Installation
Thank you for purchasing from Marble Arch Products. Skilled craftsmen have manufactured your item with the best available materials to give you many years of easy care use. We're proud of the quality and beauty of each of our products and believe you'll be proud to have it in your home. Each product is unique since it is made with natural materials and created by hand, so some variation in colors and veining from samples or displays is to be expected.
Installation Instructions for Marble Arch Vanity Tops
Installation - If installing the top between walls or with one side against a wall, check squareness of walls to determine if the top needs to be ground or cut out of square. If needed, the top can be shaped using a belt sander or an abrasive blade on a circular saw. A carbide tipped saw blade can be used, but there is a chance of chipping the top, and cutting marble will dull your blade quickly. For tops going between walls, measure, and if necessary, grind the top to allow about 1/4" inch total (1/8" on each side) gap between the top and the walls. This will enable you to install it more easily.
After the top is set on the cabinet, glue it down with a small bead of silicone or liquid nail placed on the top edge of the cabinet. Side splashes should be glued to the wall with silicone or liquid nail. The seam between the side splash and the top should be sealed using silicone. The seam between the top and the walls should be sealed with latex (paintable) caulk.
Installation Instructions for Marble Arch Shower Bases
Installation Instructions for Marble Arch Vanity Tops
Installation - If installing the top between walls or with one side against a wall, check squareness of walls to determine if the top needs to be ground or cut out of square. If needed, the top can be shaped using a belt sander or an abrasive blade on a circular saw. A carbide tipped saw blade can be used, but there is a chance of chipping the top, and cutting marble will dull your blade quickly. For tops going between walls, measure, and if necessary, grind the top to allow about 1/4" inch total (1/8" on each side) gap between the top and the walls. This will enable you to install it more easily.
After the top is set on the cabinet, glue it down with a small bead of silicone or liquid nail placed on the top edge of the cabinet. Side splashes should be glued to the wall with silicone or liquid nail. The seam between the side splash and the top should be sealed using silicone. The seam between the top and the walls should be sealed with latex (paintable) caulk.
Installation Instructions for Marble Arch Shower Bases
Setting the shower base:
If you do not have access from below the flooring, you must install the drain in the base first. If sealant is applied use 100% silicone. Do not use plumber’s putty as it may discolor the drain area over time.
Set the base in a mortar bed. The mortar bed creates a flat, full support for the base, and allows you to level the base regardless of the condition of the sub floor. Use a notched trowel and apply an even layer of mortar over the entire base area.
Lift the base into place so that it is centered over the drain and the water dam is against the studs. Then gently put the base down into the mortar. If you cannot lift and set the base into place, but must slide it, take care to not scrape the mortar bed off of the subfloor. A suggested method is to put the mortar bed down, then put two or three 2x2’s (or 2x4’s on edge if necessary for the drain to clear the floor) down in the mortar bed to use as glides. Set the base on the boards and slide it into place. Then holding the base in place, pull the boards out, allowing the base to settle into the mortar bed.
Level the base before the mortar sets. Center the level on the drain in the direction of the threshold and perpendicular to the threshold. If necessary, push down on any high sides, and move the base back and forth slightly. This will cause the mortar bed to shift to the low side.
Installation Instructions for Marble Arch Shower Walls
If you do not have access from below the flooring, you must install the drain in the base first. If sealant is applied use 100% silicone. Do not use plumber’s putty as it may discolor the drain area over time.
Set the base in a mortar bed. The mortar bed creates a flat, full support for the base, and allows you to level the base regardless of the condition of the sub floor. Use a notched trowel and apply an even layer of mortar over the entire base area.
Lift the base into place so that it is centered over the drain and the water dam is against the studs. Then gently put the base down into the mortar. If you cannot lift and set the base into place, but must slide it, take care to not scrape the mortar bed off of the subfloor. A suggested method is to put the mortar bed down, then put two or three 2x2’s (or 2x4’s on edge if necessary for the drain to clear the floor) down in the mortar bed to use as glides. Set the base on the boards and slide it into place. Then holding the base in place, pull the boards out, allowing the base to settle into the mortar bed.
Level the base before the mortar sets. Center the level on the drain in the direction of the threshold and perpendicular to the threshold. If necessary, push down on any high sides, and move the base back and forth slightly. This will cause the mortar bed to shift to the low side.
Installation Instructions for Marble Arch Shower Walls
Setting the shower walls:
After the base is set, install moisture resistant drywall or concrete board as a backer. The backer should come all the way down to the top of the water dam. The marble walls will overlap the water dam and will sit on the floor of the pan or the shoulder of the curbing, depending on the design of the base.
The back wall should be set first, followed by the side walls. You will probably need to trim each wall to fit. This can be done with a belt sander, circular saw with a masonry blade, or jig saw with an abrasive blade. Take measurements of each opening and compare to the walls. You may want to mark a plumb line as a reference where an edge will be exposed. It is not necessary to get a perfect fit on every joint as you want a little room for expansion and the joint must be caulked to make it watertight.
The walls can be marked either by using a pencil on the back of the wall, or with a pen on the plastic on the front side. Walls should only be trimmed on an edge that will not be visible when the installation is finished. The walls are usually made with only the visible edges polished. Sanding or cutting removes the polished edge. Before you cut a polished edge, make sure that you will not need it.
