Hi All-
I was hoping someone might be able to help me out. I had a 42″ x 90″ x 3/4″ Carrera marble slab fabricated as decking for an undermount tub. The fabricator embedded metal rods (steel I believe) in channels carved 1/4″ deep into the underside of the marble to strengthen the slab. For some reason, the topside of the marble where the rods are lying has become much lighter than the rest of the slab. It looks pretty ugly. The fabricator is at a loss to explain why and says he always uses these rods in marble and has never seen this as an issue. Can anyone explain what went wrong.
Thanks.
Sue
Replies
I'll take a stab at this one and I will first say that i'm not a stone fabricator, but I have worked around Carrera marble in the past, some of it being back lit. More than likely, the area that he cut out, he removed the natural stone and filled it in with a clear epoxy. This will make a difference when light either passes though or reflects/refracts back out of the stone.
As for not using backer rod in the carrera, that is one that I have never knew before. I guess I learned somthing new today
Hi. I crawled under the slab and confirmed he did use a white epoxy. I also put a halogen work light under it to try to back light it and that didn't indicate that any light was transmitting to the topside. Its very odd. I have to think that whatever that epoxy was had some compound in it that leached up through the marble.
I have to think that whatever that epoxy was had some compound in it that leached up through the marble.>>>>>>>>>SAS
you beat me to it. Thats exactly what I was going to say.
Marble is very soft and stains real easily especially when not sealed.
No one seals the bottom or cuts so that was my guess.
Stainless Steel more than likely.
Why it looks lighter is anyones guess. Perhaps it now lacks the depth of the rest of the slab. I say it should have been filled with white epoxy, not clear.
Any chance the slab is soaking wet? Perhaps where the rods are is less porous to moisture and is not becoming as dark as the rest of the stone.
Eric
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Thanks for responding Eric. I doubt the slab is wet anymore. It was installed about 12 days ago and has not gotten wet since fabrication.
As to the color change I have no clue! The rods are common practice. Needed with large slabs of stone with holes cut in the middle.