grouting a ceramic floor?

[muggs]

I've got all the tile mortored in and have allowed the recommended 48 hour curring period, so now it's time to grout.

I've never done it before so any tips you guys can give me will be appreciated. I know to only do a small area at a time, and to use a sponge to force the groat down below the edge of the tile. But what else should I think about?

After the grouting is done, should I start cleaning the residue off immediately, or should I let the grout dry and then clean?

[c_lou]

When we did our kitchen floor, we let the grout dry overnight and then sponged off the residue. You can scrape off any excess that gets forced out and onto the tile. Then give the grout a few days to setup and then seal it.

Tis the season for home projects I guess.

[Guest Andrea]

My husband grouted the tile then cleaned it as he went. Saves time and a lot of back pain later.

[Jeramie]

Be careful while you grout to make as small a mess on the tile as possible. It does come of but its not real easy.

[ybronco]

Grout about 100 feet mabey a little more at a time. Pack it real good with the float then let it begin to haze over which will depend on humidity levels and temperature. When it begins to haze over work the grout lines in a gentle circular motion until the lines look good. At this point your tile will still be dirty rinse your sponge well and begin pulling it toward you to pull the residuals up. After it hazes over again buff with a clean dry towel. If you can let me know what kind of grout your using I can give you some more tips. I was a tile setter for the better part of 20 years.

[muggs]

Well, all I can tell you without looking at the bag of grout (which is at home) is that I'm using a light (off white) colored, sanded grout. I used 3/16" spacers so the seems aren't very wide.

[shockwave]

http://www.hometime.com/Howto/projects/ctile/tile_13.htm

[ybronco]

The bag should say that it is Custom, Mapei, Laticrete, Flextile something of that sort. If you bought at Home Depot its Custom. Lowes Carries Mapei.

[muggs]

I got it from Home Depot so it's Custom I guess.

[AdvantageTimberLou]

My husband grouted the tile then cleaned it as he went. Saves time and a lot of back pain later.

That is how my dad and I did my house, we laid about 700 sq. ft in a weekend and I thought I was going to do the grout. Dad said, no, that is the most important part to a good looking tile job. I just kept his bucket filled with clean water and a good sponge. I asked about spacers being used for the tiles when we set them, he just laughed and said don't worry, they will be straight!

5 years later, tile and grout still look great!

BTW: My Dad does tile and terrazio for a living, so he knew a thing or two about laying tile. If your ever at Ford Field in Detroit, the Lion that is done in the floor, my dad did that!

[Bowtech_archer07]

I helped Dad grout the floor in the classroom at our new firehouse and we wiped off the grout as we went, it was much easier.

[PineyBrake]

There are two different ways you can go about cleaning it. One is two spread it with your rubber trowel and then get a wet sponge and bucket of water to rinse it and clean it the best you can and then let it dry over night and take a dry towel and wipe it down. That way gets a lot of dust in the air when you use the dry towel. The other way is to just keep rinseing the sponge and cleaning and cleaning while its wet. That way is a lot more time consuming, but you dont have the dust. It is isnt a whole lot of dust, but it will be enough to have to clean up furniture around the area. After either one of those methods, you just start cleaning as you need. It usually takes two or three wet mops before all the residue is gone. Good luck!

[ybronco]

When you mix Custom grout let it sit for about 10 minutes and then re-mix you will notice that it will be stiffined up quite a bit but you re-mix it re activates the polymers in the grout making it more plyable to spread and clean. You should not need any additional water for re-mixing. During clean up let the grout haze a little bit it will seem dry but a good clean sponge and bucket of water will reactivate the product for a nice finished product. If you begin cleaning the tile when the grout is to wet it will wash the grout lines out in a cupping fashion. It's real easy or I wouldn't have been able to learn it and I fed my family for many years as a tile setter.

[stevebeilgard]

you need a sponge and soft flexible grout trowel. mix your grout as thick as creamy peanut butter. force all you can into the hole, then smooth it off. after about 15 minutes, take the sponge and clean the excess off, making sure you have smooth lines. next day or 2, clean it off real good, and you're done. if it's in a wet area such as a shower, seal the grout

[mike]

you need a sponge and soft flexible grout trowel. mix your grout as thick as creamy peanut butter. force all you can into the hole, then smooth it off. after about 15 minutes, take the sponge and clean the excess off, making sure you have smooth lines. next day or 2, clean it off real good, and you're done. if it's in a wet area such as a shower, seal the grout

that would be the way to do it fellas. i have laid thousands of square feet of tile and all tricks aside, this is what works the best and easiest;)

[HOYTnMUZZYboy]

I would also suggest a good pair of knee pads. :D

[c_lou]

I would also suggest a good pair of knee pads. :D

Muggsy is getting married, so he has those already.

[muggs]

Muggsy is getting married, so he has those already.

Ha...right and right.

[muggs]

Thanks for all the tips guys, finished the grout up last night and it turned out great. The new floor is a huge improvement over the vinyl that was down there before.

[johnf]

Grout about 100 feet mabey a little more at a time. Pack it real good with the float then let it begin to haze over which will depend on humidity levels and temperature. When it begins to haze over work the grout lines in a gentle circular motion until the lines look good. At this point your tile will still be dirty rinse your sponge well and begin pulling it toward you to pull the residuals up. After it hazes over again buff with a clean dry towel. If you can let me know what kind of grout your using I can give you some more tips. I was a tile setter for the better part of 20 years.

That's how I've always done it.