Marble Floor Tiles - From Nature To Your Homes (Part 2 out of 3)

Hi all... I am back to continue writing part 2 of this article. My apologies for any delays as I have been working At Kitz Lane, Melbourne CBD for RACV City Club doing repair work on some damaged Arabescato bathroom thresholds. Back to where I left off... Well once the marble tiles are packed in wooden crates, they are then ready to be shipped. Be informed that wooden crates from China are usually weak and therefore be prepared for crate damage even before it reaches your home. Just a tip. Wooden crates are then stuffed into 20ft. containers and an average of 500m2 of marble tiles can be taken on as one container load. Pay import taxes & GST when the shipment arrives. Do not forget the cost of freight, insurance and agent clearance fees. Most importers of stone tiles should have a good quantity of materials of the same stone tile type. Take you time and scout around the market for the type of material that will suit your taste and budget. Be completely aware that what you see on a sample piece will not be quite the same as the actual stocks you purchase. Check with your supplier. A good source of natural stone tiles & slabs are with CDK Stone Pty Ltd in Moorabbin. Very friendly staff. Their address is: 4-6 Freighter Road Moorabbin VIC 3189 Phone: 03-8552 6000 Material selection can be a hard decision. Major considerations should include: 1. Application (Indoor or outdoor) 2. Wet or Dry areas 3. Material thickness and its suitability for floors & walls 4. Type of finish (i.e rough cut, honed or polished) 5. Quantity required in regards to availability, stocks and wastage on site. 6. Porosity of material 7. Method of installation 8. Post installation cleaning (Lithofin an excellent choice) 9. Post installation sealing (Lithofin MN Stain-Stop a 5 star sealing product) 10. Maintanance & Care. There are also geological information on each stone type which can assist you in making a decision. Water absorbtion & compression hardness may be something to look at. Now that you have purchased the right stone tiles, its about planning and making sure all pre-installation criteria's are met. Some concerns are: a) Dry Laying (To select where the actual pieces will be used on i.e. floor plan.) b) Finishing levels c)Type of adhesives being used d) Starting & finishing points. e) All below surface works are completed. i.e plumbing, electric cables, underfloor heating, etc.. f) Installation Concerns i.e cutting, profiling, openings, g) Chips and other damages from existing materials h) To pre-seal if material is porous  before grouting. An excellent pre-seal to use would be Lithofin MN Stain-Stop. Cleaning the tiled surface is essential before pre-sealing. i) Grouting with the right grout. Wide variety to choose from. Now that that your floors are installed. It's time to end part 2 out of 3. Part 3 will encompass initial cleaning and product recommendation for sealing. It will also include information on regular cleaning & maintenance to keep your marble tiled floors looking pristine at all times.   Simon Gabriel @Stone Doctor Australia P/L Mobile: +61 458 607 420 Email: simon@stonedoctor.com.au      
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