There are three basic types of grout available for your tile installation. They are:
- Non-Sanded (also known as Unsanded)
- Sanded
- Epoxy
Choosing the correct grout for your particular installation will not only complete the job correctly, it will also cut down on maintenance. Properly installed and sealed grout will last for the life of your tile. So which to use and when?
Non-Sanded (or Unsanded) Grout
Unsanded grout is made specifically for grout lines smaller than 1/8 inch wide. This is a general rule. I use unsanded grout only in tile with grout lines smaller than 1/16″. Unsanded grout (all grout to different degrees) will shrink as it cures. The reason for only using it in smaller grout lines is the wider the grout lines, the more grout must be used to fill them. The more grout you have, the more it will shrink. If you try to fill grout lines that are too large the grout will shrink enough to pull away from the sides of the tile.
Unsanded grout is easier to work with, especially on vertical surfaces such as a shower wall, because it is “stickier” than the sanded variety. You can spread it onto the wall and it will stick there while you force it into the grout lines. It is also much easier on the hands than sanded. Although it is easier to work with, you need to make sure that the application for which you are using it is correct.
Sanded Grout
Sanded Grout is used for any size grout lines 1/8″ and wider. Although the specifications state unsanded grout be used in grout lines that are exactly 1/8″, you really should use sanded for them. It will ensure proper adhesion to your tile and guard against too much shrinkage. No, not Seinfeld shrinkage, grout shrinkage.
Sanded grout has fine sand added to it. This prevents the grout from shrinking too much as it cures. That’s why it is used for larger grout lines and should be used for the majority of tile installations.
If you have a polished stone such as granite, marble, limestone, and some polished travertine, you should be careful about using sanded grout. While sanded may be the correct choice for the size of grout lines, it may not be the best choice. Depending upon the polish of the stone the sand in the grout may actually scratch it. If you decide to use sanded make sure you test it in an inconspicuous area first to ensure it will not scratch your finish. Or use epoxy which would be a better choice anyway.
Epoxy Grout
Epoxy grout is the top of the line and best choice for any tile application. It can be substituted for sanded or unsanded grout. It is more sturdy than both as well as being waterproof and stain resistant.
Epoxy is a two or three part chemical consisting of the base and the activator. With some brands the color is an additional part that must be added. Once the parts are mixed a chemical reaction begins. From that point, depending on the brand of epoxy, you have only a limited amount of time to get everything grouted before the grout becomes stiff enough to be unworkable. When it reaches that point, if you do not have everything grouted you are SOL.
To help slow the cure time you can mix your epoxy then put half of it in the freezer. The cold air will slow the chemical reaction and lengthen the working time. You can then work with the other half until it is all used. Clean it up, wipe everything down, then grab the second half out of the freezer and finish up. When you first pull it out of the freezer it will be, well, frozen. It thaws quickly, though, so should be workable within a few minutes. This essentially doubles the working time of your grout and ensures you don’t have to rush through it.
Since most epoxy grouts do not contain sand (or at least not in the classic sense of sand) it will normally not scratch your tile. If you have highly polished granite or marble that’s important. Be sure to test first anyway!
Different brands of epoxy have different working times as well as some being more difficult to work with than others. The brand with which I have had the most luck and the only brand I ever use is SpectraLOCK from Laticrete. It has a longer working time than any other epoxy grout (at least any I’ve ever used) and is virtually stain proof. Please don’t take that to mean the you can grout a jacuzzi with it, fill it with cherry kool-aid, and expect it not to be pink (Don’t do that). It just means that for all intents and purposes it will not stain without concerted effort. In my opinion it is the best on the market.
The only drawback of epoxy grout would be the price. It is fairly expensive. When weighed against the upside, however, it is well worth it. Low maintenance demands and high durability of epoxy grout make it well worth the money.
