How to Replace a Cultured Marble Floor

Protect your eyes hands and lungs from tile chips and dust by wearing a pair of safety goggles, a particle mask and a pair of work gloves during the replacement process.

Remove the line of grout along the edge of the marble surface using a carbide grout blade attached to a rotary tool. Push the blade along the line of grout, cutting through the material until you reach the base of the marble. Brush all of the loose grout from the joint with a nylon brush to access the line along the base of the tiles.

Place the blade of the chisel into the joint, at about a 45-degree angle to the marble tile base and the subfloor.

Hit the head of the chisel with the hammer, driving the chisel under the tile and across the subfloor. Tap the chisel continuously, guiding it beneath the tile to wedge it upwards from the surface of the subfloor. Move the chisel from one side of the tile to the other as you proceed, to lift as much of it as possible, and the pull the tile free once you’ve reached the other end.

Continue to remove the cultured tiles from the surface using the hammer and chisel. If a piece refuses to lift free, strike it in the center with the hammer to crack it into pieces and loosen the bond holding it to the surface. Chisel up the individual cracked sections. Sweep away all loose pieces of tile once you’ve cleared the floor.

Sand the floor with a floor sander to remove any adhesive present and to smooth the floor surface for the attachment of the new cultured marble tiles. Sweep away any residue with a stiff-bristled broom.

Arrange the tiles onto the floor in the position you wish to place them. Use tile spacers to create uniform joints between the tiles as you place them onto the floor. Cut the tiles as needed to fit along the walls using a tile saw with a diamond stone disk.

Remove the tiles from their positions in 4-foot sections. Wipe the rear of the tiles clean of any dust with a piece of cloth dampened with rubbing alcohol. Spread a silicone caulk adhesive onto the subfloor on the cleared area and place the tiles back onto the floor, replacing the spacers to keep them separated into rows and columns. Work your way from the far wall towards the entrance to the room to avoid having to step on adhered tiles. Make certain the tiles are level by placing a carpenter’s level across the tile faces and pressing higher tiles deeper into the mortar layer. Lift low tiles and add mortar to the base to raise them to the level of the surrounding tiles. Allow the tiles to set overnight.

Remove the spacers between the cultured marble tiles. Add grout to the joints between them by spreading the grout over the tiles and into the gaps with a grout float. Wipe the marble surfaces clean of the grout within 15 minutes to keep the grout from hardening, using a damp sponge. Allow the grout to set for seven days.

Brush a tile and grout sealant over the grout to add a waterproof layer that prevents staining.