Nope, any attempt to hide it will make it look worse and stand out more in my opinion.

When something is new, we notice every imperfection, but that goes away with time. Make sure you have extra tiles in case it really continues to bother you. But I'd ask for a price and see if it's worth it to you. The GC is ready to move on to his next job so he may price it high to discourage you. You could call a tile installer and see if they do repairs. My tile guy owns a medium-sized company and does repairs and cleaning as part of their scope of work.

Thanks! I will ask around about the cost to repair.

I'm not seeing anything. It's natural stone. Deal with it. Even Corian gets the occasional mosquito squished in.

Are you sure it's an actual vein in the stone? Looks weird for a stone that is otherwise so....lateral. I guess you've already made sure it's not just on the surface.

I agree that you should at least see how much to replace it. It's impossible from here to make an educated guess about the success of painting it (but if it were mine, you can be sure I'd be testing a few things out!).

EE:

The repairs I do to countertops and surfaces are subjective. I always tell my customers that if a potential home buyer's inspector can't readily find the repair, it's a success. Of course the homeowner's can always find it; you can't "unsee" something.

I'd suggest you do the same here. If someone came to buy your home, might they have the same objection as you? If the answer is no, forget about it, please.

' If someone came to buy your home, might they have the same objection as you? If the answer is no, forget about it, please.'

Since it looks like a crack from corner to corner, yes, chances are it would get a potential home buyer's attention. Likely anyone would wonder about a crack like that for that matter. For those of us that know it's a vein not cracking, we can only look at it and wonder. With all the tiles to choose from, with all the rest of the shower and tiles patterned laterally ... why? Why choose that tile? How can someone - a paid someone - not notice something like this at the time before it's all set in stone and difficult if not impossible to change?

The one over the right window is a poor choice and placement too. I'm guessing it's a tiler that just pulls the next tile from the box and doesn't really pay attention to the tiles or what he's doing. TCNA guidelines advise otherwise.

Sure it isn't red guard streaked over it?

Call it wabi sabi? Loose definition: The Japanese philosophy celebrates beauty in what's natural, flaws and all. Source article for definition

It's a natural material, with a natural "flaw". Proves its natural.

Do what works for you, just an idea.

I guess that's why it's placed corner to corner. The look of a natural crack. Sheer genius.

Snookums - never said I liked it, but I don't think I'd be paying to replace it either, so I'd have to find a way to make peace with it prob. I just looked for that as a solution. OP just want input. Plus, if a buyer walks for one natural tile with a vein, then they wouldn't be worth dealing with anyway.

That would drive me crazy....maybe a hanging plant?

Meris, I was poking fun at the tiler not you.

Snooks so- ok. I reread that, I didn't mean any kind of tone in there. Sorry if it sounded that way.

Wabi Sabi is actually a good suggestion :-)

Personally, in this case, I'd find it aggravating and hard to ignore for a number of reasons. One, it looks like the shower is cracking. Two, when people either don't care or aren't paying attention to what they are doing. Or do they just hate their jobs and customers so much they get a kick out of this crap.

It's a good thing it's up high so damage to the waterproofing etc wouldn't be a problem if removed.

How closely have you gotten to it? Nose to nose? With the red 'vein' coming right at the window corner (where the tile was cut) close inspection by an expert would be needed to confirm it is in the tile. I do think it will be an issue if you must sell in the next few years. That room is aiming for a serene look and ...

AND, if it is an expected defect, that is so not the place to use that tile --- poor workmanship at three levels, I'd think, at least: checking the product when delivered, the tiler when handling it, the supervisor in not having it pulled out right away.

Hmmm. Could we actually have a cracked tile here with some Redguard waterproofing product showing through! I'd get up there and check it myself firsthand.

I had a couple of tiles that were chipped at install where they glued the piece back on instead of using a new good tile. I had bought a lot of extras to cover any problems. Both repairs separated.

I like it but then I tend to like those little quirks of "flaws" which are interesting. It's a very "regular" kind of stone with the veining all going in one direction. Then there's this red crazy diagonal line that livens things up and proves that it's real stone and not porcelain.

Are tile installers not supposed to discard tiles that are damaged or otherwise don't fit in with the overall look of the project? Not every tile in a box can and should be used. If the tile looks odd and out of place next to the majority of the others, throw the darn thing out or use it for a cut. Common sense. I can only see using that tile if the installer was down to the last tile and there were no others available. It looks bad because it doesn't look like any of the others! And it looks bad because it looks like a cracked tile, whether it is or not. To go ahead and use it with the excuse that is a "natural" material and therefore normal to be flawed seems kinda thoughtless and lazy. I'll bet if the contractor uses photos of that job on his website, he will edit out the red vein. He's not likely to highlight it as a "natural" feature. Unfortunately, it is highlighted in this install ... lined up perfectly with the corner of the window. A lovely bathroom, and your eye goes straight to that crack.

Oh, but Jellytoast, it's wabi sabi. Artistic genius. This is what we pay the big bucks for.

Your bathroom is beautiful. I agree with everyone here :)

I really think it is a crack. What are odds that the jagged line would meet up exactly at the corner where the window is?? And this is exactly where a tile would crack when making a cut like that, if it was going to crack. Have you inspected it real close?

From the article referenced above ... "A wabi sabi approach to life isn't about giving way to carelessness or seeing a junk pile through rose-colored glasses. It's about appreciating, showcasing, and sustaining the beauty of what's natural."

IMO, the best way to showcase the natural beauty of this stone is not to draw attention away from the rest of the otherwise beautiful bathroom by throwing in one odd piece that looks more damaged than unique, thereby disrupting the flow. What do you want showcased ... the entire installation, or the one tile?

Of course, now that the tile is in and the contractor is refusing to remove it without additional expense to the customer, and given that the location doesn't exactly look like easy access for a repair, a wabi sabi attitude might be healthiest for the customer. She is going to be looking at it for a long time.

I agree that tile is suspicious for a real crack. A 'red' vein? Could be Redguard showing through the separation. Is there red in any of other other tiles? In any of the leftover tiles?

Please post back when you get to check it out close up yourself. You could try a zoom camera lens if you can't get to it with a ladder.

If you look closely a lot of those tile have red veins in them. There is a squiggly one a couple of tiles down from the top left.

I double checked. It was indeed a red vein. I also got chance to speak to the GC. He said they will try to repair since they still need to do the tiles for a fireplace as well. Hopefully, he will keep his promise.

I learned a lot from all of your replies. Now I am walking through the house and telling myself "wabi sabi". Thanks a lot!