Picking the correct grout for your application is a key part of a proper tile installation. If you choose incorrectly you could end up with a multitude of problems and headaches. Grout, chosen and installed correctly, will complete your tile installation and push it from a good tile job to a great one. Do not underestimate the power of the grout.
Roger: Thanks for your response. I really appreciate you sharing your knowledge with all of us.
We are trying to decide between two premixed grouts to use for our bathroom & shower. The retail chain is recommending TEC Invision premixed grout while our local flooring store is recommending the QuartzLock2 premixed grout. I can’t find any direct comparisons between the two. Any comments/recommendations?
Hi Carrie,
They are both very good urethane-based grouts. I prefer the quartzlock, but that’s all it is, a personal preference. Either one will work great. Make absolutely sure you follow the recommended curing time before exposure to water.
Great informational site! We had an addition added in 2005. My husband has a ceramic tiled and sand grouted shower in his bathroom. We normally spray some sort of shower cleaner in it after showering but it now has cracks and black mold growing. I now see that the contractor should not have used sanded grout. My questions is, now what do we do? Does the shower have to be completely redone? Or, can we just remove the current grout and replace it with epoxy grout? Also, how can we get rid of the mold first? I have used baking soda and now I spray it daily with a half and half mixture of peroxide and apple cider vinegar. It does seem to be working, but slowly.
Maria
Hi Maria,
Sorry, but the type of grout has absolutely nothing at all to do with mold growing. If there is mold growing it is due to improper drainage or water retention in some manner. It is impossible to tell you how, where or why without specific details about the shower construction. If someone told you sanded grout should not have been used due to the size of the grout joint that may be true (although I use sanded grout for grout lines as small as 1/16″) it has nothing to do with mold.
My husband and I tiled our shower approximately a year ago. The owner of the tile company we bought from told us we could tile directly over our cultured marble shower walls. We screwed the cultured marble into the walls carefully so there weren’t any areas that were pulled in and to assure the c.marble would not pull away from the walls. We used epoxy grout. We now have fine lines in the grout around the tiles. It also looks like we are getting fine lines of mold. After reading your website (EXCELLENT) I am figuring it must be due to movement of some kind. I assume the only thing we can do is to pull everything down, take off the cultured marble walls, put up backer board and start over. Of course we also have a glass door and wall so we would need to have the glass people come in also. Is there anything else that could be causing the cracking or if we do need to dismantle everything is there any advise or steps you can tell me to prevent anything else from going wrong? I wish I would have found your website before doing my tiling. Thanks for all your knowledge – I wish more “tile professionals” knew the correct answers.
Hi Lisa,
Cultured marble is, well, junk in my opinion. It’s plastic resin – which means it’s gonna move. It’s likely that the movement created micro-cracking (your grout pulling away from the sides of the tile) and mold likely began growing. Unfortunately replacing everything is the only solution now. While you’re out shopping for the new stuff, swing by that tile company and smack the owner with a bat. Not that I’m advocating violence or anything, but damn.
Hey Roger, we are finally getting ready to grout backsplash (slate tiles). Husband bought SimpleGrout premixed. I’m worried as info on web is really devided about quality and whether you should seal this stuff…your expert opinion will be the deciding factor here!
Hi Susan,
With natural stone you really should get rid of that grout and use a regular cement-based grout for your backsplash. Most pre-mixed grouts do not require sealing – but they also should not be used on natural stone. Especially a porous stone like slate.
Thanks for all your help. We are returning grout today. It’s becoming the routine to buy product, do more research, return product, buy new product. But after reading so many “horror” stories on web I want it done right. My husband is threatening to remove internet from house as I type….
Removing the internet is a hell of a lot less stressful than removing a backsplash in two months and redoing it because it wasn’t correct, no?
Tell him to go play in the garage – that’s what my wife does with me.
hummmmmm….if I tell him that I might lose my movie night out tomorrow!
But we finished project today…he wouldn’t let me touch the tile. I got the job of being the “sponge and water boy”….it will be awhile before we do anymore tiling. Couldn’t have done it without all the great advice we got from the pros!!! Thanks.
