Thanksgiving week’s #TileTuesday covers one of our most beloved products, the Perfect Pebble. David Fatula, resident tile expert, gives the ins-and-outs on our pebble products, including:
- Design advantages
- Product differentiators
- Installation info
We’re revisiting our roots this #TileTuesday by showcasing our pebble products. The Perfect Pebble is the foundation of Island Stone and has evolved over the years to several different varieties. Whether utilizing our Perfect Pebble, Level Pebble, Spindrift Glass Pebble, or Spindrift Marble Pebble, we’ve crafted our pebble products to make installation as easy as pie.
Island Stone pebble products are a favorite in the market due to our seamless interlock system. Our specialized installation techniques ensure the imperceptibility of our interlock and transitions from sheet to sheet are virtually invisible.
David’s pro tip? Focus on blending the sheet lines more than sticking to the floor grid. Cheat the sheets by putting sheets closer together to make grout lines even smaller.
The other Island Stone difference is how we mount pebbles on the mesh. Island Stone gauges the back of each pebble, which helps the pebbles sit flat across the mesh and creating a better service for installation that holds up much longer than our competitors. Most other pebble tile brands do not gauge their pebbles, and as a result, their installations are uneven and not as durable. This time-consuming process may seem simple, but makes all the difference when the finished product is professional, breathtaking, and long-lasting.
Installing Island Stone pebble products require a different approach to typical grouting practices. We’ve provided a handy grouting tutorial specific to Perfect Pebble, which requires recessing the grout and aligning it with the fattest part of the pebble. High-performance, sanded grout types are best for installing our pebble products. Some of our favorites include Laticrete PERMACOLOR Select, Custom Building Products Prism Color, and Mapei Ultracolor plus FA. Always grout a sample of our pebble sheets before installation, as the appearance of the stone will always change slightly after grouting.
Cleaning pebble products takes a different trick too. Perfect Pebble, Level Pebble and any of our products that are made with stone should be cleaned with a pH neutral solution created specifically for tile and stone cleaning.
To watch the full #TileTuesday video on the Island Stone pebble products, click here. Make sure to follow @island_stone on Instagram and tune in every Tuesday at 10:30am PST for more tile expertise.