Tiling Tips - How to Grout Tiling For Your Tiling Job

Tiling grout strengthens the tile and keeps water from entering the joints. As well as the practical purpose of grout, it also adds aesthetically to the tiling project or job. Usually tiling grout is a neutral color but there are so many colors available now that any tiling grout color combination is possible. In general, it is best not to pick white or a light color for floor applications since dirt will quickly make it look dingy and you will end up with a mucky off white colour or yellowish tinge to your grout. This may lead to you having to repeat the grouting to your tiling job again.

Tiling grout application is actually a fairly simple job after the harder parts of laying and levelling the tile. The tools and equipment you need for your tiling grouting job are tiling grout, bucket, kneepads, tiling grout float, tiling grout sponge and waterproof gloves.

Tiling grout is available in premixed tiling grout form or in tiling grout powder form. The premixed tiling grout depends upon evaporation for drying and therefore is really only appropriate for small wall tiling applications which will not be in contact with water. The powder form of tiling grout is cement based and therefore dries chemically which provides a much stronger and harder joint. Powdered tiling grout is available in sanded or non-sanded mixtures. Sanded tiling grout is appropriate for tiling joints larger than 3mm and usually used for floor tiling applications. Non-sanded tiling grout is for wall tiling applications with a tiling joint width of less than 3 mm. It is possible to purchase a polymer-modified tiling grout or a tiling grout polymer additive, which adds flexibility and provides more water resistance but it is a little more difficult to work with on your tiling job. Polymer additives are indicated when the backing surface onto which your tiling is to be applied is wood since the wood will bend and flex and a polymer-modified grout will flex without cracking.

Tiling Grout Mixture - The first step to applying tiling grout is to mix the tiling grout. It is very important to use gloves, goggles and a mask when dealing with cement based tiling grout powders. The tiling grout bag has the proportion of water to tiling grout for mixing but factors such as heat will affect the mixture so add water only a little at a time to the tiling grout mix. The consistency of tiling grout should be about the same as peanut butter. A watery tiling grout mixture will take much longer to dry and is harder to work with. Once the tiling grout is mixed, it has a working time of 20-40 minutes so only mix small batches of your tiling grout or it will be necessary to throw away tiling grout and you will have to start your tiling job all over again.

Tiling Grout Application - Apply tiling grout to the tiling joints with a rubber tiling grout float. Press the tiling grout into the tiling joints by holding the tiling float at a 30-degree angle and applying pressure as tiling grout is dragged over the tiling gaps. Be sure that the tiling grout is filling the tiling joint to the bottom surface. Once the tiling grout fills all the tiling joints, scrape the excess tiling grout by holding the tiling float almost vertically as you drag. It is helpful to drag diagonally across the tiling joints to prevent digging in and accidentally removing tiling grout from within the tiling joints. Once the tiling grout has begun setting, use a large tiling sponge and wipe the excess from the tiling joints; do not use too much water in this process. Once the tiling grout hardens, go back with a soft rag and buff the tile to remove tiling grout film. Depending on the tiling application, the last step is a tiling grout sealer, which will help it repel stains and prolong the water-resistant life of your tiling grout and your overall tiling job.

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