Roger,
I was looking at some 18×18 Travertine at both Lowes and HD and noticed that there are many voids in the surface of most tiles, these seem to have been filled with some bright white substance, do you know what is used to fill these voids and does it generally wear well over time?
Thanks, Ron
Hi Ron,
Most are filled with an epoxy resin. The fills are normally stronger than the natural stone itself so it wears very well over time. It will also tend to blend into the stone better as time passes.
Hi Roger,
I am glad I found your site, I want to use Expoxy Grout on my shower floor. HomeDepot sells CEG-Lite. Do you know anything about this brand? or What is best ti use on a shower floor?
Hi Mariza,
CEG-Lite is not an epoxy grout – it is a urethane-based grout. They are two different things. I don’t know if it is approved for areas lower than a wet water-line (pools, fountains, shower floors) it should state that on the website or on the bucket. I do know that most of these products require an extended curing time before exposure to water – like seven days or so. Epoxy grout such as Laticrete’s Spectralock does not require that extended time.
Hi Ron,
Thank you very much.
Hi Roger!
Couple of questions about a bathroom remodel:
Our handyman chose 3/16″ spacers for the shower walls. I’m concerned that this is too large. He’s only half done tiling, and I’ll ask him to start over if needed…
Our handyman hasn’t used Epoxy grout before, should we ask him to? I’d really like to prevent a mold and mildew problem- it’s a small bathroom- 7×5. We have a vent fan installed, and I will wipe down the shower every time I use it. Is there a specific type of grout that is better at resisting mold and mildew?
Thanks!
Cara
Cara, I have no idea what Roger will say, but that epoxy grout has become the hold grail for me since it sounds so perfect from a home owner’s perspective, but couldn’t find anyone who would use it. From my understanding if one uses the Laticrete brand, one just has to follow the directions exactly, especially when it comes to that initial wash and final cleaning and the working time is shorter than regular grout, but actually using it isn’t that much different than regular grout. I’ve never used any grout so I have no idea. Here is what I did. I asked my tile guy if he would try it on some of my tiles as a test and obviously he had to say yes so then I emailed Laticrete and nicely asked if they would provide me with a free “sample” and guess what. They said yes, a whole mini unit pail, since they do it for the professionals so I provided my phone number and the local Laticrete rep. called me up and arranged it(picked up at my local tile place that carries Laticrete). It is somewhat pricey, but think it’s worth it since will hopefully last and last. Roger says it’s the easiest one to work with. I think he also said one can extend the working time somewhat by putting it into the freezer.
The Laticrete people were super nice. I hope they don’t mind me telling you to email them. Let’s keep it hushhush
http://www.laticrete.com/homeowners.aspx
Ceci
Hi Cara,
3/16″ is just fine for grout lines. A lot of times it is simply personal choice. If you want epoxy have him install epoxy. If he can’t find someone that can. Spectralock grout has very good anti-microbial properties.
Roger, in one of your old postings you said you could recommend a tile guy to another poster who lived in a different state than you. Well, I live in Chicago and as you know I want the shower pan to have a preslope and have been having problems getting someone to agree. Finally thought I found someone since he did say yes, but I didn’t understand he wasn’t going to be the one doing it. The person who he contracted it out to came today and refused to build a preslope so do you know of anyone?
Thanks,
Ceci
Roger, I was at that dreaded place again, Lowes, with the tile guy. Was there to supposedly be educated re. the preslope and drain. The guy we were talking to actually wasn’t so bad(had to push him a bit to think, but he did). Anyway, he insisted that plastic on the plywood is bad because then the mortar could slide once dry and that could cause the mortar to crack when one walks on it. It kind of makes sense to me. I originally just bought plastic sheets to put down since the felt paper only comes in big rolls. Do you think it’s safer to use felt(roofing paper) than plastic? Also, does it matter if the staples one attaches the plastic/felt paper and lath aren’t galvanized? Yes, now even the stupid staples are giving me problems. I would rather not use nails(galvanized obviously).
