Buying Waste
One thing to keep in mind is that you'll need to buy extra tile when you are about to install. You do not want to make the mistake of purchasing the exact square footage of the room or less. To determine how much you need, multiply the length and the width of the space together to get the square footage of the room. Then add about 10 percent to that number. When you are installing tile, you have to make cuts around the outside of the room. This is going to create some waste and you want to make sure that you have enough to finish the job. If you have to go back and buy more tile later, it may not be from the same batch and it will look different.

Center the Room
When you are laying tiles, you do not want to simply start laying the first row right up against the wall. In most cases, you are going to want to center the tile in the room. This is how most professional installers do it and it will provide you with a much better look in most cases. In order to center the room, you are going to need to use your tape measure to determine where the middle of each wall is. Then you can snap a chalk line from both walls. Where these lines meet is the center of the room. You should then start laying your tile at one of the corners of this intersection.

Spreading the Adhesive
When you are ready to start installing, you are going to need to spread out some of the adhesive on the floor. When you are doing this, you need to use a notched trowel so that it will create ridges in the adhesive. When you press the tile down into those ridges, it is going to help adhesion. You also want to make sure not to spread too much adhesive out on the floor at one time so that you do not step in it or drop something in it.

Cutting the Tile
When it comes to cutting the tile, there are a few different ways that you could potentially do it. One way to do it is to use tile snippers. Tile snippers are a tool that are used like scissors in order to snap off pieces of the tile. You can also use a wet saw. The wet saw is going to make the cleanest cut that you can make when cutting tile. If you need a smooth cut, the wet saw is the best method available.

Natural Stone Floors Cleaning Tips
When cleaning natural stone floors it is important to keep in mind that are some things you should do to ensure that it is cleaned correctly.

• » Clean the stone floors with a specific stone cleaner. Some soaps, and detergents, can cause some staining and damage to the floor.
  
• » Always use a clean mop when cleaning a large area. Do not use an old mop that has been used several times before. It could contain dirt and small rocks that can scratch the floor and finish.
  
• » More is not always best. Try to stay within the recommended amount of cleaning solution as too much can cause a film to be on the floor and streaks.
  
• » If covering a lot of floor, then make it a point to change the water several times during mopping.
  

General Care Tips
Natural stone flooring can scratch easily through dirt, and small rocks. Minimize this by:

• » Dry mopping of sweeping the area frequently
  
• » Use rugs to keep sand and dirt off the floor
  
• » Do not use a vacuum to clean the floor
  

You will enjoy your natural stone floor for a lifetime by following these simple tips

Typically, the travertine tiles come with a number of pits, which when installed can add a certain "rustic flair" to the room. You can also purchase the tiles as a "filled and honed" item, which will eliminate the need to have the voids covered, and aid in sealing the travertine.

If you do go with an unfilled tile, each of the voids will have to be filled with an unsanded grout, typically at the same time as the whole floor is grouted over. Unfilled tiles will have a bit more of a pitted look than the filled and honed, and though may be uneven, can actually prove to be safer as they have less of a skid potential than the highly polished tiles.

Subfloor Preparation
When you plan on installing marble tile, you need to make sure that you are dealing with a structurally sound subfloor. If you have a concrete subfloor, you can install the marble directly onto it. Concrete is strong enough that it will support the marble tile and prevent it from breaking. If the concrete is not level, you may need to use some self-leveling compound to even it out. You could also simply apply some more thinset to the uneven areas when you are installing the tile as well.

If you have a wood subfloor, you will need to reinforce it with cement board before installing the marble tile. Some people try to take a major shortcut by installing the marble tile directly on to the wood subfloor. If you do this, it will not be long before the tile has broken into pieces. Wood subfloor moves too much to support marble tile. Therefore, you need to install cement board first. In order to install cement board, you will need to apply thinset between the cement board and the floor. You can then screw or nail the cement board down to the wood subfloor. Fill each one of the holes in the cement board with a nail or screw.

Cutting the Marble
When you are installing a marble tile floor, you will need to make some cuts to finish the job. While you might try to get by with standard tile snappers, this will not be sufficient when working with marble. While tile snappers are great for ceramic tile, you should not try to cut marble with them. Instead, you will need to use a wet saw for this project. The wet saw needs to have a diamond tipped blade to cut through marble. You need to be very careful when cutting marble because it has a tendency to break with the grain inside of the tile. This means that you need to be sure to make a clean cut.

Cleaning the Tile
Once you have put the tile on the floor, you need to make sure that you thoroughly clean it. If you get any of the thinset or grout on top of the tile, it could dry and cause you serious problems. Use a sponge and a bucket of water to clean off the top of the tile before you finish the job. This will provide you with a very clean look and it will look more like a professional installation.

Tips

» Choose a thick marble countertop that provides better quality while resisting cracking when installing

» Dismantle your entire kitchen by removing the dishwasher after disconnecting all electrical and plumbing connections. Make sure to move the refrigerator and stove out of the way, also.

» Remove the old countertop by unscrewing it from the cabinet base. Remove the backsplash by sliding a putty knife behind it gently tapping the glue to break it loose.

» Clean up all your mess preparing a ready workplace for the new marble countertop to be installed.

» Make sure the cabinets are all level by adding shims where needed.

» You may need to move furniture or other appliances in adjoining rooms out of the way to allow for easier access when transporting your new marble countertop into the kitchen for installation.

» Complete the installation process by carefully cleaning any excessive glue that may be left by the installer.