laying marble tile in bath?

[Bubba_Bill]

Have a 1995 Damon Intruder. Just got back from Wintering in Fl. The bath, smallish as it is, has been quite usable. However, the carpet has become stained and worn, so we decided to put down marble tile. I discovered they laid the carpet, then put the walls, cabinetry, shower and toilet directly on top of the carpet...never heard of that one!. The subfloor is chipboard. A 'search' suggested putting Hardy Board on top of the chipboard. No way I'm going to try to fit that stuff in such a tiny space! So, the question becomes: what kind of adhesive to put the tile in with. As of now, I'm considering panel adhesive...non-water based. Most tile adhesives are 'water cleanup', which I'm afraid will add to the possibility of buckling, though I must say the chipboard has not buckled next to the shower where it has obviously spilled. Supposedly, there adhesives specially for chipboard, so need a trip to Lowe's. Any thoughts on this? Bill

[wolfe10]

Marble is semi-porous, so I would not choose it for a bathroom. It is also heavy per sq ft.

There are some high end vinyl tiles (such as Congoleum Duraceramic) that might be a better choice.

Not sure I understand the "pink stuff" either. That sounds like a floating floor underlay, not something to put under a glue-down floor.

Hopefully Erniee will get back to us later-- he is the true pro on this.

[Polishnurse]

I would want to put something other then chipped board with marble as the top surface. I can see the grout popping out every time you hit a bump or take a shape turn on an uneven road.

[loulou57]

Most RV's interiors are built from the bottom up and done the fastest way possible. It is easier and faster, which results in cheaper for the mfg to cover the entire floor space before anything is installed.

I would check how to install the tile at the place you are purchasing it. It is best to do it right the first time.

[Canadian_Rainbi]

Bubba Bill wrote:
It's real marble, had to special order so I don't have it on hand yet. Not sure of the 'pink'? When I pick the stuff up, I'll ask Lowe's, I know there's a solution.

I'd be very worried about the marble cracking. Motorhomes flex quite a bit.

[Bubba_Bill]

It's real marble, had to special order so I don't have it on hand yet. Not sure of the 'pink'? When I pick the stuff up, I'll ask Lowe's, I know there's a solution.

[Jerrybo66]

It's been a while since I did a tile job on wood but I remember using an underlayment. I think it was pink. It was a roll material.(That should be a lot of help) :R It should also give a little flex between the ridged tile & wood... Sorry I can't be of much help..

[erniee]

is this real marble or the faux marble?

[ScottG]

Marble in a bath sounds slippery!

I think having the carpet under everything is pretty normal in the RV industry. Ours is the same way.