Now you can proceed to the final stage - grouting the joints and treating them with sealant. A well-made grout can mask existing installation defects, while a poorly done grout can completely destroy the impression of a flawless installation.

First check that the adhesive on which you laid the tiles is completely dry and thoroughly clean the seams from debris and dirt. Remove any spacers (crosses) left between the tiles after installation. Some manufacturers of dividers state that they can be left in the seams and covered with grout. But in this case, the layer of grout above the dividers will be thinner, so it will have a different color after it hardens and can ruin the appearance of the entire grout.

If you are working with glazed tiles, you can immediately start grouting the joints. If you are laying unglazed tiles, you should first dampen the top and sides of each tile to prevent too much moisture from being sucked out of the grout. Some tile setters use garden sprayers for spraying water on the surface of the tiles.

Regardless of which method you choose, the main thing is not to overdo it. Puddles of water left on the tiles or in the grout can damage the grout, which can then crack. (To avoid doubts about carrying out such preparation of tiles and joints, it is better to consult with the grout manufacturer).

Types of grouting materials

There are 2 main types of grout: cement-based grout and epoxy-based grout.

Advice: when choosing, do not confuse grouting materials with elastomer sealing compounds that are used in construction - they fill the joints of various building materials. Such seals include silicone seals.

The store will tell you that it is actually used for tiles, and they will be right. Just don’t use silicone sealant to fill the seams between the tiles. It is designed to fill voids when laying tiles on another surface. It is sometimes used to fill joints, but it is best to avoid this.

Grout on cement based They are a dry mixture that is diluted with water or liquid latex. Ready-made grouts are also sold, but they usually cost much more. Cement-based grouts are usually made from cement and differ only depending on the additives that are included in their composition. All of them can be divided into 3 classes: industrial cement, dry hardener and latex mixture.

Epoxy grout contains epoxy resin and hardener, which make the joints impact-resistant and resistant to various chemicals. This type of grout is the most expensive, and therefore is mainly used in industrial and commercial premises. In addition, epoxy grout is viscous and quite difficult to work with. If your tiles are no more than 12 mm thick and the joints are less than 6 mm wide, then such grout will not be able to penetrate such narrow joints.

Color selection

When choosing a grout color, rely not only on quality, but also on your aesthetic preferences and tastes. It is best to choose colored grout from the same store where you buy the tiles. Since the “random” buying method does not always meet your expectations of the final result.

Having looked at all possible combinations of finishing options, you can (and even need to) visually transfer this to your surface. It should be remembered that various color combinations affect the perception of the entire pattern. For example, light grout on a dark background (or vice versa) creates more geometrically contrasting patterns in your composition.

This approach emphasizes the merits of each tile. By the way, playing with contrast goes well with mosaics and small tiles. But if you decide to purchase mosaic panel or photo tiles, it is recommended to match the color with the cladding.

You can also achieve the color you want by adding dyes to the original white or colored grout yourself. It's difficult, but possible. But here, of course, you can’t do without a bit of luck and risk. As a result, the color may not be very bright, sometimes even unpredictable and less resistant to fading.

In the event that it is difficult for you to choose or make suitable color, then you can’t go wrong by choosing white grout. This classic version. Almost perfect for most ceramic tiles. In damp rooms it must be moisture resistant. Additionally, the seams can be treated with a special protective agent to prevent darkening.

But for floors, white may be too easily soiled. And after a short period of time it will look dirty. Here you can get by with gray grout, similar in color to cement.

What is sealant used for?

The use of sealant serves 2 purposes:

• it protects ceramic tiles from stains appearing on them and in the joints
• it protects the tiles and grouts to a certain extent from excessive water absorption

To prevent stains from appearing on the surface of unglazed tiles and on the seams, it is necessary to cover the cladding with a liquid transparent sealant. Most sealants are made from silicone, varnish or acrylic. When choosing the right sealant, you need to consider the types of tile and grout, as well as the location where the tiling is being done.

Now let's learn how to grout joints, apply grout and sealant. In addition, always follow the directions of the manufacturer of the product you choose.

Planned time costs: Depends on the size of the area; it takes about 3 weeks before completely dry grout.
Planned cost of funds: 30-50 dollars.
Initial tips: Consult with the seller regarding the selection of the most suitable grout.
Safety Tips: Cement-based grout can cause inflammation of the eyes, skin and lungs. When working with them, use a respirator, safety glasses and rubber gloves.