Thanks,
Ceci
If you are referring to the shower floor – you aren’t installing mortar directly to the sheet – you are installing deck mud. It will not have problems, I wouldn’t recommend it if that were the case. The sand contained in properly mixed deck mud allows a hell of a lot of movement. They are describing it as if you were walking on a sheet of glass and if it cracks the house blows up – that’s not the case. It does not matter if the staples are galvanized or not. If properly built these would only be subjected to any type of moisture during the first 24 hours until the deck mud cures – after that you have waterproofing above the entire sheet, no?
Roger, I think I did say the preslope. Is there a preslope somewhere else that I somehow missed even though have read and reread your articles and most of your responses to all the questions. I think I better go back and reread once again in case there is a mystery preslope that I somehow missed, no?
Ceci
No, you stated he was supposedly informed on the preslope (and other things) – you did not state that is what your question was regarding. I wanted to make sure he didn’t think you were going to install tile right to your vapor barrier or something of that sort. As ludicrous as that sounds to you (now
) I have had some very interesting theories floated through this particular site. 
I am attempting to be green and recycle used slate tile I purchased at a reuse center. The tile has old finish on it but I am hesitant to completely strip it down to bare slate. I like all the antique looking dark lines etc. My question is can I just pre-finish the tile and then place and grout? Which grout do I need to use, and which type of finish will work with the grout. What do you then clean and refinish the floor with in the future. Thanks for any info.
Hi Erin,
You can seal them as they are and install them, it won’t hurt anything at all. After all – it’s a rock.
You can use any sanded grout you like. After that I would use a good impregnating sealer over the entire installation (which should not change the look of the tile) and just regular cleaning maintenance is all that should be required. Make sure you get an impregnating sealer – NOT a topical sealer. That may change the look.
Hi Roger,
The accu color caulking that is unsanded. Is this okay to use on my shower. Is it silicone?
Thank you for your advice. I was told it is siliconized.
Dick
Hey Dick,
If it is accucolor caulking then it is siliconized-acrylic caulk. It’s fine. 100% silicone is better – and accucolor makes that too. Either one will be just fine, though.
STEVE-
Re removal of koolaid stain- u could try clorox clean-up; leave it on for about 10 minutes. If that does not work, maybe u coiuld look into some of the 2 part chemical products that remove koolaid/ red stains from carpet?? They really do work- had a stain on the carpet for about 9 months prior to the treatment (tried everythnig before calling the experts), and it completely removed the stain.
Hey Roger,
I read your demonstration about removing cherry kool aid color from SpectraLOCK with oxyclean. Since the surface of SpectraLOCK WILL allow adhesion of stains of many kinds, is it logical that applying a grout sealer (even though SpectraLOCK says this sin’t needed) will then assist with the removal of surface stains making it a faster, easier process? Since the sealant sits only on the surface of the grout any staining sits on the sealant not on the grout surface.
I am the guy who just wrote in about pink stains on my new SpectraLOCK latte colored grout. The tech rep from Laticrete recommended using Softscrub with bleach. I have and so far without the result I want to get. So much for manufaturer help. I am now going to get some Oxyclean.
Thanks.
Hi Steve,
Sealer never hurts but you need to ensure that it is compatible with your grout. I don’t use sealer on epoxy, so I don’t know what will work and what won’t. Let me know whether the oxyclean works or not, I have other ways to clean grout also.
Hi Roger,
I’ve enjoyed browsing through you blog. I just tiled the floor in my half-bath and the tile came out great but the grout looks like crap. I got a bag of sanded grout from Home Depot (won’t do that again) and a trowel to go with it (won’t do that again either). I think there are two issues I need to solve.
1: I didn’t remove enough grout with the trowel or sponge when I was wiping it down. Is there anyway I can “sand” down the grout to the correct height without damaging the tile? I was thinking of carefuly scraping with a screwdriver or maybe scrubbing hard with a scouring spounge?
