The Inside Outside Guys: Grout Basics

From The Detroit News | By Ken Calverley and Chuck Breidenstein

DETROIT, November 28, 2024 ~

Tile is still a popular amenity in homes, particularly in baths and kitchens.

Everything from small, 1-inch square ceramic to large format sheets of various materials are still being used today.

What many of these installations have in common is the use of grout to fill the gaps between pieces.

Grout can be a boon or a bane, depending on your experience with it.

In the construction industry, grout is used in a variety of forms, from leveling steel columns and beams to embedding reinforcing steel in masonry and concrete installations.

December 1, 2024 ~ Chuck “The Inside Guy” Breidenstein and Ken “The Outside Guy” Calverly offer the knowledge and resources you need to make the home of your dreams a reality.

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But in the home, we generally see it as the water-resistant bond between tile sections.

Installed correctly, it can visually accent a pattern, maintain spacing between tile units over decades, and limit water intrusion into the substrate behind the tile.

In its basic form, it combines cement, sand and water to create a viscous fluid that is packed into joints and allowed to cure.

More advanced types will be enhanced by polymers to add characteristics to the material like lower shrinkage, greater flexibility without cracking, and increased resistance to water absorption and transfer.

The DIY industry has marketed to homeowners who wish to try their hand at tile installs, but many make small mistakes that turn a weekend’s work into months-long repair.

Some common mistakes include choosing the wrong grout.

You will usually see two types available on the shelf; sanded and unsanded. For larger joints over 1/8th of an inch wide, sanded is used and will provide a slightly more course finished product.

But using a sanded grout on soft stone or glass tile can scratch the material, so smaller joints are suggested.

Properly placed joints will be uniform in width and depth below the tile. A joint should be slightly concave when cured.

Grout should be properly and thoroughly mixed using an electric drill and paddle mixer. The right consistency is not only critical to good application, but to performance over time.

Use of liquid polymer enhancers in place of water is suggested in the exact proportions dictated by the manufacturer.

Too dry and it won’t spread over the joints and fill them completely; too wet and it will shrink and crack.

Slaking is a common term for professional tilers as well as bread bakers. It is the process of letting the mixed grout sit for 10 minutes or so after mixing to “rest.”

Slaked grout will be more workable.

It should have the consistency of smooth peanut butter.

Use of a grout float is important to spreading the grout evenly across and into the joints, using the float at a 45-degree angle to properly work the material and not gouge the joints.

The float should be moved diagonally over the tile surface with firm and steady pressure in continuous strokes.

After filling a small area of 3 to 4 square feet, a barely damp tile sponge is swiped over the tile to clean off excess material and tool the joints. Done properly, this helps seal the joints and make them more water resistant while keeping any grout from drying on the tile face.

Develop your technique slowly in an inconspicuous place. Only mix enough grout for a small area initially and do not re-wet grout that has begun to set.

Conduct your work in a harsher light than the finished product will be subjected to. If it looks good during the installation, it will look great when in use.

Another common mistake made is applying grout over tile that has not yet fully cured. Make certain the adhesive used to place the tile has fully set prior to grouting.

Stay away from colored grouts for your first few jobs. Small mistakes made with contrasting grout lines may appear amplified when all is said and done. Use a grout that more closely resembles the color of the tile.

When you are finished, the tile will have a very slight haze on it from the grout. Remove this carefully within a few hours without much pressure or water — damp sponge only.

Water-based grout sealers are suggested once the material has fully cured. Apply per manufacturer’s recommendations to minimize water being carried into the backer material.

If the tile is in a “wet” area like a bathroom shower, a minimum substrate is a cementitious board, not standard drywall or green, MR rated, board.

The finished product should serve you for many years.

Professionals like those you can find every day at InsideOutsideGuys.com.

For more advice, listen to the Inside Outside Guys every Saturday and Sunday on AM760-WJR from 10 a.m.-noon or contact us at InsideOutsideGuys.com.

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