Width of grout joints

The width of the grout joint is partly a matter of personal preference; some people like narrow joints, for example. Too wide seams seem to visually suppress the tiles. Square tiles sizes 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and even 60 cm will look neat with 3 mm seams. Irregular tile shapes are less noticeable with wider joints, but try to keep them no more than 12mm wide. The fact is that the wider the seam, the more likely it is to crack.

A joint with a width of more than 12 mm will be more durable if sand is added to the grout. large size particles, but this does not always help protect a wide seam from cracking. (Another reason why grout can crack and crumble is because it is too a large number of liquid when mixing grout).

Equally, you should not make the grout joints very narrow, because it will be difficult to fill them with grout properly, and as a result, water will seep through such joints into the cladding. Many craftsmen feel more confident that the quality of the cladding will be at the proper level if the seams are wide enough to be filled with latex or acrylic grout, as a result of which the seams will not only become waterproof, but can also serve as shock absorbers during compression and expansion of tiles. This ability of seams becomes negligible when the seam width is less than 1 mm.

Grouting tiles

The grouting process includes several stages:

• Mixing grout
• Keeping the solution for better wetting
• Re-mixing the grout
• Solution distribution
• Cleaning up excess grout

Tools and materials needed to apply grout:

• Respirator (for working with grout containing cement)
• Latex gloves
• Protective glasses
• Rubber scraper or roller
• Grout
• Bucket
• Sponge
• A jointer, a wooden stick with a sharpened end, or a toothbrush
• Clean cloth
• Plywood
• Sealant
• Paint roller or small paint brush

Applying grout

First, spread a mound of grout onto the surface of the tiles (you can simply pour the grout out of a bucket if you are working on the floor, or scoop the grout with a square trowel for applying it to the walls).

In order to distribute the grout, a grout float (in the appropriate version for floors or walls) is more suitable than a steel trowel.

Hold it at a 30-degree angle to the tile (as shown in the photo) and apply grout diagonally to the surface of the tile (as shown in the photo). Run the float over the entire surface two or three times, but don’t just cover the seams with grout, but try to rub it in, press it firmly into the seam so that it is tightly filled with grout.

The stronger the resistance, the more densely the seam is filled and the stronger it will be. The main idea is to fill all the corners and voids around the tiles that remain after applying the adhesive to the top with grout. During the grouting process, the liquid will leave the grout, and the seams will be filled with particles of sand and cement - one might say, you will get a solid body instead of liquid cement paste.

Do not grout the entire surface at once; it is better to first distribute the grout over a small area of ​​about one or two square meters. meters until you figure out how quickly the grout sets. So, if you find yourself working with grout that sets quickly, you will need to stop and clean up.

Sometimes it is possible to immediately wipe about 9 square meters. meters before you start cleaning it; in other cases, only a small area can be covered with grout. Working in a small area will help you determine the speed at which you should work.

Using a grout bag

If you are working on a surface that is particularly difficult to clean once grouted, such as an antique brick cladding, use a grout bag to fill the joints. This bag looks and acts just like a piping bag for decorating cakes. A metal tip approximately the same width as the grout joint is attached to the end of the bag. The bag is filled with grout, and then it is squeezed out with force through the tip into the seam.

When working with a grout bag, place the tip of the bag at the top of the joint and slide it forward along the edge of the joint as you fill it. For best results, grout the entire length of the grout rather than around individual tiles. Usually, all horizontal seams (along the x-axis) are filled first, and then the vertical ones (along the y-axis).

You should squeeze out a little more grout than seems necessary. After it has set slightly, tamp the grout into the joint using a jointer or a piece of smooth metal tube, the diameter of which is larger than the width of the joints being filled. Then let the grout pressed into the joint set for half an hour, after which remove the excess with a stiff brush.

Removing grout

The first removal of excess grout is dry. When all the joints are filled, to remove excess grout you will need a float, which should be held at almost right angles to the surface of the tiles (as shown in the picture). In this case, it is necessary to move the trowel diagonally relative to the seams, otherwise the edge of the tool may get into the seam and remove part of the grout from it (if this happens, just add a little grout to the seam and level the surface of the seam with the edge of the trowel).

Once the excess has been removed, allow the grout to set before cleaning. While you're grouting and cleaning, you'll want to remember to stir the grout in the bucket occasionally to keep it soft before applying it to new areas.

