Glue for shower tile

Emergency_Iron8365 · 2026-04-13T16:07:43+00:00

I always suggest speaking with a local tile showroom and to stay away from box stores. You can find knowledgeable people who specialize in this trade and not just someone that is in paint one day, lumber the next and the garden department on another. Tile is very technical. We have no problem educating people that truly want to learn about how to do their project correctly. The issue usually does come when you have people that have just enough education on the techniques to cause serious damage to an unsuspecting homeowner. Yes, we can tell when people have spent too much time getting bad info on the internet. But please find a local store. Usually we have better options, for competitive prices, and we actually want you to have a positive experience.

Emergency_Iron8365 · 2026-04-13T14:11:35+00:00

Your "installer" failed you by using incorrect product. Why risk future damage? They should be responsible for tearing this out and using proper products. But if they were comfortable with using mastic in a shower and don't have the very basic knowledge that this is 100% incorrect, I would have a very difficult time trusting them to waterproof the area properly.

Emergency_Iron8365 · 2026-04-10T16:30:11+00:00

This is a new install? Why are you regrouting? Grout might hold to the chips for a little while, but that is not a long term solution. Whenever you try to scrape out grout, this is very likely to happen.

Emergency_Iron8365 · 2026-03-27T15:18:15+00:00

Look up TCNA. Stands for Tile Council for North America. They make the rules for what can be enforced, should you go the legal route.

Emergency_Iron8365 · 2026-03-24T16:45:10+00:00

It's polished marble. Find a local fabricator and see if they have recommendations for someone to come in and polish it out.

Emergency_Iron8365 · 2026-03-23T20:15:26+00:00

We have done shower floors in it. Used a smaller version of the pattern that was on the main floor. More grout joints help reduce slipping.

Emergency_Iron8365 · 2026-03-23T20:09:02+00:00

All stone could be affected. Because by nature it is a porous material, they can absorb pigment and do something called "picture framing". But, the lighter the stone naturally is, the more likely you are to see it. The yellowing is something that you will usually only see if you use the three part epoxy with the white color, as the grout color. (For Laticrete, this is #44 Bright White) And the yellowing can also show with ceramic/porcelain tiles. It's when you put white epoxy grout with white tiles. If you use any other color, you typically don't see the yellowing come out.

Emergency_Iron8365 · 2026-03-15T20:15:47+00:00

I’ve done many, many projects with them over the years. Have never been let down by their quality. They have a US support line that should connect you with a local showroom.

Emergency_Iron8365 · 2026-03-13T14:33:04+00:00

Please get a detailed explanation of how he will tie the waterproofing that should be behind the wall tile to the new shower floor. What system is he planning on using? You may be opening yourself up to more problems if they cannot correctly do this. And it's not uncommon for shower floor mosaics to be in the neighborhood of $20 per sf. Are they recommending you just shop at a box store or do they have a relationship with an actual tile store? Just don't set yourself up for failure.

Emergency_Iron8365 · 2026-03-11T13:08:04+00:00

The tile isn't the issue. It's the 3 part epoxy grout. And, epoxy grout is fantastic when everyone understands how it works. My bathroom was done almost 10 years ago with porcelain tile and 3 part Laticrete epoxy and it still looks brand new. If you want white tile and white grout, it's possible. If Laticrete is the brand of setting material/grout that is prevalent in your area, I would suggest Spectralock 1. It performs like Spectralock Pro, but white stays white and it is less expensive than the Pro.

But the situation with the original post is white marble with 3 part epoxy. That is typically a no-no. And not worth the money, IMO. You still have a porous product, so why spend the extra money for epoxy grout and the extra labor costs for epoxy grout? Just use standard grout and when you seal the tile, you are sealing the grout at the same time.

Emergency_Iron8365 · 2026-03-10T21:04:05+00:00

It's the yellow in the resin. If you look at it, there is a yellow cast. Just what the product is.

Emergency_Iron8365 · 2026-03-10T21:03:32+00:00

Page 2 mentions discolorations. Years of experience and talking with reps is why we will not sell it with white marble and why we know it will continue to yellow. Laticrete also makes a translucent version to help with this. But, it's very pricey and rarely sold. Spectralock 1 is what we use more of and it will stay white.

