Anyone have Walker Zanger calacatta marble?Store employees confus

14 years ago

I'm not sure if anyone will even read this as I haven't come across too many threads with people using WZ marble.

What happens when you go to different tile stores?-You get many different opinions and it doesn't help!

I was set on ordering calacatta from GBI. They are changing where they get their marble and so would have to get more updated sample from them to see what it looks like. Walker Zanger has beautiful calacatta but they only offer honed and wasn't sure if I wanted honed. However, at another tile store (he can get WZ cheeper) the guy there that has been doing this for 20yrs said marble is marble and is so varied people rarely get what they think it will look like and are usually unhappy. I told him how icky the samples were from buildersdepot and he made it sound like that's what you can get with marble. Then I mentioned how I heard higher end companies are very picky and only order grade A or B marble for there company. He didn't really confirm this. I told him the gal at the other store told me how beautiful WZ calacatta is. He said yes they are the cadillac of tile but...But what-I'm confused now. I understand it is natural stone and varies but don't some companies have prettier looking marble thank others? He also told me soapstone was very porous (it's not) so I'm not sure how to take his knowledge, or lack thereof. Sorry for the rant, I'm just frustrated now and confused. I was just curious if anyone on here has Walker Zanger calacatta. Picture would be great!

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Comments (9)

biochem101
14 years ago
Not sure if you will find this helpful as I do not have Walker Zanger, so maybe that is different. But I do have marble subway tile for my backsplash. When I got it home and started looking through the packs it was VERY different from what they had up on the display. Every single tile was different, from total white, to white with brown spots, white with gray streaks, to total gray. I was kind of "Uh, oh!" when I looked at it.

Luckily I had managed to order about a pack and a half more than I needed (5' packs). So I spread them out on the old kitchen table we'd moved into the basement and started playing "Jigsaw Puzzle". This is a totally OCD but I pulled all the plain whites, and any 'ugly' ones aside from each pack. Repacking gave me one pack (not to be used) that was almost total white (anyone want to buy them??? :)

The tile guy who installed was a bit wacky, but he had a wonderful time choosing and laying all the different tiles and his 'design' worked! I believe I read where another person on here said they did the same, ordered excess and pulled the uninteresting tiles. It worked for me anyway.

Good Luck!
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grlwprls
14 years ago
I did the same with my ming green tiles for my master bath - made piles.

Pretty
Passable - okay for cuts
Ugly

I marked the ugly ones with an X with a Sharpie so I didn't have to baby sit the tile setter. I also put tape on the ones that could be used as cuts with painters tape (we were doing running bond).

It was a fun game for me and my daughter. She was very discriminating!

The tile setter was quite good at keeping the greyer ones from all piling up in the design and we ended up with a very good result over all. Again, we had built in a significant amount for waste, so it all worked out.

The good news was that all the 12" pencils were beautiful.
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Just in case anyone checks back I think I found what I love the most. A really nice girl at United Tile helped me out so much. I almost gave up going there because I never got much help. Anyhow, she let me take home sample boards that have been grouted. I can't believe how much this has helped my decision. My mom and dad came over, bless them as they came over ASAP, and right when they walked in they said "that's the one" pointing to the Walker Zanger polished calacatta. They said it just does so much for the kitchen and I totally agree. The 4x12 samples I have are honed which I thought I liked but much prefer the polished as it adds some warmth. I almost threw out the idea of marble. Thank goodness I had a free day to drive to this store! And the girl said if I know a contractor I'll get contractor's price-my brother is a contractor! Yeh! In these picks you will see beveled subway (my 2nd choice), thassos marble (a little too plain), glass subway (way to contemporary now that I see it grouted and too much shine), and the calacatta is the one with the most veining. I sure hope this helps anyone else out there with soapstone unsure of what to do. beveled subway (left) calacatta (next to beveled) glass far right (too glossy and more blue in person-very cold) thassos to the left
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Well, I went to the tile stores again yesterday. I brought home a few more samples. I also found a blog called tile tramp (tiletramp@gmail.com). She does free on-line consultations. All you do is send her a picture and what your looking for. Anyway, I included what she thought would look good in my kitchen. (They did not have that particular sample at my store-its kind of swirly). She also suggested the one that I have already had at home (Walker Zanger Hollywood). So, I brought that home again ungrouted. I think the dark grout in the first sample was really throwing me. (It is the tile in the middle). The tile on the left would have to be a different marble but I thought I might as well try it. Lastly, the one on the right is called interlocking circles from mission stone tile. My concern with that is that the circles are going to be 18 inches in diameter when it is all done. (My dimensions are about 32 x 60). The picture with one sample in it is marble with clear glass by artistic. Any thoughts? Monday is decision day. I feel like I have seen it all at this point. Here is a link that might be useful: New tile pictures
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Well, I have to admit...I am very intrigued by your kitchen. Do you have any inspiration pictures? I'd love to see where you got some of your ideas. The warm granites, the range and that island all sound like they could really work together. The marble backsplash and granite countertops...I'm having a hard time visualizing that combination. The microwave kind of feels like an afterthought, partly due to the placement and that you don't seem to have a brand chosen, as of yet. Have you considered putting it closer to the fridge...or do you use it more, by the range? I don't think the island will be a problem...with the size of the kitchen I think you need one. It's not blocking access from the fridge to the sink (which is my pet peeve) it will give you more prep space by the range...and it will look wonderful :) Lisa- Here's a link to burlap silk. There's also a silk burlap, which is very light weight, looks like very soft burlap and seems to be mainly, from India. Here is a link that might be useful: Link to burlap silk
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azstoneconsulting
14 years ago
If you look for "A" grade Calacatta Mrable - You'll find it - regardless if
it's at WZ or other places.

