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Bathrooms Design Dilemma Flooring

marble hex tiles in shower/bath floor - slippery?

5 years ago

hi all, overthinking my marble hex tile idea for bathroom floor and shower pan. they are 1.5 inch, polished black ones. not too worried about the staining/maintenance factor but very worried about the slippery factor. I have two little kids and older mother who will be using that bathroom frequently. any thoughts appreciated!

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Comments (3)

Helen
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
I have basketweave tiles in my bathroom - floor and shower floor as they are NOT slippery at all because of the grout. I love my floors :-).

I absolutely didn't want anything slippery when I remodeled as I had 12" x 12" vinyl tiles in my pre-remodel bathroom and any bit of damp made them slippery.

I rented an apartment during my remodel and the shower had 12" x 12" marble tiles in the shower and on the bathroom floor. I considered that to be the bathroom of death because it was so slippery that I was afraid to move my feet while showering and had to make sure I never touched the surface of the floor after a shower.

Since you are rightfully concerned with safety do not neglect GRAB BARS. These need to be installed when you are constructing the bathroom as they have to be attached to the studs for safety so they don't pull out when used. They have styles now that aren't institutional looking - mine are oiled rubbed bronze to match the rest of my fixtures. I really like having that extra bit of security even though the shower floor itself is NOT slippery with the small marble tiles.
Nancy in Mich
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
I would advise you to go to the top of this page and type "Marble tile shower" into the search box. Chose "In Bathrooms" or "in Advice" for where to search. Read about the issues of marble tile shower floors before you commit to this choice.
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Positano-- Sorry this is a little late-- I didn't see your reply when you posted it. But in answer to it, you might want to read a thread that Stacey posted over at "that other tile forum" (GW won't let me post the name for some reason or a link) called Help solve MYSTERY? Marble tile shower floor always "wet" in some areas?. To this day, I still don't know what caused the problem, nor does anyone else, no matter WHAT they (Artistic Tile) say. No one can prove to me what the problem was, and every possibility that's been suggested, I can tear apart technically speaking. Even one of the top forensic experts in the country (Dave Gobis) got in on this, and couldn't come up with a definitive answer. One thing I DO know for sure, though. I was skeptical about sealing the floor to start with, and after it was sealed, moisture had trouble excaping the stone, and it stayed dark in areas. After I tore it up and redid it, Stacey left it unsealed, and she's had no discoloration problems (or any others, that I know about!) since.
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Thanks for responding Bill, but I kind of meant the opposite of what you responded to, meaning, is MARBLE mosaic not as good a choice in a shower as hex tile? I am trying to not blow the budget and while I loved the look of the nero marquina my concerns are due to price & durability. I think the impact of using the nero marquina on the bathroom floor will be great, but the shower is fairly small (about 3 foot sq.) so maybe I can get away with using a lesser expensive option there and in the 5x9 closet. (Then again, if there's a way I can use the nero marquina as just an accent, maybe as a 4x4 border around the room, with the black hex or mosaic in the center/shower/closet? Or a white hex in the center/shower/closet? I am rambling. Basically, I don't want to do the closet in the nero marquina because of cost, that's the bottom line. If I do choose to use it in 4x4 diamond or running bond on the floor, mosaic running bond in the shower, what (cheaper option!) do I choose for the closet?
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ALthough I'll agree with most of that post, there are a couple of things I don't. First, there IS a big difference between the "high dollar" sealers and Home Depot's Best (Tile Lab). The better sealers will last alot longer. Same thing with the difference between water based and solvent based. The solvent based sealers penetrate much deeper, and as such, last alot longer. One last question-- who makes an unsanded epoxy? Lastly, I don't know what you're calling "tile sealers". The only tile sealers I've ever seen ARE penetrating sealers, also used for sealing stone, and in fact ORIGINALLY meant for sealing stone.
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Comments (7)
You could go with a solid shower pan. in a nice matching gray or a white. In your space it might work wonderfully depending on the layout. I have a 3x5' cast iron shower pan in a very light gray. they come in 4x3' too. Or get a solid surface manufactured one to meet your needs. In my 5' long pan, I used french shower doors, so I only drilled into the side walls for mounting. I love my french doors, both open and swing both in and out. http://www.us.kohler.com/us/browse/bathroom-showering-Shower-Bases/_/N-2d8r
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kudzu9
5 years ago
...and then go shopping for marble-look, porcelain hex tiles.

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