The second grout removal is wet. When should I start? After dry cleaning with the edge of a float (which removes the bulk of excess grout from the surface of the tiles), each cladding requires wet cleaning to one degree or another. The time it takes for grout to fully set before wet cleaning varies greatly from installation to installation.

It may be 5 minutes, or it may take 20 minutes or more. The rate of evaporation of liquid from grout is affected by weather conditions, the type of base, adhesive and tiles.

Keep in mind that grout residue on the tile surface may set fairly quickly, although grout may take longer to set in the joints. You can use a sponge to assess the readiness of the surface of tiles and grout joints for cleaning: wet the sponge as much as possible, and then test small plot cladding surfaces. The grout in the seams should be elastic and dense, but not hard.

If the grout sets too tightly, the tiles will have to be difficult to clean, which can damage the seams. On the other hand, if the grout is pulled from the joints behind the sponge, this means that the grout has not set sufficiently. Wait a few minutes and check again. Cleaning can begin when the grout in the joints remains in place.

If it turns out that too much time has passed before you start cleaning, and the grout has dried to the surface of the tile, you can remove it using a special abrasive float. (Unlike other scouring floats, this float does not leave scratches on the surface of the tiles - to be sure, test on a piece of tile first). After cleaning the dried grout residue, go over the entire surface with a well-wrung out sponge.

There are many tricks for cleaning grout, some of them quite unusual. For example, some tilers pour dry grout over the joints (so that the wet grout in the joints dries faster). Others use sawdust to make them stretch excess moisture, and excess grout could be easily removed. Many of these methods weaken and thereby destroy grout joints, so we do not recommend their use.

It is better to use a combination of proven techniques that is suitable for both commercial and residential cladding. The main principle of this method is to use a minimum of water during cleaning so as not to weaken the grout.

Start of wet cleaning

All you need is a bucket of clean water and a sponge (it is better to take a sponge with rounded edges, this will prevent grooves from forming in the grout joints).

First, use a sponge to quickly remove most of the excess grout. Begin cleaning the grout from the surface of the tiles using a gentle, circular wiping motion to remove sand and cement particles.

Be careful not to create grooves in the grout joints. Rinse the sponge as soon as the pores of the sponge are filled with particles of cement and sand, and then wring it out well. If not too much time has passed before you start cleaning, you can remove excess grout from the surface of the tiles in two or three passes.

Clean only at a time small area(size 1-2 sq. m.), frequently wetting the sponge to wash away any grout particles that have penetrated the pores of the tiles. When you rinse the sponge, always try to rinse as well as possible and squeeze as hard as possible to ensure that any grout particles that were in the pores of the tile are washed away. Don't forget to shake off excess water from your hands.

If the cladding is no larger than 9 square meters. meters, there is no need to change the rinsing water in the bucket. You can judge by the purity of the water how well the tiles have been washed (of course, some commercial projects require constant water changes).

At the second stage, you need to inspect the grout joints to see if they are all neat. Level and smooth the seams using a jointer, a wooden stick with a sharpened end, or the end of a toothbrush. Then smooth the edges of the seams with a sponge. Move the sponge parallel to the seam, carefully removing any ridges and filling any gaps with a small amount of grout using your fingertip (wear tight rubber gloves to do this).

The actual joint size depends on the type of tile used and the industrial or artisanal finish of the top edge of the tile. If the edges of the tile are sharp and straight, the grout in the joints should be flat, flush with the top edge of the tile. If the top edge of the tile is rounded, the tiler must decide how high the joint should be.

Whatever height is chosen, ideally the seam should be smooth on top, not convex, although most of the seams then become slightly concave, which is quite acceptable. It is very important to give all seams the same shape and depth.

At the end, a final thorough cleaning of the surface of the tiles from grout residues is done. As soon as the seams in the cladding are leveled, the surface of the tiles should be thoroughly cleaned again. First, rinse and wring out the sponge well. Then make a straight, vertical pass about a meter long with one side of the sponge, moving it slowly towards you - slower than seems necessary - and without stopping (if you move the sponge quickly or intermittently, you will leave grout streaks on the surface of the tiles).

After the first pass, turn the sponge over to the clean side and make a similar pass parallel to the first, then stop and rinse the sponge. For one pass, use the freshly washed side of the sponge. Continue this process until the entire area of ​​the cladding is completely cleaned, trying to act carefully so that again the sponge does not pull the grout out of the joints.

