All About Grout
Posted: Monday, April 07, 2008
by Leah Bransko
Minerals Marketing
Grout is a substance made out of silica sand, water and cement, which is used in construction or DIY to connect sections of pre-cast concrete, fill voids and seal joints. However, Grout is most commonly used to fill the gaps between bathroom tiles.
Although the standard colours are white, grey and brown, grout can be made in a range of other colours by simply adding a dye to its powder form. This means that you can match the colour of grout to your tiles, which will make it look less obvious, as well as making mould and condensation marks less noticeable.
Buying Grout
You can buy a ready mixed grout, which is convenient for small repairs. However, it is not advisable to use this pre-prepared grout for a full tiling job.
If you are embarking on a full wall project, buy a powdered grout containing silica sand and mix it with water. Mixing grout is easy; the brand you buy should have some instructions, but if it doesn't then just mix it with enough water to make it into a smooth paste without any visible bits of powder. Be warned though, the grout will become too wet if you use too much water, which makes it weaker and more messy to apply.
Generally, correctly mixed grout takes around 20 – 40 minutes to dry, although this depends on the brand of grout you're using and the temperature of the room that you're in. This means that if you're a slow grouter, you might want to think about making up your grout in smaller pots as you need it, which will avoid it drying and becoming unusable.
Applying Grout
Applying grout is easy; simply use a scraper to push grout into the gaps between your tiles. You should work swiftly and focus on grouting small areas, ensuring that all spaces are evenly filled with grout. When you're applying grout, it's essential to wear protective gloves in order to stop the paste from burning your skin.
After you've finished grouting, wipe or wash any excess off the surface of the tile before it dries and becomes almost impossible to scrape off. Washing grout from tiles can be done with clean water and a sponge; it requires no specialist cleaning products. Simple wipe the tiles in a diagonal motion and ensure that you regularly rinse the sponge to ensure that it doesn't contain any grout residue.
When you've successfully washed the excess grout from your tiles, you might notice a slight dry grout residue. You can remove this by simply dusting it off with a cloth, although it is advisable to wear a mask when you do so to avoid inhaling any fumes.
Glamorous Grouting
When you've completed these simple steps, you should be the proud owner of a perfectly grouted wall. Just remember, a good grout job can make the worst tiling look great, whereas a bad grout job will make even the most well done tiled area look awful.
Author: Leah Bransko
Leah is an expert on home DIY projects including bathroom and kitchen tiling. Minerals Marketing is a supplier of mineral fillers. Tile grout is made from silica sands and calcined kaolinte is often used in decorative paints.
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)Hi Leah, thanks for sharing these grouting tips. Luckily, my husband is a contractor and he does all the grouting around our house! Thanks again, this article will be helpful for someone looking into doing their own work.
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