealing (if and when possible and/or advisable) and it's all too often neglected. As you can tell by reading many of this site's postings, you're not likely to get good information about routine care from your dealer or installer. Don't become another statistic! By logging into the Helpful Hints section of our website at:   http://www.mbstone.com/HH_promo/helpful_hints.htm , you will be able to get the short version of our maintenance guidelines at no charge. The full version of it – a 7-page document considered by many as an industry benchmark – is available in pay-per-download format in our Educational Literature section at:   http://www.mbstone.com/literature/literature.htm .  

And remember, every single penny of the cost of the literature will be used to support this site and its cause: your cause.

While you are in the “Helpful Hints” section, do spend some time reading all of the interesting FREE articles you'll find in there!

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Thank you  

Ciao and good luck,

Mauri z io Bertoli

 

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