Ready for the Grout?

One of the most important steps to tiling your floor is applying the grout. This is what gives your floor the finished look. Properly applying the grout is very important. Please read the instructions on the package carefully. Improperly applied grout will fail.

The most common failures in grout are cracking, and small chunks falling out. There are primarily three reasons for this. 1) There was no cement fiber backer board laid and properly secured before laying the tile. Now the floor has a tiny degree of flex and it is causing the grout to crack and fallout. 2) The tile was not tamped down into place with a rubber mallet or squiggled into place and now there are air pockets under the tile and at the bottom side the grout is not held securely. 3) Too much moisture was added to the grout compromising the strength of the grout itself.

There are additives that can be added to the grout and mixed in that will strengthen the grout and actually make it more elastic, and therefore making it easier to apply. There is also an epoxy grout that is strong and will not ever need to be sealed. Whatever you do, do not add too much moisture. The grout is supposed to be stiff and squeezed into the spaces between tiles with a rubber trowel (float).

Tools you will need to apply the grout: A trowel to scoop the mixed grout out of your container. A rubber float for spreading the grout. A clean pail of water and a sponge.

Applying the grout: 1) Before you apply the grout make sure that all thinset adhesive is cleaned up off the tiles. It is much easier to do it now than later. 2) Start at the furthest part of the room from the door. You will want to back your way out the door. 3) Wet the tile in the area you are grouting. 4) Scoop out a liberal amount of grout and begin troweling. 5) With the rubber float press the grout into the spaces between tiles. Pass over this area several times at a 45 degree angle. Drag off as much excess grout as possible as this will make for easier clean up. 6) Lightly sponge the area just grouted with a damp sponge cleaning the tile until the grout has the correct exposure between tiles. 7) Repeat this process until the entire floor is grouted. 8) Go back over the floor with a damp sponge cleaning up all excess grout.

De-hazing the tile: Once the grout is set (hardened) you need to de-haze the tile. There are de-hazing tools for this which looks like emery cloth attached to a trowel. After you have de-hazed you should vacuum up the residue with a soft brush nozzle.

Seal the grout. Follow instructions on the bottle of sealant.

Presto! You have a great looking floor!