If this happens, it may mean that there is too much grout in the seams and the seams need to be trimmed, or there is too much water in the sponge. After such cleaning, all grout residues must be removed from the surface of the tiles, and the joints must be allowed to dry for 15 minutes.

During this pause, the moisture remaining on the tiles after cleaning evaporates and the cement particles that were in the water are deposited on the surface of the tiles. If the tiles are covered with a shiny glaze, and the corners are smooth and straight, then grout deposits can be easily removed by immediately wiping the surface with gauze or a soft, clean cloth. If the tiles have a matte surface or rounded corners, you may need another, additional pass with fresh water and a sponge.

If the grout residue is still difficult to clean, you may not have cleaned the surface well enough the first time. If adhesive remains on the surface of the tile, the latex or acrylic additives contained in it may be the reason why the grout has set more than usual.

However, whatever the reason, the longer the plaque remains on the tiles, the more difficult it is to remove. If you were unable to remove the residue using a damp abrasive float, you can try using a special solution to remove plaque, or, as a last resort, resort to acid cleaners.

If you decide to use special cleaners or acids, keep in mind that the grout needs to fully set before you use them. However, don't wait for the grout to fully set until the final cleaning step is completed - removing any traces of grout from the expansion joints.

Applying sealant

Once the grout has hardened, the tiles and joints can be sealed with sealant according to the manufacturer's instructions. Clean the tiles and grout thoroughly and let them dry for a few days. Then apply the sealant following the manufacturer's directions. If you will be sealing both tile and grout, use a paint roller.

If you will only be applying sealant to the seams, use a small brush. Remove any excess sealant that may accidentally end up on the tile surface immediately.

Maintaining your tiles with care sometimes requires that you seal the tiles with sealant every 2 years (sometimes more often if manufacturers require it). Anyway, if you notice. If the tiles become dirty more often and become more difficult to clean, then it is time to cover them with an additional layer of sealant, after thoroughly cleaning them.

End of work

Place a sheet of plywood on the floor and prohibit anyone from walking on the floor until the grout is completely dry. Be careful, some types of grout take up to two weeks to dry (check the manufacturer's instructions for the required time)

One of important stages Laying tiles involves grouting the joints between tiles. And if in rooms with an ideal operating environment the quality of the putty can only affect the external (aesthetic) characteristics, then in others poor-quality work can lead to destruction building structures, the formation of fungus, dampness, etc.

Please pay attention! State standards(GOSTs, SNiPs, SN) do not exist in any way regulating these works. When carrying out work, specific parameters should be discussed in the contract.

Here you will find information about grouting tiles indoors. Although in most cases there is not much difference, and the gaps between facade tiles are processed in a similar way, but have their own characteristics. Therefore, when performing work with facade materials The recommendations given should be used with reservations. Basically, additional, more stringent conditions are imposed there: moisture resistance, wear resistance, vapor permeability, etc.

Any grouting can be represented in several stages (some procedures may not be performed):

1. Preparation (including selection of materials and tools).
2. Applying grout to tiles.
3. Treatment after grouting (in some cases mandatory).
4. Final procedures (if all points are carefully followed, they may not be relevant).

Processing technology different types (tile, natural stone, porcelain tiles, etc.) and different types(floor or wall tiles) is the same as small features on the materials used and application methods.

Preparation

Grouting seams should begin with preparatory stages. The most important - right choice grout. Color solutions and we leave various design additives (glitter, light reflection, etc.) outside the brackets; here we are interested in the technical part of the issue. Advice! When tinting, prepare the solution for the entire volume at once, since you can later select color scheme it will be hard.

Choice of grout

Sold in finished form(paste mixture), dry or multicomponent (usually two-component). You can also choose the required color or matte ones intended for tinting. The main criterion when choosing a grout should be performance characteristics:

• temperature;
• humidity;
• mechanical load (plays a special role when grouting floor tiles);
• mechanical stress (abrasion resistance);
• chemical aggressiveness of the environment (lining of a swimming pool, for example, where many chemical reagents are present: chlorine, antibacterial chemicals, etc.);
• color preservation (when exposed to ultraviolet rays);
• seam width.

Grouts are divided into the following types:

Cement based grouts.

Advice! You should also pay attention to the microclimatic conditions under which the work will be performed. At high temperature Cement grouts will dry faster, epoxy and polyurethane grouts will dry slower, and vice versa at low temperatures. Greater dry air will shorten the pot life of cement grouts.

