Yep, that is the solution, back-buttering with white thin set.

When I installed I used to only use dry pack or fat mud and always back
buttered the stone. With fat mud you do have to keep it on the dry side or
it can wash away the back buttering when the tiles are beat in. That's why
on lighter stone it is still good to use white cement in the mortar.

What I still do not understand it why an installer will spend 20-35 bucks
PER BAG of a good quality thin set, and have to use a lot of it (like one
bag per 20-25 sf) when he could just buy a scoop of sand and a few bags of
white cement.

-----Original Message-----
From: list-manager@stoneandtilepros.simplelists.com
[mailto:list-manager@stoneandtilepros.simplelists.com] On Behalf Of Scott
Wilson (via sccpartners list)
Sent: Saturday, 20 September 2014 12:45 AM
To: sccpartners@stoneandtilepros.simplelists.com
Subject: Re: Grey thinset

This email was sent from aol.com which does not allow forwarding of emails
via email lists. Therefore the sender's email address
(polishedrock210@aol.com) has been replaced with a dummy one. The original
message follows:

Hi Stephen ;
I don't comment here very much, but before buying equipment and
transitioning to restoration in the mid nineties , I did custom marble
installations for many years prior, in the Florida Keys a demanding upscale
market where we installed miles and miles of travertine,would hone and
polish onsite to provide a finished product no one else could duplicate.
First: why did the architect spec thinset for a soft,fragile stone,that set
properly,should be set on full mortar beds?
Second: are the installers planing to add anything to the mortar to give
more body to be like "medium bed mortar"?,typically thinset,even mixed stiff
will sag during set time, corners sink,and results in a lot more lippage II
have seen hundreds of travertine jobs set entirely in grey mortar,nearly
every one has darkening ,dirty ,grey ,undertones,that restorations help but
never fix.
I like 252, got enough latex ,for a tenacious bond, and can be manipulated
to make awesome bed mortar ,however I only use white All is not lost,this
can be successfully done if each stone , is totally and completely back
buttered with high quality "white" flex able multi-purpose thinsets.
Tile setters use thinsets, marble installers use "fat mud" back buttered
Hope this helps "Blessings"
Scott Wilson
Wilson Stoneworks Inc

Sent from my iPad

> On Sep 18, 2014, at 10:51 PM, Stephen Webb
<stephen@newlifemarblerestoration.com> wrote:
>
> Hey all I have  a question, An architect  friend has already purchase 20
pallets of the laticrete 252 silver.  The color is grey.   I have done a
scratch coat sample on the back of the travertine to see if any bleeding was
noticed.  It has been approximately 2 weeks and there are no visible signs
of the grey thinset leaching through the tile.  Since the architect has
already purchased the thinset and ready to proceed with the work, they are
now stuck with the grey thinset.   Is there any law or guideline referring
to the use of grey thinset with a beige colored travertine?  I am hoping
that there is some clarification regarding the acceptability of the grey
thinset usage on a beige colored travertine.  Any input would be greatly
appreciated.  Thank you!
> Stephen
>
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