Marble for Shower floor?

I found some beautiful tumbled marble 2x2 tiles for my shower floor. Can marble be used for shower floors? Some people say yes as long as it's sealed well, others have told me no, never. It stains, shows dirt and looks worse over time. The tile store I found the tile at says they install marble all the time and have never had a problem...Help! I can't find a porcelain tile similar to what I want.
  15 answers
  • Pam Pam on Jul 29, 2017

    I have a marble shower/floor is a marble base. Marble is easy to clean with windex but I would have to warn you that it is slippery when wet. Make sure you install a safety bar.

  • Cindy Hagemann Cindy Hagemann on Jul 29, 2017

    This being tumbled may not be as slippery when wet, but marble is one of the worst to walk on with wet feet or the surface wet.

  • Glenda Wall Glenda Wall on Jul 29, 2017

    Fyi , Probably will need to be resealed for use in a shower. WORK !! Do your research, found that many installers will say things just to do the job. Have seen many marble baths, most people acknowledge there is work to keep it looking good . The shower floor which will get lots of use and exposure. Have pebbles in my floor which is a natural low key look, but still lots of getting on hands and knees .

    • See 1 previous
    • Glenda Wall Glenda Wall on Jul 31, 2017

      even if it is sealed, depending on the pebble origin ( solid vs a man made product) you still will have scum, and other deposits from use with water and soaps. I used many cleaners over the past seven years , no doubt some were too harsh , will be using a different product for tile, stone and grout. I was not aware some stones need sealing yearly. Advice!! find out what you can on the product before it is put down.

  • Aime Aime on Jul 29, 2017

    Maintenance, maintenance, maintenance...............needs re-sealed regularly! Lime deposits discolor as well.

  • Hope Williams Hope Williams on Jul 29, 2017

    agreecwith all the above. For every marble product there is, there is a comparable porcelean/ceramic equivalent. One that would be specifically for shower floor.

  • Trisha Trisha on Jul 29, 2017

    too slippery, and you'll be sealing it too often. I'd never do it.

  • BusterHp BusterHp on Jul 29, 2017

    Dont do it!! You will regret it. Use it as a backsplash for your bathroom sink or something instead.

  • Rebecca D. Dillon Rebecca D. Dillon on Jul 30, 2017

    Marble stains VERY easily and you can't use anything on it that will etch it - including most cleaning products. I'd go with another material.

  • Linda Sikut Linda Sikut on Jul 30, 2017

    This article states that it can be done but also suggest doing research and gives a few more links:


    http://www.countertopspecialty.com/sealing-tumble-marble-shower.html


    I would suggest using google.com to research. I found this article using the words ' using tumbled marble on a shower floor '. Read some articles there, then also look up 'why to use tumbled marble on a shower floor ' and ' why not use tumbled marble on a showered floor ' then maybe ' problems using tumbled marble on a shower floor ' and ' benefits of using tumbled marble on a shower floor '. After you've read a lot of articles on each search you will have a better understand of what you'll be getting into.


    Good Luck!

  • Emmen Emmen on Jul 30, 2017

    Use it it's beautiful, but you have to seal it. After you seal it there are anit-slip spray and roll on products you can buy and put on.

  • Kcama Kcama on Jul 30, 2017

    They used marble in ancient Roman baths that are still in existence today. I don't think durability is a problem, just the look you want. Natural aging or keeping that "just cut" look.

  • Michael Liston Michael Liston on Jul 30, 2017

    Sure you can ! I do recommend a penitrating stone sealer (solvent based). And grout sealer as well. Because their is a slope to drain, it benifits to have smaller tiles. Make sure shower pan and surface prep are installed correctly.

  • Michelle McCaughtry Michelle McCaughtry on Aug 02, 2017

    Thanks all - I decided to find a porcelain tile instead. I do not want to be worried about the shower floor looking "dirty" and I know my dear sweet husband will not be willing to squigee water off the floor or dry it with a towel after use...

  • C C on Aug 12, 2017

    I didn't use it in my shower but I did do the whole bathroom floor with it. It is slippery if you have wet feet (i.e. stepping out of a tub or shower) but I loved it and had it for over 10 years.

  • Judy Judy on Nov 02, 2019

    If you use marble just remember it is hard to clean and they stains