Most companies will give a 1 year workmanship warranty, 5 1/2 years is a bit out of that time frame. Unfortunately the correct way to handle this is exactly what you have already been told. Hopefully the installer used cement brick to create your curb instead of 2x4's stacked together. The stress crack most likely happened along a vein within the stone, not uncommon.

And the pricing that you were quoted really isn't that bad. Hopefully they don't damage the water proofing membrane during removal, otherwise you'll be replacing a lot more than just that piece.

Cinar, thanks, although (as I'm sure you know) I was hoping for an easier and less expensive fix.

Yes I know.
Another route you could take, but by far not a fix, is use non sanded silicone grout caulking to fill the crack. It will hide it from your eye making it less obvious.

In looking at your pictures it appears to be a stress crack, this is not uncommon when dealing with marble and natural stone. My suggestion would be for you contact a stone fabricator and determine if the crack can simply be filled. If the crack just happened chances are there is no water damage to worry about. It is impossible for any design firm, contractor or builder to warranty their work for life, if this had been caused by poor workmanship the problem would have occurred soon after it was installed. Best of luck to you! Settings Interiors

Cinar and Settings, thanks for your replies. I noticed it about a month ago. To my untrained eye, it seems that it goes all the way through. The only help the decorating firm I hired would offer is for the contractor (whom I've become friendly with over the years - he's done other things for me in the home) looked at it and said I could keep using the shower until it's fixed. For a price, he said he could fill it. Then he didn't call me for weeks. Then he told me the other night about the only true way to fix it (see initial post). He said if not, I'll be calling him again in a year because it will open up. As of today, we will not be using that shower until it's fixed.

he also told me that the marble fabricator used a metal rod to support the slab but that's probably corroded and why the slab cracked.

I don't know if I should not use it for a month (is that long enough?) to let it dry out and then (a) use the above non-sanded silicone grout method (fairly inexpensive sounding) or (b) bite the big bullet and spend my fireplace rehab budget on the "big fix"?

Is try filling it. You don't have anything to lose in trying it. I doubt you need a whole month of non use before having it filled but maybe someone else knows for sure. I agree this is just a downfall if marble and not the responsibility of the interior designer or contractor after 5 years.

Shining, thanks for your input. Much appreciated.

Cinar, re this non sanded silicone grout caulk: is this something I can DIY? Any instructional online video? Do you suggest a particular brand/color (marble is crema marfil honed).

"he also told me that the marble fabricator used a metal rod to support the slab but that's probably corroded and why the slab cracked."

If this is true, the rod must be removed. With a piece this small you may as well replace the piece. No stone is stronger than rust; it will break the strongest epoxy patch. Maybe set a piece of Corian over the whole thing, but this piece of marble can no longer get wet.

Joseph, thank you for your reply. I would need to remove all the shower glass and all the U channels in order to do this. It's not a small piece; the slab is around 4' long and there's another piece on the L of the shower that's 3' long. If I'm going to put in 1 new slab I may as well do both and be able to check beneath it for water damage.

This is a huge expense, probably roughly $2200-$3000 on a 5 yr old bathroom, which is upsetting. As a professional (and, my understanding is a very respected professional!) if I bite the bullet on this one (there goes my fireplace remodel), what should I ask for, what should I look for? I'm on my own without the original decorator on this one.

BTW, 5 yrs ago this was a $50k bathroom remodel.

Thank you very much for your assistance.

I'd try pulling the broken piece first and then pulling the rod. Once the rod is removed, the pieces could be epoxied back together without removing the walls. If done correctly, it would look like a natural fissure in the stone (if you could see it at all) and would be a permanent repair.

This is a no-brainer on the risk/reward scale. If it works it will be less than $1,000.00. There is no telling the additional damage that could come from removing the walls. Were I your removal contractor, you'd acknowledge in writing that I'd be responsible for none of it.

I'd look for a reputable stone restoration contractor. What part of the country are you in? I may have a name or two.

Yes, a good stone restoration contractor could fill this. I'd start there before getting any more invasive.

The rod corroded in five years? That means that there is water seeping behind the stone causing oxidation of the metal. Frankly I think that is poppy cock - your stone cracked along the vein. Houses settle even in New Jersey. Do you have water marks on the ceiling underneath this shower? Next, if you use the shower, a good water restoration firm can tell you if the water has seeped behind. They have cameras that track water seepage. I found this out when my house flooded due to a plumbing issue, they just point the camera to the ceiling and you can tell where the water went by the color on the screen. Then you know if you have to remove the drywall/plaster. This has to be cheaper than tearing out all the stone. If there is no water seepage, get a stone person in to repair the stone.