Here's the thing about WZ - They have been around for a long time, and they
have a reputation among designers as being a source for top quality product.

They have the reputation among us Fabricators as taking a normal stone like
Giallo Veneziano as an example - and CHANGING the name to something else
and then - JACKING UP the PRICE by up to DOUBLE the going rate.... THIS is
why WZ does not always hand out samples willy nilly, and they're not so willing
to show Fabricators what the stone looks like - because those of us that have
learned our lesson (Mine was on a PF Chang's that I did- that was using "Paladio" around
15 years ago)... We'll find the same stone at the "regular" rate and use THAT....

So the moral of this little story is - DO YOUR RESEARCH - Find a really
good guy that's been in the business MORE than 5 years, and view the
ACTUAL SLABS that will be used for YOUR project - FORGET the "Builder's Depot"
and those big box stores that want you to "Just shut the "F" up and pay" !!! You deserve better....!!!

YOU are the one that's going to LIVE with the stone - so make sure that
you LOVE what's going in your home - DON'T JUST "SETTLE" !!!!

my .02 cents worth from 32 years "in the business"....

hth

kevin
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megpie77
Original Author
14 years ago
biochem101-It does help to hear your experience with marble, so thank you. I would like to order excess but it might cost too much. It just depends on what company I decide to go with.

Kevin-thank you for all of your information. I feel like I am doing my homework and it's frustrating when tile stores don't get back to potential costomers-me!
Are you saying I should stay away from internet companies if I want great quality marble? The only internet co. I've come across that looks decent is Deko Tile, but they don't give a grade to their marble. Now that I think of it I do know a tile guy-honest, down to earth. I don't know why I didn't think of him till now! Thanks again.
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azstoneconsulting
14 years ago
If he's a Tile Guy anything like my Brother Bill Vincent - you'll be GOLDEN!!!!
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theresse
14 years ago
Megpie77, thanks for this helpful thread!

Can those of you w/ marble tile (that you picked through) please post pics?

I've been wondering if I can ask to hand-pick my tile from the store I end up buying it from...but I'm guessing not eh?
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biochem101
14 years ago
I walked in on a random lucky day and they had the carerra tiles on half price. So i bought a bunch!

I'll post a photo later. No you can't pick. They come wrapped in 5' square packs.
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biochem101
14 years ago
These are my plain old carrera marble 3 x 6 subways.
They are not honed, but marble is not as glossy as ceramic tile.

Mine came in foam containers of 5 square feet with tissue inbetween.
They were wrapped over the top with plastic.
This is the leftover batch of too white ones.

Bland white ones rejected - there are goldish streaks but no gray stripes. :(

Nice Stripey ones behind sink for size - each tile is different.

Closeup - The colors range from brown/gold to gray streaks.

Hope this helps!
Good luck everyone thinking about marble! :)
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megpie77
Original Author
14 years ago
Biochem101-I have to ask-are you a science teacher?
I love your marble. It is beautiful. That is exactly the look I'm going for. You were sure lucky to get those for half price-I don't think I will be so lucky, but my brother is a contractor so I might be able to get a contractor's price (20%-30% less). Keeping my fingers crossed.
This does help. Thank you!
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Anyone have Walker Zanger calacatta marble?Store employees confus

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biochem101

grlwprls

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Anyone have Walker Zanger calacatta marble?Store employees confus

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biochem101

grlwprls

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