2: I think I got too much water on the grout when I was cleaning off the excess and now some lines are lighter than others. I mixed the grout real good (with an electric drill and paddle). I was thinking I could “clean” the top layer? I think i read somewhere on here you sugest vinegar for cleaning stains on grout (this isn’t a stain but something similar).
Lesons Learnered: Don’t buy the cheap stuff at Home Sucko. Get a good quality grout that is easy to work with and a good trowel that will do the job right.
Hope you have some insights to help.
Hey Chris,
The white residue is likely efflorescence. It’s due to using too much water in either mixing or cleaning the grout. White vinegar and water will normally get rid of it. You can also use drywall sanding sponges and ‘sand’ it down to the right color. Just like burnt toast – scrape it to the color you like. That will also take care of the areas which are too high.
Dear Roger,
I stumbled upon your website while researching an odd problem with my recently installed SpectraLOCK grout. It looks as though you are very experienced when it comes to this product. We had this grout used in a Latte color for our new kitchen counterop consisting of porcelian tile. The tile was installed in May of this year. Some grout lines around the kithcen sink and running away from it have turned light pink. We know that in some of these areas water only may have sat on the grout lines for a couple days. In other grout lines running away from the sink we have no idea why this pink color change. Moisture? We are very neat and clean people and rarely stain the grout and if something falls onto it we clean it up right then. We know only water and moisture in the air has come into contact with the grout lines in question. We are in a suburb of Portland Oregon. Our water here seems quite chlorinated. Is this pink color change from the chlorine in our water? We are truly mystified by this and would very much appreciate any insight you can guve to us about this. We contacted the tech manager from Spectra LOCK and he had no information for us about this color change due to water contact. I was hoping for more help. He just told us how to clean it. My wife is very upset by this. The kitchen re-do was very important to her. Thanks very much for any help you can give us.
Steve Sorlien
Tualatin, OR
Hey Steve,
There are only four reasons I’ve ever seen ‘pink’ on any type of grout.
1. There is a type of mold that is pink. Mildew is also pink on the surface of materials. Complete drying of the area will kill either and bleach will get rid of the stain.
2. Soap / shampoo residues. This is not limited to showers, some dish soaps can do the same thing.
3. HARD minerals in water will sometimes, when evaporated, remain on the surface of tile and/or grout. This depends on the chemical makeup of the water in your area. You mentioned chlorine but I really have no idea what particular minerals cause this. There are specific cleaners for areas subjected to hard water stains. They normally present as white or chalky, but I’ve seen it pink too.
Neither of the above are necessarily signs of not being clean or anything like that. There may be excess movement or improper installation techniques, etc, that may be causing the tile or grout (or the seam between the two) causing it to absorb or retain either moisture or contaminants – it may not always be possible to clean these.
4. Fluorescent lighting. Seriously. Do you have fluorescent lights or bulbs in your kitchen? Sometimes it’ll make certain shades of brown and beige look pink.
Hi Roger.
I appreciate your information and your humor as it helps me to enjoy yet focus on the content. Thanks for helping the novice try to learn yet provide a quality well thought out product.
I will be installing tile on the walls of 3×4 shower. The tiles are 30cm by 45cm. When I read your information I gathered that it might be better to use 1/16 grout line instead of 1/8 due to size of tile (large). Do I read that correctly? Also I am uncertain whether you would recomment unsanded or sanded grout.
Next, I have watched your video for building a niche and have two questions. Have you ever used the pre-fabbed shower niches. I will be buying my tile from a company called The Tile Shop and they have pre-fabbed niches. Thoughts. I understand that whether the niche is home made or pre-fabbed it should be waterproofed. I am planning to use the Kerdi product for the niche as I have already installed a different membrane for the remainder of the shower. My question is with the cuts in the kerdi doesn’t this create more opportunity for water failure?
