Repairing a Pebble Floor

I love the idea of a stone pebble floor but I've worked on enough of them to know they are just way too problematic. It's really hard to get enough cement (thin-set) around the stones to ensure each one sticks. But you can't really grout because you need the cement to cover all the cracks and fills the joints. And they still pop off! To say nothing about keeping the floor white and clean (not going to happen BTW).

This elderly client fixed and filled her floor on her own (bless her heart!). She was quoted $3000 for a complete replacement and repair. Then she called me. I did the job for $120 (2hrs/$60) - thankfully she saved her pebbles!