Try googling 'river rock tile'-- I did that and then checked images, too. Wow. Now, I want some. :) Here is a link that might be useful: River rock tile

Hi Cheri, You aren't nuts, but this will take some care. Ocean and river stones can have deposits which will inhibit the mortar's bond. The most obvious culprit with ocean stones is sea salt and organic matter, but there are oils and waxes that also get into the mix, sadly enough. ALL of your pebbles will need to be washed aggressively!! I'd use a solution of Tri-sodium Phopsphate (hardware-grade TSP) in a wheelbarrow and REALLY stir those rocks up. Use a garden hoe or some other long-handled "mixer" to churn the stones so that they rub against each other. Not only is the TSP working to remove "bases" from the surface and pores of the stones, but the abrasions of all the stones against each other will expose fresh surface area too. Be rough! :^) With all of that done, then rinse the stones very very well and then let them dry. If they dry chalky, churn them again in just plain water until the TSP is completely washed off. Then you can start setting them. Remember that you should wear protective clothing and equipment when working with TSP. It's caustic and will irritate your skin and can damage your eyes! Gloves, long sleeves, and eye protection are a must! Best of luck, Shaughnn

Here is my table all grouted. I still need to seal again...rubbing off the grout haze really dulled the stones. Plus hopefully it will make the grout a bit darker. Also the edge needs sanding and another coat of paint due to to my grout difficulties. I learned so much from this project...like the stones have a natural curve on the edges since they are slices of rocks and therefore placing them the way I did, once grouted they are farther apart than I would like. And NEVER use premixed grout! Thanks for all the great advice from everyone and I'll keep posting as I begin new projects.

Any round tile is up for looking lousy on a shower floor installation due to the possibility of the tiler burying most of the stones under a sea of grout. Yours is especially bad. And you can still see the sheet lines. If using a round pebble, I recommend increasing the pitch of the floor to 1/2" per foot. With round pebbles, the grout lines can be a maze for the water to shed to the drain. The steeper pitch can help the shower drain and dry faster. Consider a sawn/sliced/flat pebble floor instead. You'll get the look of pebbles. You'll get the texture underfoot. But it gives the installer less fo a chance to booger it up. Your installer seem a bit lost. As Casey wrote, print out a photo of what you want the floor to look like. Having a photo means: 1) Other installers can do it. 2) There are no "lost in translation" moments when trying to convey what you want the floor to look like. 3) It eliminates excuses. It's a way for the installer to look at the product, look at the installed photo, and to do a self-assessment of his skills. Of the materials needed. Of the labor involved. Be aware that cemetitious grout shrink a bit as they cure. That's why they usually have "maximum grout width" recommendations on the grout bag. With very wide grout line lines like you have in your photo, you can end up with shrinkage cracks over time as the grout cures. Might not show up for a few days. A week. a month. Or they may never happen. The more water used in the mix and the more water used in cleanup, the more likely it is that cracks can occur. Lastly? When setting pebble sheets, I'll almost always pull a few stones from the edges of the sheets and shift them, rotate them, just mix them up a bit, to eliminate sheet lines. Good luck!