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Finishing Edges on Marble Tile

We have purchased marble for our shower – it has unfinished edges – can you stain them or what is the best way to finish them?

Mary Ann

Hello Mary Ann,

You need to have the edges polished by sanding. You need to start with a high speed rotating sander and 80 grit sandpaper. The use 120 grit, then use 240 grit and finally 360 grit sandpaper will bring out the luster. Otherwise I recommend you count the number tiles that you need the edge polished and take them to a fabrication shop and ask them to polished the edges for you. They will do a much better job.

Best wishes,
Tom Cordova

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 11th, 2006 at 5:54 pm and is filed under Answers to Marble Questions..., Installation Issues. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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4 Questions Recently Posted:


  1. August 30th, 2008 at 8:54 pm

    How do you take polished marble (calacatta gold in this case) and hone it? I am thinking of the marble for the bathroom floor, but I am concerned it will be too slippery.


  2. April 1st, 2009 at 9:39 am

    We are putting slabs, not tiles, of white carrarra on our shower walls. Should this be honed or polished for fewest problems long term? The shower floor will be honed.


  3. May 5th, 2009 at 11:50 pm

    This does not fit into any of your posted categories but I need your help. I am trying to replace a marble dinning room table top. Size 10′x5′. It is ivory color with veins of gold running through out it. With just a few veins of peach too. I cannot find it. Cost is no object so I just need some suggestions as to who to contact for this type of natural marble. I understand it is Italian and I want the highest grade of marble available. Thank you for your time and consideration in your response.


  4. December 26th, 2010 at 5:49 pm

    Hi,
    I have a similar question to one already asked. I have just had carrera marble hexagon tile floor installed and it is very cloudy looking, sort of grayish in appearance. Unlike the other questioner, our contractor used a grayish colored backing and ours is already grouted, but not yet sealed. Do you think ours will also “dry out” in a few weeks and look whiter again? I think he also used a very fine sander on it when finished to get rid of any remaining grout residue. Thank you. Rae