Redoing a bathroom with "Large Format Porcelain Tile Plane"! (Port Charlotte: new house, maintenance)

[RobinNYC]

Hi Everyone! I am starting to redo a bathroom. I wanted to do it in Marble. Everyone is telling it's not a good idea. So, I came across this product called "large format porcelain tile plane" it's made by Stonepeak! They are 5'x 10' sheets of compressed porcelain (no grout lines, yippie)! It is relatively a new product so I can not get a lot of information on it. I would love to find someone who has used it and knows something about it. Any information on this product would be GREATLY APPRECIATED! Thank you!

[lobobuzz]

New to me but sounds interesting.

[Old Gal]

Pretty!

[QuilterChick]

Originally Posted by RobinNYC

Hi Everyone! I am starting to redo a bathroom. I wanted to do it in Marble. Everyone is telling it's not a good idea. So, I came across this product called "large format porcelain tile plane" it's made by Stonepeak! They are 5'x 10' sheets of compressed porcelain (no grout lines, yippie)! It is relatively a new product so I can not get a lot of information on it. I would love to find someone who has used it and knows something about it. Any information on this product would be GREATLY APPRECIATED! Thank you!

Would look nice in a very large high end bathroom (imo) to actually see the pattern, and which 'way' do you install the sheets? the 5' sideways, or the 10' sideways. Personally, I'd get some high quality large tile squares with a nice coordinating trim. An expert installer will do the best grout job and seal it.

[MartyGras]

Why would anyone tell you not to do marble?

I redid one of my bathrooms in marble and I'm currently working on the other one.

The Romans built bath houses out of Marble and they are still around 2000 years later.

My bathrooms are tile sizes but a friend just did his in large panels and it came out beautiful.



Gary

[Old Gal]

Originally Posted by MartyGras

Why would anyone tell you not to do marble?

I redid one of my bathrooms in marble and I'm currently working on the other one.

The Romans built bath houses out of Marble and they are still around 2000 years later.

My bathrooms are tile sizes but a friend just did his in large panels and it came out beautiful.



Gary

From what I understand it etches and stains very badly and you should have it professionally cleaned once a year.

[MartyGras]

Travertine is an option....both travertine and marble are both limestone.
Marble is harder but travertine unpolished will hide issues.

Another option could be granite ....

[Old Gal]

Originally Posted by MartyGras

Travertine is an option....both travertine and marble are both limestone.
Marble is harder but travertine unpolished will hide issues.

Another option could be granite ....

I'm going to be an old grump here. In my Richardson house I had beautiful granite in the kitchen. I loved it for the first year. I'm one of these people that as I get older I want things that are as low maintenance and durable as possible.

[RobinNYC]

Originally Posted by MartyGras

Why would anyone tell you not to do marble?

I redid one of my bathrooms in marble and I'm currently working on the other one.

The Romans built bath houses out of Marble and they are still around 2000 years later.

My bathrooms are tile sizes but a friend just did his in large panels and it came out beautiful.



Gary

Hi Gary, How are You? I have been from Port Charlotte to Naples looking at different tiles in different materials. Every single place told me not to do marble because of all the minerals that is in Florida water. It will change the look of the marble...they call it patina! Some people like that look. I myself, feel if I am going to pay that much for it, it better look the same in 10 years. One of the place told me to take a piece of marble, take it home, place it in a bucket with water in it and leave it there for 2 days. Then take it out of the water and use all the product (I use a lot) on it. So I bought two different types of marble that I liked and did the test. I didn't see any changes with the water test but 2 of the products I use did stain the marble, it turned it yellow. The same place told me you can have the marble sealed every couple of months to help PREVENT it from happening but there was no guarantee. I am not a young women anymore (I wish is was)I don't want to be a slave to cleaning bathrooms and worrying if the marble is going to etch or stain. I want something that is very easy to maintain and that will last for years.

Most marble on the MOHs scale of hardness is between 2-3. These compressed porcelain slabs are a 7. They are virtually indestructible once applied on the walls or floor. The problem I am having is not with finding them (I have) but NO ONE wants to install them! They are only 1/4 inch thick. They are like installing a thin piece of glass but once installed they are rock hard! No installer wants to eat the cost of them breaking during installation, with the cost of 1,300 a sheet, I can understand. I am starting over again to look for something else to do in this bathroom! More and more I keep thinking I should have bought a NEW house! I just have to tell the builder what colors I want.

[RobinNYC]

Originally Posted by MartyGras

Travertine is an option....both travertine and marble are both limestone.
Marble is harder but travertine unpolished will hide issues.

Another option could be granite ....

I have granite in my NY home, that comes with issues too! Water stains constantly! Ugh