Lastly I have purchased a travertine 40cm x 40cm for the tile floor (heated) outside the shower (main bath area). You mention about sanded grout and travertine. How would I know if this tile will be affected by sanded grout. Once again due to size of tile should I use a 1/16 grout line?
A bit nervous for this large undertaking (for me). Your professional advice/guidance would be greatly appreciated.
Hey Allan,
That’s backwards (the way I prefer to work, btw). The bigger the tile the bigger the grout line. So with the larger tile, especially in a running bond or brick pattern, you should have a 1/8″ grout line. I always use sanded grout unless I’m installing the old school nubbed 4×4 or 6×6 tile.
Provided all your kerdi seams overlap 2″ it will not leak – really.
If you have used a liquid membrane for the rest of your shower go ahead and use it in the niche as well – it’s much easier.
You should use a 1/8″ grout line on the floor as well. To see if the grout will scratch the tile simply use an extra piece, mix up a tiny bit of grout, and spread it over the face of the tile and clean it off. It’ll show you right away whether it will scratch or not.
EDIT: Sorry, I missed the niche question. I do not like the pre-made niches. They are never the exact size I need and can rarely be place wherever I want. I prefer to build my own which solves both those problems.
Roger,
You are an absolute delight! I love reading your website….at the same time, your website is stressing me out!
My husband and I are remodeling many rooms in our house which, of course, includes a bathroom! I understand your comments regarding Laticrete SpectraLock, and clearly you are very pleased.
It was recommended for us to use QuartzLock 2 in the bahroom (shower floor, walls and outer floor). There is a LOT of information on your website, but from what I can tell, you haven’t posted anything about the product since the middle of 2009, where you say you haven’t used it before.
I am looking for any “new” information you may have regarding the QuartzLock 2 grout. I already have purchased the grout, but I am beginning to have fearful thoughts in its use.
Please help!!
Jax
Hi Jax,
Urethane based grouts (like quartzlock 2) are a good stable product in a bathroom. The biggest downside, and the reason I do not use them, is that they all state you must wait at least 7 days (manufacturers vary) for a full cure before exposing the grout to water. Grout is the last thing I do, if my customer needs to wait a week AFTER I leave to use their new shower – that is not a happy customer. Based on what I’ve learned about the products they are very good in that application, the curing time is a big downside and a deal killer for me, though.
Roger,
I really appreciate your response. I have been struggling with “QuartzLock2 vs SpectraLock (and which kind)” for weeks, now. We are remodeling several rooms in our home (courtesy of a flood due to broken waterpipe) so the cure period is of little relevance to us as this time.
I am glad to hear from you there is confidence in the QuartzLock.
I am enjoying reading all of your witty comments on your website, and appreciate you educating “the little people”!
Cheers…Jax
colored thinset ?
Hey Floor Elf: I’m putting up some glass tile/marble backsplash, and was going to use white thinset. Now my designer is concerned that the white will show through and wants me to add some tint to it to make it more “beige”. Have you ever done color tinting on thinset for glass tile work?
fAlso, the sheetrock behind the backsplash has been patched, so some of it is raw sheetrock and some painted rock. would you advise painting some z-prime or some thing to get a consistent color, just in case the thinset doesn’t get 100% coverage?
The one-step method will cover all that. No need to do anything with it.
Hey Geoff, where the hell have you been???
Henry’s blog (he’s the big cheese at Laticrete) has info about the one-step method. It’s here: Laticrete one-step method. There’s links on that page with step-by-steps, specs and all that. I’ve done it a couple of times and it works like a charm! Essentially you install and grout all in one using one of their white thinsets and their grout. Very easy, very good results. That’ll fix your wagon!
Yeah, the one-step method isn’t gonna work for me. I don’t have paper covered sheets of tile.
