Drilling marble shower walls?

8553 Views 35 Replies 12 Participants Last post by MTN REMODEL LLC, Feb 24, 2014

Willy1959

Discussion Starter · Jan 20, 2014

First, I am not sure if I should ask this in plumbing or here. Since I am a carpenter installing shower walls I am going to try here first. My architect specified a product fairly new to me http://www.salitashowers.com/what.html Its a cultured Marble system, and I was wondering if anyone had the best way to drill out for the shower valve? I assume a 4 1/2" diamond dipped hole saw, but sure would like a recommendation. I asked the manufacturer, and they were less than helpful

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m1911

· #2 · Jan 20, 2014 (Edited)

Use a carbide grit hole saw. Cultured marble is mostly stone dust and resin, and relatively easy to drill. A spray bottle filled with water helps while drilling.

Reactions: 1

madrina

· #3 · Jan 20, 2014

Yeah, you will be surprised at the consistency of it when you start drilling. Its pretty soft... its like resin that dried up with no hardner.. its weird and strangely, flexible. sort of flexible. I use a metal diamond blade on my angle grinder for real stone and concrete, i had to make a 4 inch hole through an 8 inch concrete wall and it cut through it like butter but Im pretty sure the cultured stuff would gum that blade up. I second using the carbide. And a respirator. Resin dust is carcinogenic. (most of it anyhow) Wash it off your skin asap too.

Reactions: 1

onmywayup

· #4 · Jan 20, 2014

Does the same apply for Marbelite shower panels? I'm installing my first set tomorrow, actually

goneelkn

· #5 · Jan 20, 2014

Rotozip with the 1/4" diamond floor tile bit.

Reactions: 2

m1911

· #6 · Jan 20, 2014

onmywayup said:
Does the same apply for Marbelite shower panels? I'm installing my first set tomorrow, actually

yes, it's basically same composition.

onmywayup

· #7 · Jan 20, 2014

m1911 said:
yes, it's basically same composition.

Well, I went ahead and cut one of them today because we were ahead of schedule, then I promptly broke the piece in half by putting too much weight on it up on the saw horses.

$312 mistake. For a stupid shower panel. In the long run, cheap lesson learned I guess. But for now, the cost seems ridiculous

m1911

· #8 · Jan 20, 2014

onmywayup said:
Well, I went ahead and cut one of them today because we were ahead of schedule, then I promptly broke the piece in half by putting too much weight on it up on the saw horses.

$312 mistake. For a stupid shower panel. In the long run, cheap lesson learned I guess. But for now, the cost seems ridiculous

next time put a sheet of plywood between it and the horses. :whistling

in the meantime, make a shower bench from the broken panel and sell it as an "upgrade." :laughing::laughing::laughing:

goneelkn

· #9 · Jan 20, 2014

I just use 2 x 4's. Be sure to support close to where you are cutting.

Inner10

· #10 · Jan 20, 2014

onmywayup said:
Well, I went ahead and cut one of them today because we were ahead of schedule, then I promptly broke the piece in half by putting too much weight on it up on the saw horses.

$312 mistake. For a stupid shower panel. In the long run, cheap lesson learned I guess. But for now, the cost seems ridiculous

I put rigid Styrofoam behind the tile.

Willy1959

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jan 21, 2014

onmywayup said:
Well, I went ahead and cut one of them today because we were ahead of schedule, then I promptly broke the piece in half by putting too much weight on it up on the saw horses.

$312 mistake. For a stupid shower panel. In the long run, cheap lesson learned I guess. But for now, the cost seems ridiculous

That sux, but I appreciate you sharing your grief. Hopefully it will save me some money as I will support mine with a belt and suspenders!

Reactions: 1

goneelkn

· #12 · Jan 21, 2014

One more word of caution. When working alone make sure you have your braces and clamps with you and not in the truck down two floors and in the driveway.

Installed bench top and face. Then glued and installed first panel(of course the one with seven different cuts!), then realized no braces or clamps. Stood there for over a minute, and nothing moved at all. Ran to truck and on the way up the steps I heard it. Not only the panel piece, but it landed on the bench and cracked the top.

Willy1959

Discussion Starter · #13 · Jan 21, 2014

goneelkn said:
one more word of caution. When working alone make sure you have your braces and clamps with you and not in the truck down two floors and in the driveway.
Installed bench top and face. Then glued and installed first panel(of course the one with seven different cuts!), then realized no braces or clamps. Stood there for over a minute, and nothing moved at all. Ran to truck and on the way up the steps i heard it. Not only the panel piece, but it landed on the bench and cracked the top.

doh

goneelkn

· #14 · Jan 21, 2014

Not what I said!

Reactions: 2

onmywayup

· #15 · Jan 21, 2014

m1911 said:
next time put a sheet of plywood between it and the horses. :whistling

in the meantime, make a shower bench from the broken panel and sell it as an "upgrade." :laughing::laughing::laughing:

Of course. Of course. Something so incredibly simple. Wouldn't you know it?

Do I have to learn every damn thing the hardest possible way, you ask? Why yes, yes I do.

Thanks for the tips. I'll be cutting the remaining 2 panels today and will definitely be throwing some scrap behind it on the horses.

tjbnwi

· #16 · Jan 21, 2014

For braces I use spring loaded expanding shower rods. I've taken many out of the years and save them just for light bracing. Zip Wall poles work on larger stalls also.

Tom

Reactions: 2

Willy1959

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jan 21, 2014

tjbnwi said:
For braces I use spring loaded expanding shower rods. I've taken many out of the years and save them just for light bracing. Zip Wall poles work on larger stalls also.

Tom

thanks!!!
God I never would have thought of that haha..
This forum is awesome!

Once we get past our Manly "I aint asking for no directions machismo" LMAO

madrina

· #18 · Jan 22, 2014

I learn everything the hard way and when simeone asks me "why don't you just do it like this?" I say " because that would be entirely to easy!"

But dang man..I told you that it was sort of flexible... how do you think I know that??

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hdavis

· #19 · Jan 22, 2014

Matbe I do things backwards, but something like cultured marble I put in place and then drill it.

Willy1959

Discussion Starter · #20 · Jan 22, 2014

hdavis said:
Matbe I do things backwards, but something like cultured marble I put in place and then drill it.

Don't think the pex pipes would like that much:no:

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