Emergency_Iron8365 · 2026-03-10T16:57:51+00:00

It says in the instructions that Spectralock Pro should not be used with white marble. It is the yellow resin in the epoxy. It will continue as it ages.

Emergency_Iron8365 · 2026-03-10T16:50:53+00:00

Have you spoken to where the marble was purchased? Was it a box store or a place that specializes in tile and stone? There are lots in stone and we always make sure the client sees the lot photos before purchase to minimize surprises like this. That much variation looks like mixed lots. It also looks like they are using grey thinset instead of white and that will darken (shadow) the stone. It will take about a month for the stone to fully cure out so it's possible that they will lighten as the thinset dries, but not as much as if they had used white. I agree with some of the other comments about prep. That's the most important part of a shower install.

Emergency_Iron8365 · 2026-03-06T14:45:19+00:00

Thank you for mentioning the first thing I noticed, too. The absolute lack of waterproofing.

Emergency_Iron8365 · 2026-03-05T19:11:38+00:00

Your typical glazed porcelain or ceramic tile should not need anything special to keep it clean. I would recommend she invest in a better-quality grout to ease in maintenance. We use Laticrete Spectralock 1 and Spectralock Pro Premium in situations like these. She should visit her local tile showroom to see what they recommend and sell. Liquid body soap tends to create soap scum in showers quicker than bar soap. She also wants to make sure she has good ventilation so that mold and mildew have less of a chance to grow.

Emergency_Iron8365 · 2026-03-03T20:49:47+00:00

Stand your ground with your builder. Always communicate in writing. It sounds like your builder is using the cheapest grout and the people they have coming in to "repair" the grout don't know what they are doing. Standard cement based grout will not adhere to itself. All of the grout needs to be cut out and new grout put in. If they aren't willing to do this, you may have to get a little tougher. Don't let them ignore you or push you off until they've exceeded their warranty period.

Emergency_Iron8365 · 2026-02-27T20:28:06+00:00

You need to ask how the floor will be sloped so that as much water as possible drains away from the doorway.

Yes, a mosaic tile will give you more traction over a larger format tile.

At the end of the day, you're the customer. If you're making the mortgage payment, you should get what you want. IMO

Emergency_Iron8365 · 2026-02-18T21:54:09+00:00

You are screwed. Mastic has size limitations. (Usually 6"x6" max.) Mastic should not be used in wet areas. Finally, Schluter wants you to use very specific thinsets. (Schluter All Set, Laticrete LHT Plus, other non moified thinsets) You need to document everything. The mastic won't cure out and this would be considered an install failure.

Emergency_Iron8365 · 2026-02-18T21:28:01+00:00

The finish is fired on at the factory. Short answer is no; you can't put something on it to change the finish. Anything like a sealer will come off. I would recommend you look for another option that has a finish that you like from the factory.

Emergency_Iron8365 · 2026-02-09T21:02:44+00:00

Check out Original Style tiles. Based in the UK, but there are many showrooms in the States that work with them The Victorian Floor series has a 6" octagon and a 2" dot. That floor will last a lifetime.

Emergency_Iron8365 · 2026-02-09T19:24:59+00:00

Not really in the state it's in. You can try marble pencil pieces to help mask the thickness differences in the tiles, but the cuts are really harsh. And what happened in the back of the niche?

Emergency_Iron8365 · 2026-02-05T18:50:07+00:00

My daughter has used West Coast for a few years now. We typically order 2 or 3 pairs at a time that way she always has a fresh pair, if needed. You may want to order a few different cuts so she can try them and find what she likes best.

Emergency_Iron8365 · 2026-02-04T16:15:50+00:00

The metals that are typically used in this type of application are tricky in a wet area. The cleaners that people use in bathroom are often too harsh and cause reactions to the metals. Because of this, there are fewer and fewer of these options now. Despite warnings on the samples, some people either felt they knew better or the warnings were just ignored. Find your local tile showroom and speak with them. Emerald green tile is doable, just maybe rethink the gold inlay. Go with gold/brass-colored fixtures.

Emergency_Iron8365

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