They don’t need to be paper covered sheets. That is simply the example they use to show how it’s done and it is a solution for those particular tiles. I’ve used it on regular mesh-backed glass mosaics as well as regular porcelain and stone mosaics. You can use it with any type of tile you have. If you were so inclined you could use it with 12 x 12’s. You just need to wipe the grout lines as you go.
After i grouting and was cleaning off the excess i on a couple of grout lines pulled out some of the grout not all but the line looks shallow.Can i go back and just put more grout on the top of it? or do i need to get a grout saw and take out all the grout on that line and then put some more in.
hello,
my question pertains to a quarry tile job im currently installing they are 6×6’s.I installed half of the floor and grouted it allready about 1000sq ft.the owner wanted the grout lines totally flush with the tile.I explained to him that the grout will shrink a bit and that any tile job the grout is never even with the tile.Ieven used my raimondi grout machine and if you are familiar with those machines they grout fairly even with tile .I left the job two thirds of the way through the job and he never said a word about the lines.All of the sudden 6 hrs later he calls and says he thinks they are to shallow after he got down on his hands and knees and looked at them. what should my defense be and should he be complaining.i have installed 200,o00 sq ft of this stuff over the years and he is the first to say something about it.
my grout lines are 3/8ths
Hey Adam,
Tell him he’s a dick.
Allright, don’t tell him that, even if you’re thinking it. Quarry tile, by their very nature, are not perfectly flat or square and some have pillowed edges. Dunno which ones you have but having a perfectly flush grout line will lead to grout cracking out. With the rounded or pillowed edges the grout would actually widen at the top of the line into a thin ‘V’ shape on each side before it became absolutely flush. This leads to a weak point in the grout which will not handle the rigors of cleaning that industrial and quarry tile is apt to be subjected to.
If you have the totally square ones I guarantee they are not perfectly flat over the entire face. To get the grout perfectly flush there would be areas the have the grout actually above the face of the tile – that”s not gonna last either. You would need to have perfectly square grout lines at the top to have it all flush. If you’ve ever seen a concrete wall or curb which started out as perfectly square (raised loading docks are a good example) they don’t stay square for long. Concrete products, such as grout, cannot have perfectly square edges, they simply won’t last. Even though grout is a cement-based product it is actually weaker than those square concrete curbs or edges.
Tell him if you get it absolutely flush you will compromise the integrity of the grout. Then tell him he’s a dick.
You have any skin left on your fingertips?
I hate that stuff.
Roger, you Floor Elf you!! What a great answer. So wise. I feel a DUH moment coming on…..
Last question (HA!!) — When you say “if a manufacturer tells you to use something specific for a particular tile – use it .”
In my case, manufacturer says (a) use epoxy grout (b) use THEIR own in-house Epoxy Grout (which I’ve looked all over Google for, and can find no comments….)
Do I have to obey Orders as to BRAND, too?
Or can I just use the Spectralock, as the wise Floor Elf advises??
OH, 2nd question — I lied:
My Tile Installer has been paid by me in advance SO much I can’t fire him now without taking a $$ hit. If he is unwilling to grout TWO Bathrooms on $6500 job, what’s a reasonable amount of $$ for me to ask him to credit?? I mean, what % of a job of starting a shower stall from scratch (where bathtub once existed), doing hot mop, lath work, floating, tiling is the Grout part??
ANd, oops, #3: Where would I begin to find a tile installer in LA willing to do NOTHING but add the Epoxy Grout near end of project?? Would a pro even want to get involved? Is there some secret society out there of tile installers? I had a helluva tile just finding this guy….
Thanks Floor Elf!!
Marianne
Normally yes, you need to use the brand as well. However, you can call their tech support and ask them if the requirement is THEIR epoxy or simply an epoxy.
The grout part varies on a job to job basis. With normal cementitious grouts it isn’t very much at all, simply the last stage. I’ve never really thought about it. Maybe 5%? I would approach him and find out whether he wants to install the epoxy (which WILL cost you more labor) or if he wants to pay 25% of the labor for someone else to do it. That’s likely what would be fair in my business model, anyway.
