Tile & stone
Marble Floor Installation in Kitchener, Ontario
Marble is the most beautiful floor we install, and the most demanding one to live with. Kitchener Prestige Flooring installs polished, honed and tumbled marble for homeowners, designers and builders in Kitchener and across Waterloo Region.
Over 16 years and more than 1,700 flooring projects, our crew has learned the details that separate a marble floor from an expensive mistake. White mortar under light stone, dry layout for veining and sealing before grout are standard on every job.
We are licensed, insured and WSIB covered. Your marble floor is backed by a written 1-year labour warranty and quoted in writing after a free in-home visit.
- Licensed & insured
- WSIB covered
- 1-year labour warranty
- Free in-home estimates
What Marble Asks of You Before You Choose It
Marble is a soft, calcium-based stone, around 3 on the Mohs hardness scale. It scratches more easily than porcelain or granite.
It also reacts with acid. Citrus, wine, vinegar and many bathroom cleaners etch dull marks into the surface, even when it is sealed.
We tell every customer this before they buy. If you love the look and accept that it will age with character, marble is wonderful. If you want a floor that looks brand new forever, porcelain in a marble look may suit you better.
Polished, Honed and Tumbled Finishes
The finish changes how marble looks, feels and ages.
Polished marble has a mirror shine that deepens the colour and veining. It shows scratches and etches clearly and is slippery when wet, so it suits foyers, formal rooms and low-traffic spaces.
Honed marble is ground to a smooth matte surface. It hides etching and wear, offers better grip and is our recommendation for kitchens and bathrooms.
Tumbled marble is aged in a drum, rounding the edges and softening the surface. It has a rustic, old-world look and hides wear very well.
Vein Matching and Dry Layout
This is the step that separates a marble floor from a tiled floor that happens to be marble. We lay the entire floor out dry before setting a single tile.
Each tile is placed, turned and swapped until the veins flow across the room without jarring breaks or clusters of dark stone. Tiles are then numbered on the back in setting order.
For feature areas, we can bookmatch, placing mirrored tiles side by side so the veining forms a symmetrical pattern. It adds time, and it is the difference you notice from across the room.
White Marbles, Coloured Marbles and Movement
White marbles such as Carrara, Calacatta and Thassos are the most popular. They are also slightly translucent, which affects how they must be set.
Coloured marbles range from Crema Marfil beige to Emperador brown and Nero Marquina black. Some green marbles are actually serpentine, which can warp or curl when exposed to water-based mortars.
Highly veined marbles show movement, the sense of flow across a floor. Quieter stones suit smaller rooms, and bold movement suits large open foyers.
Setting Materials for Natural Stone
Light marble must be set in white thinset. Grey mortar can show through translucent stone as dark shadows that never go away.
Moisture-sensitive stones, including green marble and some thin tiles, are set with rapid-setting or epoxy mortars. That limits the water the stone absorbs during curing.
Natural stone also needs a stiffer floor than ceramic, with a deflection limit of L/720. We check the joists and add reinforcement or an uncoupling membrane before setting.
Sealing Before and After Grouting
We seal marble before grouting. The first coat of impregnating sealer stops grout pigment from soaking into the stone's surface and staining the edges.
After grouting, the floor cures and gets a second full seal. We use penetrating, breathable sealers that protect without leaving a film.
Ongoing maintenance is simple: pH-neutral stone cleaner, and reseal every one to two years. Our floor sealing and waterproofing service can handle it for you.
Etching From Acids and What Can Be Done About It
Etching is a chemical reaction, not a stain. The acid dissolves a thin layer of the polished surface, leaving a dull mark.
Light etching can be removed by honing and re-polishing that area with diamond pads. Whole floors can be restored to an even finish in a day or two.
When your floor needs it, our marble polishing and restoration team brings it back. Many clients book a refresh every few years.
Marble With Radiant Heat
Marble pairs beautifully with in-floor heating. Stone holds and radiates heat evenly, and a heated marble bathroom floor is one of the most requested upgrades we install.
We use an uncoupling heating membrane such as Schluter DITRA-HEAT or electric mats in a self-levelling bed. The floor is brought up to temperature slowly after the mortar cures.
Marble Floor Pricing
Typical 2026 ranges in Kitchener and Waterloo:
| Item | Typical cost per sq ft |
|---|---|
| Marble installation labour, 12 to 24 inch tile | $10.00 to $18.00 |
| Marble tile material | $8.00 to $30.00 and up |
| Dry layout and vein matching for large areas | included in our labour |
| Sealing, two coats | $1.00 to $2.00 |
Joist reinforcement and heated floors are priced separately. Every marble floor includes our 1-year labour warranty. For a harder, lower-maintenance stone, compare granite flooring or other natural stone.
Keep exploring
Related Flooring Services
- Marble Polishing & Restoration Etch and scratch removal, lippage grinding, poultice stain removal and polishing with measured gloss results. Learn more
- Natural Stone Flooring Installation Travertine, limestone, sandstone and quartzite floors set on stiff substrates and sealed for each stone. Learn more
- Floor Sealing & Waterproofing Penetrating and topical sealers for stone, grout and concrete, plus membranes for showers and wet areas. Learn more
- Granite Flooring Installation Dense, low-maintenance granite tile and slab for entrances, lobbies and the busiest rooms in the house. Learn more
Where this service is in highest demand:
FAQ
Marble Flooring Questions
Straight answers to the questions we hear most. Still unsure? Call and ask.
Ask for a Free Quote Will marble etch in a kitchen?
Yes. Lemon juice, wine, vinegar, tomato sauce and many cleaners will leave dull etch marks on marble, sealed or not.
Sealer slows staining but does not stop etching. Honed marble hides etching far better than polished.
How often does a marble floor need resealing?
Most marble floors need resealing every one to two years, more often in kitchens and entries. A simple test: if water darkens the stone within a few minutes, it is time.
Can scratches in marble be polished out?
Yes. Light scratches and etch marks can be honed and re-polished on site with diamond pads.
Deeper damage may need grinding. Our marble polishing and restoration team handles both.
Is honed marble less slippery than polished?
Yes, noticeably. A honed finish has a matte surface with more grip, especially when wet. We recommend honed marble for bathrooms, kitchens and entries.
Free estimate
Book a Free Marble Floor Installation Estimate
Tell us about the floor. We will call to book a time, measure on site, check the subfloor and moisture, and leave you a written quote.
Prefer to talk it through first? Call and speak to a flooring specialist directly.
- Measured on site, with moisture and flatness readings
- Written, itemized quote with no obligation
- Licensed, insured, WSIB covered, 1-year labour warranty
Kitchener Prestige Flooring
137 Glasgow St, Kitchener, ON N2M 5E3
Monday to Saturday: 7:00am to 9:30pm
Sunday: 9:00am to 9:00pm