Flooring Tile - Tumble tile and sealing tile

I would like to use tumble marble in a bathroom and in the kitchen. I am going to put in a shower that doubles as a steam room. Is tumble marble too porous for this? Are there applications where I wouldn't want to use tumble marble? If I seal it will it become more shiny?

Thanks a lot

Boudin

Boudin (gotta be from Louisiana)

Tumbled marble or any marble is a poor choice for a shower. The stuff is really tough to maintain and is succeptible to just about every cleaner known to man. Ceramic or porcelain tiles are much more practical.

Tumbled marble works well as a kitchen splash. It can be sealed in a number of ways and can be made shiney, although most is simply sealed and allowed to retain its dull finish.

I agree with John about using natural stone products in areas where they will be exposed to water, soap, chemicals, etc. All natural stone products should be sealed and properly maintained. I read many forum posts re: cleaning and maintenance issues. Although natural stone products are beautiful, there are considers which some flooring reps may fail to point out in their eagerness to make a sale. You can learn more about care and maintenance of natural stone products at http://www.stonecare.com.