To cut holes for faucets, showerheads, or soap caddies, the hole can be started with a masonry drill bit or hole saw. It is best to drill holes into marble from the finished side of the wall to avoid chipping. The hole should be finished using a jig saw with an abrasive blade. A spiral saw with the right bit can also be used.
The walls can be glued using construction adhesive, 100% silicone, or ceramic wall tile adhesive. Use plenty of adhesive. A 2” diameter dollop spaced every 10’’ is adequate. If installing onyx walls, use clear silicone only. Onyx’s translucent characteristic makes it possible to see a dark adhesive through the wall. Press the wall into place and brace if necessary.
All inside joints should be sealed with 100% silicone caulk and outside edges with paintable caulk. If using inside corner trim, run a bead of silicone on both of the back 1” surfaces, then press the trim firmly into the corner and remove excess silicone that squeezes out.
Installation Instructions for Marble Arch Corner Caddy
Corner caddies are installed by first mounting an enclosed bracket with screws and then hanging the top shelf of the caddy on the bracket. 100% silicone caulk is applied to the flanges of the caddy. First, remove the small piece of marble from inside the caddy. This is the mounting bracket. When installation is complete the caddy will cover this bracket. Holding the bracket with the flat, solid end up (wide part angling up) in the location you wish to mount the caddy, drill through the mounting bracket and the marble walls. Drill the hole(s) bigger than the screw(s) you will be using so the screw will fit through the marble and catch only in the stud. Screw in the bracket snug. Check the fit of the caddy into the corner. Hang the top shelf of the caddy over the bracket and check that the caddy fits fairly snugly. It can be belt sanded if necessary to improve fit.
After you are satisfied with fit, set the caddy firmly on its face and apply a large bead of 100% silicone around the entire back flange of the caddy. Hang the caddy over the bracket and press the caddy firmly into the corner until silicone squeezes out around the outside edges. Using your finger or craft stick, wipe the excess silicone off and form a smooth radius between the walls and the caddy. The caddy will be ready to use when the silicone is set to the manufacturers instructions (usually 12-24 hours).
After the base is set, install moisture resistant drywall or concrete board as a backer. The backer should come all the way down to the top of the water dam. The marble walls will overlap the water dam and will sit on the floor of the pan or the shoulder of the curbing, depending on the design of the base.
The back wall should be set first, followed by the side walls. You will probably need to trim each wall to fit. This can be done with a belt sander, circular saw with a masonry blade, or jig saw with an abrasive blade. Take measurements of each opening and compare to the walls. You may want to mark a plumb line as a reference where an edge will be exposed. It is not necessary to get a perfect fit on every joint as you want a little room for expansion and the joint must be caulked to make it watertight.
The walls can be marked either by using a pencil on the back of the wall, or with a pen on the plastic on the front side. Walls should only be trimmed on an edge that will not be visible when the installation is finished. The walls are usually made with only the visible edges polished. Sanding or cutting removes the polished edge. Before you cut a polished edge, make sure that you will not need it.
To cut holes for faucets, showerheads, or soap caddies, the hole can be started with a masonry drill bit or hole saw. It is best to drill holes into marble from the finished side of the wall to avoid chipping. The hole should be finished using a jig saw with an abrasive blade. A spiral saw with the right bit can also be used.
The walls can be glued using construction adhesive, 100% silicone, or ceramic wall tile adhesive. Use plenty of adhesive. A 2” diameter dollop spaced every 10’’ is adequate. If installing onyx walls, use clear silicone only. Onyx’s translucent characteristic makes it possible to see a dark adhesive through the wall. Press the wall into place and brace if necessary.
All inside joints should be sealed with 100% silicone caulk and outside edges with paintable caulk. If using inside corner trim, run a bead of silicone on both of the back 1” surfaces, then press the trim firmly into the corner and remove excess silicone that squeezes out.
Installation Instructions for Marble Arch Corner Caddy
Corner caddies are installed by first mounting an enclosed bracket with screws and then hanging the top shelf of the caddy on the bracket. 100% silicone caulk is applied to the flanges of the caddy. First, remove the small piece of marble from inside the caddy. This is the mounting bracket. When installation is complete the caddy will cover this bracket. Holding the bracket with the flat, solid end up (wide part angling up) in the location you wish to mount the caddy, drill through the mounting bracket and the marble walls. Drill the hole(s) bigger than the screw(s) you will be using so the screw will fit through the marble and catch only in the stud. Screw in the bracket snug. Check the fit of the caddy into the corner. Hang the top shelf of the caddy over the bracket and check that the caddy fits fairly snugly. It can be belt sanded if necessary to improve fit.
After you are satisfied with fit, set the caddy firmly on its face and apply a large bead of 100% silicone around the entire back flange of the caddy. Hang the caddy over the bracket and press the caddy firmly into the corner until silicone squeezes out around the outside edges. Using your finger or craft stick, wipe the excess silicone off and form a smooth radius between the walls and the caddy. The caddy will be ready to use when the silicone is set to the manufacturers instructions (usually 12-24 hours).