Conditions are close to ideal: 18 – 22ºС with normal humidity (30 – 60%).

Calculation of material consumption

Flow (kg/m²) = (A + B) x H x D x Coefficient/(A x B)

A, B – tile proportions (width, length) in mm;

H – tile (seam) thickness in mm;

D – average seam width in mm;

Coef. – grout density coefficient (1.5 – 1.8).

For convenience, you can use our calculator; it calculates using the same formula. Be sure to buy grout 10-15% more than the calculated value.

They say “Starting is half the battle done.” But, as practice shows, the final stage of work is no less important. This also applies to the process of laying tiles. Or rather, its final stage - grouting the joints. Well-done work can hide some cladding defects, while poor grouting ceramic tiles spoils the whole look of perfect styling.

The technique described in the article is suitable for both wall and floor ceramic tiles.

Types of grouting materials

On modern construction market There are two main types of grouting materials. The first is based on cement, the second on epoxy resin.

Grouts based on cement are dry mixtures. They are diluted in most cases with water, less often with latex. There are also ready-made grouts on sale, but their cost differs significantly. In addition to cement, the mixture contains various additives, the presence and ratio of which determines the difference between grouts.

All available cement-based compounds intended for grouting ceramic tiles are divided into 3 classes:

• dry hardener;
• industrial cement;
• latex mixture.

Epoxy grouts In addition to epoxy resin, they also contain a hardener. A mixture of components of this building material allows you to form strong seams between ceramic tiles that are resistant to impacts and the action of various chemicals.

This type of grout is used, as a rule, in retail premises and enterprises. Firstly, epoxy compounds are more expensive than cement ones. Secondly, they have a more viscous consistency, which causes certain difficulties during work: epoxy grout is used if the thickness of the laid tiles is more than 12 mm and the width of the joints is wider than 6 mm, otherwise the grout simply will not be able to seep into narrow joints.

Width of joints between tiles

The width of the tile joints is ~3 mm – one of the most popular

The width of the joints between the tiles being laid depends on the preferences of the installer: some people like wider joints, others narrower ones. Strictly established sizes No. There are only recommendations that allow you to choose “your” option. So, for example, when laying tiles with side dimensions of 10–60 centimeters, it is recommended to make joints of about 3 mm. But if the tile has irregular shape, which you don’t want to draw attention to, it is better to leave the gaps wider, but not more than 12 mm.

Grout joints should not be made larger than 12 mm, since their strength decreases proportionally with increasing size. You can avoid cracking of such a seam by adding coarser sand to the grout and strictly observing the proportion between the diluted mixture and water (the more water, the less durable the seam will be).

Some people are afraid that their seams will be wide and make another mistake: they leave such a small distance between the tiles that it is then difficult to fill them with grout properly. As a result, water seeps into the cladding through the seams.

Selecting grout color for tiles

As a rule, the color of the grout is matched to the color of the tile. There may be some deviation in tonality - a tone lighter/darker, but designers do not recommend making a sharp contrast. Of course, sometimes they do this, but this is a rather bold decision.

If you need to choose the color of the grout for the tiles laid on the floor, then you should not give preference to a white composition, even if the tile itself white. Within a few days the seams will turn gray, with a dirty tint. It is for this reason that under white floor tiles select a light gray grout.

Grouting process

And now directly about grouting the joints. This process consists of several stages and requires careful preparation.

1. Preparation of tools and materials

So, what can we use?

Materials:

• grout
• sealant

Tools:

• scraper with rubber nozzle or roller
• paint roller or paint brush
• jointing
• wooden stick with a sharpened end
• grater
• bucket
• sponge
• piece of cloth
• plywood (when laying tiles on the floor)

Don't ignore the means personal protection. Among them, rubber gloves and safety glasses should be noted. If you have to work with a grout mixture containing cement, then a respirator will not be amiss.

2. Preparation of grout solution

The grout is usually prepared in a dry and clean bucket:

1. Initially, about 70-75 percent is poured into the container required volume liquids.
2. The dry ingredient is gradually added to the liquid (to water or to a liquid latex additive according to the instructions).
3. After all the dry ingredients have been added and thoroughly mixed, the remaining liquid is added in small portions.

You should constantly check the consistency of the resulting mass: slightly less liquid may be used to prepare the grout than indicated in the instructions.