We have a saying isn't he midwest. If it isn't broken, don't fix it. If there is no water seepage, then do the repair. If there is water seepage, you must do the repair. I would be shocked if you had to tear out as much as they are telling you. I think you are being sold a bill of goods to take your money.

Sorry, if there is seepage, you must do the rip out, not just the stone repair.

Thanks for all ur replies. Much appreciated. A portion of the fixed shower glass is sitting directly on the slab. The slab is about 4 feet long thus to remove it I have to remove 2 fixed glass pieces plus the door and transom. If I have to do that I may as well remove the last 3 foot piece of glass and replace the one slab under that. The cracked slab can't be removed on its own due to the glass. I'm also afraid water may have already penetrated as it's on the inside part of the shower (wet side) God forbid it happened in the other side! I'd just fill it and be done with it

Im in Tenafly NJ in Bergen county about 5 minutes from the GWB.

I agree to fill. That's what's in between the shower tiles and it works great. You would need to let the shower dry thoroughly before caulking or grouting.

Joseph, I'm rereading ur msg. So ur suggesting pulling the broken piece only. Basically I'd have to break it off and have a restored restore the chunk. Hmmmm. Great idea! If u know someone in my area that would be terrific! Thank you.

Leelee thanks. Fill with???? Jon sanded silicone grout caulk? Which brand?

If you care about how it looks please do have a professional do the fill. They will use an akemi product of the correct shade and will be able to create a seamless surface with minimal, or no appearance of a crack. They will not use caulk or grout.

Of course I would have a pro do it. I just want to be sure that he uses the correct product.

Thanks all so much.

That's actually a good idea about just pulling off the cracked piece and have the fabricator epoxy those together..much like how they do stone countertops in the corners. If there is a way you could do that, and check to see how bad the underlying damage is (if any), and be sure the support is still good (wow,,,this is a lot of ifs!) you could get away with it.

magner69:

You are in incredible luck. One of the best stone restoration professionals in the country, Stu Rosen, services Bergen county, NJ. This guy teaches the classes that the rest of us attend. If Stu told me to smear peanut butter and jelly on that crack and howl at the moon in the nude, that's exactly what I'd do. Without question.

wow joseph, can we watch that procedure?? ;)

Joseph, that is great news!!! Thank you so much for giving me his info. I will look him up now and definitely contact him and let you (all) know the outcome. Maybe I can video the process and post it here.

btw, I've got my PB&J ready and I think it's a full moon out tonight so....WATCH OUT!!!

thanks again.

The fact that you said the threshold pieces were rodded by the original fabricator leads me to think that it is certainly possible that the stone cracked due to oxide jacking ( the rod rusts, expands and cracks the stone). Although it could also be a natural fissure in the stone. If you are very lucky you may be able to pull it apart and repair it, but that is a narrow piece of stone that may prove to be far too fragile.
If the problem is the rod rusting, then that implies water was getting to the rod, so just filling the top section of the crack is not going to solve the issue.
I suspect the solution will be more pricey than a tube of sealant.

"wow joseph, can we watch that procedure?? ;)"

Actually, Stu is going to be furious that I made that procedure public, let alone letting the public watch.

This is a rod jacked marble vanity top; just a little further along that the pictured shower sill. Like the shower, this would repair up nicely and permanently after the rod is removed.

Wow, Joseph, that looks nasty! BTW Stu just sent me a message asking for pics, which I'm preparing to send him (with my fingers crossed)! He also said you're a great guy . I will let you know how it goes.

thank you again SO MUCH for trying to help me out. I really appreciate it.

have a great night!

Marilyn, sorry for the delay, dealing with an injured puppy here.
If you choose to DIY the caulking route would be easy. Maybe $25-$30 max and roughly 10-15 min of your time. What you'll need is the tube of caulk, a caulk gun and yourself. Home Depot or Lowes should carry the products needed. Would be best to pick up a grout sample chart at either location, take home and choose the best color to coordinate with your marble. Natural stone has variation so it would be best for you to see the colors next to your marble in your lighting. Once you find the color you're needing you will need to pick up Non Sanded silicon grout caulking in the color selected, should be in a 10 oz tube. You will also need a caulk gun if you don't already have one. When applying to said area, cut tip of caulk tube 1/4" or less, dab some caulk on your finger and generally apply in crack. Don't be afraid of over applying, shoving more caulk into stress fracture. Use a dry cloth to wipe or rub excess caulking off stone. Will need to cover entire crack like this. The caulking will prevent more moisture from seeping in but will not prevent area from cracking more. If crack opens more over time you'll want to address it. I doubt it will turn into the photos above though.

