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Suggestions to Install Limestone by Vicky Smith
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Suggestions to Install Limestone |
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Business
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Limestone is a natural material made from the sedimentary rock of fossilized plants, animals and marine life. It often exhibits ancient spiral-shaped shells, snails and other archeological goodies. This --- in combination with the often dazzling crystals and minerals that make up the composition of limestone --- makes it one choice of tile for many construction projects. Instructions as follows: Firstly, clean the work area if you are installing on a concrete slab. Remove dust and grime with a sponge or broom. For wood subfloors, install a 5/8-inch cement board. For walls, install 1/4-inch cement board. Use screws to attach the cement board and mortar to bond it in place. Check local building code for the thickness requirement for cement board. Secondly, find the center of the installation area. For walls, measure the center as well as a horizontal "plumb" or level vertical, perpendicular line and start your first tile at this intersection. For floors, snap a chalk line on the center of the area. Measure and snap a line for the center of the room in the other direction. Thirdly, measure the limestone tiles that need to be cut and verify that your measurements are correct. Use a construction pencil to mark the surface as the water from the wet saw will not wash this mark away. Use a wet saw to cut the pieces. Clean excess water off of the back of the stone with a dry rag or cloth before installation. Do not use a tile cutter to cut limestone slab. Fourthly, mix thinset mortar in a bucket with water, following the manufacturer's directions. Apply the thinset to the immediate area of installation of the first piece with a notched trowel, covering the area thoroughly. Apply a light coating of thinset to the back (or unpolished, "unfinished") side of the limestone tile for the best bond. Avoid contact with the finished surface of the limestone with the notched trowel, as this may scratch it. Use tile spacers to achieve the proper grout joint size between the tiles. Fifthly, wait 24 hours for the limestone tile to dry before you grout. Add dry grout slowly to a small amount of water in a bucket, following manufacturer's directions. Mix the grout into a creamy consistency --- kind of like peanut butter. Use a grout float to apply the grout to the grout joints between the limestone pieces, take care to not apply too much grout on the surface of the stone --- this will save you a lot of cleanup work. Sixthly, allow grout to dry for 15 minutes before wiping up the excess with a damp sponge. Clean the limestone until the surface is as grout-free as possible. Seventhly, wait an additional hour and clean the grout "haze" or dirty film leftover. Do not gouge the grout line itself. Wait 24 hours and apply a stone tile sealer. Check your local store for the best limestone sealers available. Tips & Warnings Use an acrylic-modified thinset mortar with limestone. Limestone is much more expensive than traditional tile, keep this in mind as you select your material. Travertine --- a form of limestone --- is more prone to staining and doesn't hold up to foot traffic and typical wear and tear as well as limestone, but may be a viable alternative for your project. Take care when handling wet limestone as it can be slippery.
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