When the grout is ready, it needs to be allowed to sit. 10 minutes is enough. During this period of time, the remaining dry lumps will have time to become saturated with liquid.

After this “infusion,” the grout should be mixed again, but this time so that it becomes completely homogeneous (homogeneous).

3. Applying grout to the seams

You can apply the grout with either a large or small spatula, the main thing is that the grout fits tightly into all the seams

Before you start applying grout, you need to make sure that the adhesive on which the tiles were laid is completely dry. It is imperative to remove debris from the seams.

Don’t forget about the dividers between the tiles, which, despite the assurances of some manufacturers, can be left in the seams, it is better to eliminate them. The fact is that by grouting the seams over such “crosses”, you risk ruining the entire appearance of your finish: the grout over the dividers will lie more thinly, acquiring a slightly different color after drying.

Grout can be applied to glazed tiles immediately, otherwise the top and sides of the tile must be sprayed with water.

The grout mixture is applied to the surface of the tile with a trowel, then distributed with a grout float, as if pressing into the seams rather than covering them. The more densely the spaces are filled, the stronger they will be.

Before you start grouting a large area of ​​tile, you should find out how quickly this composition dries. To do this, apply grout first to a small area. Perhaps you will have to continue to do everything in pieces of 1-2 m2, or maybe you will be able to process 9-10 m2 at once.

4. Removing excess grout from tiles

Excess grout is removed with a sponge or soft cloth.

After filling the joints, remove excess grout using a trowel. This is the so-called dry removal. After this, the grout is allowed to set and the excess is removed wet. For this procedure, you need a bucket of water and a sponge (preferably with rounded edges).

1. At the first stage, use a sponge to remove all excess grout from the cladding surface. Do this with gentle circular movements, if necessary, rinsing the sponge from particles of sand and cement and squeezing it well.
2. At the second stage, you need to check all the grout joints to see if they are even. If a defect is detected somewhere, it can be corrected using jointing, a wooden stick with a sharpened end. Trim the edges of the seams with the same sponge, carefully moving it along the seam, removing protrusions and filling the recesses with grout. As a result, all seams should have the same shape and depth
3. Then the final cleaning of the lining from grout residues is done: With a clean and wrung-out sponge, slowly and smoothly run along the seam on one side, then on the other. This is how the entire surface of the laid tiles is treated. Don’t forget to rinse the sponge and make sure it doesn’t drag the grout along with it. If this happens, the seams are not aligned very well; there is a lot of grout in them that needs to be removed. After wet cleaning, the seams must be allowed to dry (about 15 minutes), and then the deposits on the tiles remaining from the grout must be removed using gauze or a soft cloth.

5. Final treatment of seams with sealant

A thin, neat layer of transparent sealant will protect your walls and floors from moisture

Tile joint sealants contain silicone, varnish or acrylic, which prevent excessive water absorption and stains on the finish. Before applying the sealant, the tiles and grout in the joints must be allowed to dry thoroughly (this takes several days or weeks).

Sealant is applied to the seams, strictly following the instructions of the manufacturer of this material. It is convenient to use a paint roller when performing work (in the case of covering both seams and tiles) or a small brush (in the case of sealing only the seams). Often small tubes of sealants are sold with a brush at the end (as in the picture).

Careful care of tiles includes regular coating with sealant at intervals of 2-2.5 years. When treating only the seams, any sealant that gets on the tile must be removed immediately.

Grout is applied to the seams of the tiles to hide small chips and nicks remaining on the edges of the facing material. Silicone and epoxy compounds protect walls from the accumulation of moisture and fungus; cement varieties improve adhesion between individual fragments. Joining begins with choice quality material, preparing a plastic solution and preparing sutures for the procedure.

Types of grout

Seams in the living room and bedroom are treated cement mixtures. They consist of a binder obtained from gypsum and clinker, colored pigments and additives that are responsible for the rapid hardening of the paste and its plasticity. Cement-based grouts are inexpensive, come in a variety of colors, but are not resistant to moisture. The compositions are rarely used to treat seams in the bathroom. A latex plasticizer is added instead of water to a solution that will regularly come into contact with various liquids and steam.

Seams in rooms with high humidity levels are grouted with epoxy products. The powders contain hardeners and pigmented resins. Epoxy grouts are expensive, but they are stain resistant and detergents, do not absorb moisture. Solutions made from pigmented resins are thick and viscous, so only professionals who have repeatedly sealed the joints between tiles can handle them.

