Laminating marble

[diyfabber]

I recently came across some salvaged carrera marble slabs that I am interested in making a sidetable top with.  I recently completed fabricating granite countertops for my kitchen, but this will be my first time working with marble.  I'd like to laminate the 2cm material to create a 4cm bullnose for the top.  I'm not sure if I should use traditional epoxy or polyester resin for the laminating.  Any advice?  Also, what kind of sealer should I use for the top?   

[Mark D.]

Use either a poly or an epoxy that will dry crystal clear. We recommend Tenax Crystal since it will not darken and will give you the structural integrity you need for a lamination. Use the flowing, glue and clamp the pieces of stone together.
This glue was originally made for use with Carrara marble. Here is the link:
http://www.defusco.com/TENAX-CRYSTAL-FLOWING-MASTIC-1-LITER-2301

Glad to be of service,
Mark

[nssthan]

Epoxies yellow in direct sunlight (UV). The yellowing can be a real problem.  Even clear epoxies will yellow and cloud up. Also the marble is not strong enough to demand the strength of the epoxy.  The polyester will give you a much longer lasting good -- white-- result.

nssthan

[Mark D.]

The reason I recommended Crystal is because it is UV stable and will remain clear and without hue, but since it is technically still a polyester resin (due to it containing styrene) it is meant for indoor usage. While it is UV stable, poly resins in general do not hold up well to the sunlight indefinitely.
If this is an outdoor application you should use epoxy and color it to match the stone. By coloring it opaque it does become UV stable.

Glad to be of service,
Mark