Solution for ugly, high maintenance marble floor

8 years ago

I live in a condo on the beach (scratchy sand is inevitable) that gets water intrusion with hurricanes so I need a waterproof, scratch resistant floor. I have an old marble floor that has been patched up se real times as walls have been moved with “looks almost like it”. So, i am considering covering the whole apartment with LVP only to find that LVP also has drawbacks.

So, what if tear out and replace the living-dining-kitchen rectangle, the patched up area, with new porcelain tile (Tile 1) and leave the study and den spaces, open and adjacent to it with the existing marble tile (Tile 2) and the hall with the existing tile (Tile 3)? Once the marble is restored, would that look good? Keep in mind that would still leave the bedrooms with tiles 3,4,and 5 in a rug pattern that in one bedroom is broken up by a wall that was moved? Pictures show one offending match, from the front door, living room corner, hallway.

Featured Answer

User

8 years ago

I vote for talking to a stone flooring crew first, then consider something else. My favorite is wood, but porcelain is very popular, and terrazzo is so cool. I personally loath LVP, and engineered wood or laminate products- but that's just me!

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Comments (7)

jesshs
8 years ago
If it were me I would have all of it up in a heartbeat and go with lvp or something else. But I don't like what you have (as a personal choice, for my taste) and it is easy to spend someone elses money!
emilyinmb
Original Author
8 years ago
Or maybe just cover the study and den marble that has lots of grey with wood-look LVP?
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SJ McCarthy
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
You will need a RIGID CORE LVP to go over the marble. And that means THICK (10mm minimum = almost 1/2"). That means you will have a STEP UP where the vinyl meets the marble. I assume this will be in the doorways.

So long as you are aware that the 1/2" STEP UP is a "toe stubber" in each door way and you are OK with that (every morning = toe stubbing event before you had your coffee), then go for it.

And no....it won't look much better because then you will have multiple floors in MULTIPLE materials....which is almost as bad as multiple floors in marble. With the added benefit of the toe-stubbers in doorways.

Sigh....I know. You do NOT want to remove the marble.....but it is the ONE THING standing in the way of you getting the floor that you WANT/NEED (which is PORCELAIN TILE).

So long as the marble stays, so will your problems with finding a solution. Remove the marble and you remove the obstacles in your path. Leave the marble and you leave the obstacles. Your decision to leave it is the decision that is preventing you from finding a solution.

You obviously HATE this floor. You have multiple threads going with the same issues in them....simply looking/hoping for some sort of solution.

The solution = thick/rigid core Vinyl that is STABLE in sunlight/UV light that is laid over the ENTIRE FLOOR. And then hope for the best. This "rigid" core vinyl is some of the most expensive we have on the market. The most stable stuff for heat/UV is out of Korea and is hard to locate. It is $4+ per square foot. It will work. I recommend the ENTIRE floor be covered by the thick, high end, highly stable vinyl that is MADE for heat.

No toe stubbers.
PRO
STUDIO MB
8 years ago
Not sure what the market value for marble floors vs vinyl would be. Is it a down grade? I know here in California, marble floors are top end of flooring material. Especially the carrara marble in kitchen. This is a very popular stone. Right now you have a worn out shine that is on its way to a faux "honed" look. A "Honed finish is very scratch resistant because it lacks the glossy surface of a polished marble." I would consult with a stone specialist in your area and research the possibility of honing the entire floor for a lasting scratch free surface. Other than that, porcelain is always a good choice!
emilyinmb
Original Author
8 years ago
@SJ MacCarthy, at $4 per square foot is a lot cheaper than tearing out and re-tiling. Porcelain is about $8, and the terrazzo tiles I like are about $12, if I don’t go the Bizzasa route, bathroom terrazzo floors 10 years ago were $16 per square foot. Even if I had the $, the building does not merit that kind of investment. Yes, I have been going round and round in circles but the circles are zeroing in on LVP for the whole floor

My top picks are Brunelli artic oak, Quick Step snowfall oak, and Mannington Adura Max Prime Tribecca Plaster. Waiting for Monday for feedback from owner of a local flooring store that has a good reputation. I need waterproof, sound absorption, sun tolerant, and I guess rigid. Please. Will be glad to listen to advice on those three (or other off white with not too much grain).
SJ McCarthy
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
You will have problems with the "sound absorption" with vinyl. The thickest underlayment I've seen (read about, heard about, investigated, etc) is 4mm cork underneath the Korean brands EZ Lay or Drop n Done. And to be clear, 4mm of cork is NOT considered "acoustic" install. It is "nice" but it is NOT considered good enough for a condominium acoustic requirement. The minimum thickness for "acoustic" installation = 1/4" cork underlay and there is NO VINYL on the market that allows 1/4" cork underlay. None. Zip. Zilch. Nada. Niente. Nix. And the underlayments allowed under a SMALL AMOUNT of vinyl is 1.2mm thick and has rather poor performance for acoustics. Again, it would be considered "nice" but NOT acoustic.

Your acoustic requirements will throw a wrench into an already mucky situation.

If you must have the acoustic side of things, you will need to look at the water resistant laminates such as Aquaguard. Because they are laminates and NOT vinyl, they will have the ability to use any thickness of cork possible (I've seen 1" of cork underneath laminate without issue).

And water resistant laminate will give you the thermal resistance and the sun fade resistance that you are asking for.

Vinyl is INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT to get acoustic insulation underneath. So difficult that most condo owners give up. Again, we are looking more at porcelain or stone for your requirements.
emilyinmb thanked SJ McCarthy