Flooring Tile - Cutting Marble or Granite?

I was going to pick up some marble or granite scrap to cut a windowsill for in my shower (the wooden sill is rotted from moisture). I have an angle grinder that I used to cut ceramic tiles--will these be harder to cut than the tiles? My other option is to have my brother in law take it to his shop where they have wet saws they use for limestone, but would take more time to get it done. Either way, I will also need to polish the cut edge. Is there an attachment I can get for my angle grinder to do this? I also have a variety of power sanders.

The grinder may or may not have the depth of cut to get all the way through depending on how thick the pieces are.

The cost of the polishing disks and mounting wheel will be greater than taking the piece to a local fabricator and having them round the edge and polish it.

OK, thanks. Maybe I'll ask the place where I found some scraps how much they will charge to cut and/or polish it. It's just that I try to do whatever I can myself, and this is just a windowsill in a shower in my rental. First, I had troubles finding anybody that would just sell me a piece of scrap withou charging an arm and a leg. I just need a piece that's 35" x 4" by about 1". These guys have a piece that will work and they said they would charge $20 for it.

I will be attaching it to concrete block that makes up the window frame. I have some leftover thinset mortar--will that work, or do I need some type of epoxy?

Thanks again!

The modified thinset will work as long as it is white in color, the gray can stain some natural stone or permanently darken it.

The polishing pads are sold at online tile tool places. I like the ones made by Alpha called PVA. You can see what they look like and their pricing at www.contractorsdirect.com or www.tiletools.com There are other places also, most are in the ballpark as far as pricing. If you are going to do more of this in the future it might be a worthwhile investment but if is a one and done thing, not worth it. You will also need a variable speed grinder/polisher like the one from Flex and that will run a couple hundred by itself

OK. It's Mapei Ultracontact White that I used for my ceramic tile floor.

I just realized that most likely I won't need much polished. If the scrap I pick up has a polished edge (which I think it will), I just need the front edge and top to be polished, and maybe an inch will be exposed on the sides (where I will be cutting it to size). Surely they wouldn't charge me much just to polish the ends a bit. Is there some type of sealer I should apply since it is going in the shower?

Thanks again!

Is there some type of sealer I should apply since it is going in the shower?


Depends on the type of marble. Ask them when you pick it up. They will have some sealer at the shop so they can apply that right there.