Bianco Dolomite 18" × 18" Turkish Marble Tile

Product Overview

Bianco Dolomite 18" × 18" Turkish Marble Tile brings luminous white color and restrained natural movement to elegant residential and commercial interiors. Quarried in Turkey, this genuine dolomitic marble features a clean milky-white background with delicate gray, silver, and occasional warm mineral veining.

The generous 18-inch square format reduces the number of grout joints and creates an expansive, architectural surface across floors and walls. Available in polished and honed finishes, Bianco Dolomite can provide either a reflective, formal appearance or a softer contemporary matte surface.

Recommended Applications

• Living-room, dining-room, foyer, and hallway floors

• Primary bathroom and powder-room floors

• Bathroom walls, vanity walls, and wainscoting

• Shower walls installed over an approved waterproofing system

• Kitchen backsplashes and appropriate low-impact wall applications

• Fireplace surrounds within required heat clearances

• Hotel, boutique, office, restaurant, and reception-area interiors

• Appropriate exterior walls and covered installations when approved for the climate and setting system

Bianco Dolomite is not recommended for swimming pools or steam showers. Confirm slip resistance before installing polished marble on shower floors or other frequently wet walking surfaces.

Design Profile

• Aesthetic: Quiet luxury, contemporary minimalism, modern classical, transitional, and European-inspired

• Color Character: Milky white with restrained gray and silver movement

• Polished Appearance: Glossy, luminous, and formal

• Honed Appearance: Smooth, low-sheen, and softly architectural

• Layout Options: Straight grid, diagonal, checkerboard, or combined with coordinating mosaics

• Complementary Stones: Nero Marquina, Bardiglio, Thassos White, Calacatta Gold, and Ming Green

• Complementary Materials: White oak, walnut, warm plaster, glass, and lacquered cabinetry

• Complementary Metals: Polished nickel, chrome, champagne bronze, brushed brass, and matte black

• Suggested Grout Colors: Bright white, warm white, pale gray, or light silver

Technical Specifications

Finish Options

Polished

The polished finish creates a glossy, light-reflective surface that emphasizes the marble’s white background and delicate veining. It is particularly well suited for formal floors, feature walls, bathroom walls, fireplace surrounds, and other decorative interior applications.

Polished marble may become slippery when wet and should be evaluated carefully before use on bathroom or shower floors.

Honed

The honed finish has a smooth, low-sheen appearance that softens reflections and gives the marble a quieter, more contemporary character. It is often preferred for residential floors, bathroom floors, walls, and high-use interiors where a less reflective surface is desired.

Installation and Handling Guidelines

Important: Use White Natural-Stone Mortar

Bianco Dolomite is a light-colored natural marble. Gray mortar may produce visible shadowing or discoloration. Use a premium white setting material specifically approved for natural stone.

• Inspect every tile before installation. Installation constitutes acceptance of color, veining, finish, dimensions, and natural characteristics.

• Open several crates or cartons and blend tiles to distribute lighter, darker, and more strongly veined pieces.

• Dry-lay the tiles under the project’s final lighting before setting.

• Install over a flat, clean, dry, and structurally sound substrate.

• Use a white polymer-modified mortar meeting ANSI A118.4 or A118.15 and approved for large-format natural marble.

• Test the setting system on spare material if moisture sensitivity or warping is a concern.

• Directionally trowel the mortar and back-butter each tile as needed.

• Achieve at least 80% mortar coverage in dry interior areas and 95% coverage in wet or exterior applications.

• Use a tile-leveling system where appropriate to help control lippage across the 18-inch format.

• A grout joint of approximately 1/16" to 1/8" may be appropriate depending on tile calibration, substrate flatness, and installer recommendations.

• Use unsanded grout or fine-aggregate grout approved for polished natural stone.

• Test the selected grout to ensure it will not scratch, stain, or discolor the marble.

• Apply a penetrating natural-stone sealer before grouting.

• Install shower applications over a complete waterproofing system. Sealing the marble does not waterproof the installation.

• Incorporate perimeter and field movement joints according to TCNA EJ171 and applicable construction standards.

• Wet-cut with a continuous-rim diamond blade designed for marble. Do not dry-cut because marble fabrication releases hazardous crystalline-silica dust.

• Order approximately 10–15% additional material for cuts, breakage, shade selection, and future repairs. Diagonal or highly selective layouts may require more.

Natural-Stone Variation

Bianco Dolomite is a natural geological material. Differences in white coloration, gray veining, mineral deposits, crystal structure, and surface appearance are expected.

Some tiles may appear nearly pure white, while others may contain more noticeable gray, silver, beige, gold, or faint green mineral movement. These variations are inherent characteristics rather than manufacturing defects.

Care and Maintenance

• Clean with warm water and a neutral-pH cleaner formulated for natural marble.

• Avoid vinegar, lemon, acidic bathroom cleaners, bleach, and abrasive powders.

• Wipe spills promptly, particularly citrus, wine, coffee, oils, cosmetics, and strongly pigmented liquids.

• Use soft cloths, microfiber mops, or non-abrasive brushes.

• Avoid dragging furniture or sharp objects across the surface.

• Apply a penetrating natural-stone sealer before grouting and reseal periodically according to use and the sealer manufacturer’s instructions.

• Use walk-off mats at exterior entrances to reduce abrasive grit.

• Polished marble may gradually develop a natural patina in high-traffic areas.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the correct name Bianco Dolomite or Bianco Dolomiti?

Both names are commonly used for this Turkish marble. “Bianco Dolomie” is a spelling error and should be corrected.

Is this genuine natural marble?

Yes. It is genuine Turkish dolomitic marble with naturally occurring differences in color, veining, and mineral structure.

Is the tile polished or honed?

The product is offered in both polished and honed finishes. Customers should select the desired finish before ordering.

How much area does one tile cover?

One nominal 18" × 18" tile covers approximately 2.25 square feet.

Can it be installed on residential floors?

Yes. Both finishes may be used on appropriate residential floors, although polished marble requires additional caution in wet locations.

Can it be installed in a shower?

It may be installed on shower walls over a complete waterproofing system. The honed finish may be considered for appropriate shower floors, while polished marble requires project-specific slip evaluation.

Can it be used in a steam shower?

No. The supplier does not recommend Bianco Dolomite for steam-shower installations.

Can it be used in swimming pools?

No. This marble collection is not recommended for submerged pool applications.

Does Bianco Dolomite require sealing?

Yes. Apply a penetrating natural-stone sealer before grouting and reseal periodically based on use, exposure, and the sealer manufacturer’s recommendations.