Cinar thank u. Hope ur puppy is better. I too am dealing with a havanese with a partially torn ACL.

What Cinar said, or this can be fixed with epoxy and polished onsite... but before you do that, tap the stone and if you hear combination of hollow and solid sounds, most likely it will need to be replaced. The hollow sound means there is a void in mortar under there or the stone is lose and most likely it will crack again even if you fix it.

There a few companies who do marble and granite repairs near you, just type that in google and add North Jersey at the end of it and they should come up. Look for companies who do Marble/Granite repair and restoration. There was a company in Ridgefield, NJ I don't remember the name but I think it had the wording "stone care" something in it, I remember a while back I was talking to someone they lived in Livingston, and they cracked marble surround for a fireplace, and they had this company fix it and they couldn't believe how good it came out.

Good luck

Joseph, Stu came over Thursday. What a nice guy! I found him to be very honest. Basically he said he would suggest trying to fill it first. He said it could last a month or 5 years or more; there is no way to tell. He said he does not leave his house for less than $1200. However, since it's not a $1200 job, he made other suggestions that I am very happy with. For this $$$, he will rehone my enitire bathroom (not just the shower) which will FINALLY rid me of some floor etching, etc, that's been driving me nuts! Also, all new glass plastics/vinyls, repair of a couple of cracked floor tiles (I thought they were veins), regrouting and sealing.

Thank you again for the referral and I will keep you informed.

I hate it when I have to disagree with Stu, but that rod has got to go for a permanent fix. I'm sure you'll be happy with the value he brings.

Joseph, right now I am so confused as to what I should do! I don't want to make a mistake and redo it again in the future! As you can imagine, this is a huge expense. In my head, I, too, am saying the rod has to come out. But Stu says he can repair; just can't guarantee how long it would last. I'm apt to push for full replacement of the top of the curbing. And I know what that means: TAKING DOWN THOSE SHOWER DOORS! UGH!

So, another question: from the original photo you can see the glass is (semi) framed around the marble tiled walls. The framing, particularly at the bottom, is cruddy due to water over the past (5+) years. It's antique brass by C.L. Laurence, but only coated, I'm sure.

Do you think it's worth while for me to ask the glass removal company if they can reinstall the glass WITHOUT framing? Do you think this is possible? Or not due to (among other things) the L shape of the shower? I don't mind the look of the framing itself, but I don't know where to go to get antique brass framing that won't corrode!

Any input is appreciated. Thanks again. (P.S. I'm totally not opposed to online shopping. I finished 2 other bathrooms and my kitchen online - - I could send pics if you'd like to see).

Anytime I disassemble something, I never guarantee against breakage. Why? Because I can. In business it's always best to lower your risk as much as possible. Don't be surprised if your glass guy says the same thing. Anything is possible with the right budget.

I'll fix it if you pay my drive time and expenses, but I'm sure that's going to make me noncompetitive.

Joseph: HAHAHA! You're in Sarasota! My sister in law lives in Venice on the beach. Love it down there! So peaceful! There's a super restaurant in Sarasota that my husband loves (name escapes me right now; begins with a "B"). Anyway, I could pay your round trip air fare to NJ and put you up at "Casa de Marilyn". I'm sure the glass guy will tell me the same thing about breakage, however, I'm going to ask him to leave the glass in my house on the same floor as the bathroom in one of the unused bedrooms (where you will stay when you come up to do the repair ;) ).

Could you offer any assistance with a "U" channel manufacturer (for antique brass) that I could investigate further? A product that would not corrode over time?

Of course, I'll keep you informed of this "drama". I'm speaking to Stu today after 3PM.

I once drove from Florida to Maryland to bail an architect out of trouble in a pretzel store. 30 hours driving, 6 hours working, but I have to have my tools.

Joseph, we may want to take this outside of GardenWeb. Do you know how we do that? I have more info for you.

Joseph, figured it out and just sent you a separate message.