Go to John Bridge’s forum and post a thread about needing a professional to epoxy grout your tile. You’ll likely get a few responses and most of the guys that hang out there a very, very good at what they do. Give that a shot. (I’m TileArt1) That is a secret society of top shelf tile installers.
Thank you, oh Master Floor Elf, Sir!!
Hi Roger — I’m about to order ceramic tile with a mosaic pattern. I was told by tile company that the grout has to cover the ENTIRE tile because the spaces between the pattern (polka dots) weren’t sealed…. Anyway, they said I should absolutely use Epoxy Grout because so much of the surface area needs to be covered with grout…. I have two problems: My tile installer claims that — despite his 17 years of experience — he has never worked with Epoxy Grout, and is not about to start. (Frankly, I think he just thinks it too big a nuisance.) What to do — short of firing him? Can I use regular grout or would it really compromise the aesthetics of the tile? ….. Second, I read on several forums that WHITE epoxy grout YELLOWS with time. White Grout // Epoxy is 60% of my tile face. Should I not use Epoxy? Should I buy a different tile? Or is the yellowing an Old WIve’s Tale?…. Thanks so much!
Hi Marianne,
Let me start by saying this: if the tile manufacturer tells you to use something specific for that particular tile – use it. Every time. No question. Period. Really.
As far as your contractor – aren’t you paying him? Just sayin’. If he is not able / unwilling to use products needed for your particular installation then he may not be the proper fit for your project.
Older epoxy grouts did tend to yellow over time. SpectraLOCK, as well as several other modern epoxies (I honestly don’t know which ones, I don’t use anything else) are UV stable, which means they won’t yellow.
I have a tile job coming up: glass and marble backsplash, little 5/8″ long tiles on sheets, some marble and some glass. What concerns me now is that some of the marble pieces have little naturally occuring “pits”. I can’t imagine any way to keep these pits from filling up with grout (sort of putting little bits of masking tape on each and every piece that has pits).
If you were installing this what would you do? Just fill the pits with grout or something else?
Hey Geoff,
Tumbled marble normally has the pits filled with grout. If you don’t want them filled you can use a grout release on the face of it. It’ll still be a bit of a pain to get the grout out of there but it will come out much easier if they are filled with the grout release first. You can seal the tile a couple of times before you grout also, that helps tremendously.
I just grouted over all the tiles. The marble pits filled in but when i wiped the tile, they also cleaned out a little so you can see the edges. It actually looks pretty good that way. thanks for the tip.
I am currently retiling over existing tile. The Almighty couldn’t have stuck the original tiles on tighter, so it wasn’t worth 3 days to get them off. It has been going really well, and I’m a first time tiler. Thanks for the advice, I’ve been relying entirely on the saleslady at HD, although she hasn’t led me wrong yet!
Roger,
My enclosed back porch/sunroom is tiled with 12×12 ceramic tile, it appears to have been done by a professional, straight, level, no cracks, etc. My wife would like to retile with a 16×16 travertine and was told by “the pros” at a national box store that this could be done without removing the existing tile. Your thoughts, comments and suggestions please.
Thanks, Ron
Hi Ron,
Although tiling over tile is an acceptable practice and is included in the TCNA handbook I don’t do it. So I would be the wrong person to ask for advice about that particular type of installation. My problem simply stems from the fact that I know absolutely nothing about the substrate nor preparation beneath the current installation. Anything you install over it is subject to those details – I cannot, and will not, warranty my work over someone else’s work. That said, it is an acceptable installation procedure. You need to use a thinset that specifically indicates that type of install and if the current tile has a shiny or slippery surface it must be scarified for the thinset to adhere properly. You also do not want the new grout lines over the top of the current ones – offset them. (You’re using bigger tile, that’s there for anyone else considering this type of installation – you don’t have a choice.
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Just want to say awesome responses Roger. Good site.
Thanks William!