Corner and deformed seams are treated with silicone sealants. They are not as durable as cement and epoxy mortars, but they have several advantages:

• mask defects in facing material;
• resistant to moisture;
• have antifungal properties.

Silicone sealants come in a variety of colors, but may yellow over time. Solutions are elastic, but with regular contact with food products become loose and gradually begin to crumble.

Seams up to 5 mm wide are rubbed with cement or epoxy mixtures. Large joints between tiles are sealed with compounds containing sand. The additive increases the strength of the grout, but makes the surface of the joints rough. Solutions with sand come in only two shades: gray and white.

High-quality mixtures should include:

• impregnation;
• varnishes;
• cement;
• latex.

The components ensure the elasticity and strength of the paste. Bath and kitchen grouts should contain antifungal agents.

Preparation of the solution

Beginners can buy at construction stores liquid mixtures that do not need to be diluted with water. Just open the package and seal the joints. But ready-made compositions expensive and have a shorter shelf life than dry powders for preparing solutions.

Typically, 250–300 ml of water is taken per 1 kg of dry mixture. Some manufacturers have proportions that differ from standard ones. Before preparing the solution, you must carefully study the instructions, which indicate the ratio of the workpiece and liquid.

The grout is mixed with water in a clean bucket or basin. If old cement or other solutions remain on the walls of the container, they will react with the grout, its elasticity and tightness will decrease.

50–60 ml of water is poured into the bucket. Add a quarter of the grout and mix the mixture with a spatula or hands. The paste is brought to homogeneity. Gradually pour in water, then pour in a new portion of powder. Ready solution leave for 10–15 minutes and then apply to the prepared seams.

Liquid grout cannot be stored for longer than 12–24 hours. It becomes covered with a film and becomes unusable. It is better to mix as much powder and water as needed for 1.5 square meters. m.

Preparation of seams

After removing the fixing crosses, the gaps are cleaned of remnants of tile adhesive and dirt. Scrape off the dried mortar from the edges of the facing material with a spatula or a utility knife. Instead of tools with an iron blade, a wooden stick is used. It doesn't leave nicks or scratches, but it does slow down the process.

Tile adhesive is removed not only from the edges, but also directly from the seams. A spatula with a pointed blade or a screwdriver will do. The tool should penetrate to a depth of 5–6 mm. After treatment with a spatula, the gaps are cleaned with a stiff brush or paint brush. It will remove any remaining debris and glue.

After removing the hardened mortar, floors and walls are vacuumed. This is one of the best ways cleaning seams from construction chips, glue and dirt. Afterwards, wipe the gaps between the tiles with a damp cloth or soft sponge. When they are dry, begin applying grout.

If the surface of the tile is porous, the edges are covered masking tape. Use tape 3–5 mm wide, which is glued along the seams. Porous ceramics are difficult to clean from grout residues; you will have to paint over the stains with special compounds. It's easier and cheaper to buy a roll of tape.

Application and compaction

The seams on the wall are rubbed down after 7 days, when the tile adhesive has completely hardened. The gaps between the tiles are moistened with water before work. The liquid is applied with a thin brush. Moisture ensures the grout adheres to the base.

The seams on the floor in the bathroom or kitchen are covered up after a day. The owners of the apartment cannot forget about the existence of these rooms for as long as 7 days. They regularly use the toilet, stove and sink, and bring dirt and debris into the room. It gets into the seams and reduces their hygiene and tightness.

The gaps between the tiles are treated before grouting antifungal compounds. The preparations are applied after cleaning the seams from construction adhesive and dust. Leave for a day until dry. Apply grout with a rubber spatula. Additionally you will need:

• bucket of warm clean water no detergents;
• large sponge with a hard surface;
• cable, the diameter of which is 0.5 mm smaller size seam

Thick paste for grouting gaps between slabs is poured into a small tray or bowl that is convenient to hold with one hand. The second one squeezes the spatula. Using a tool, scoop up a little mass and apply it to the seam. Use a rubber blade to compact the grout so that no voids form between the dried mass and the wall. The smaller the portion of paste, the easier it is to distribute it across the gap between the tiles.

Well-compacted grout is elastic and dense. Beginners will know there are no more voids when the putty knife can't penetrate the joint filled with paste. The tool will encounter resistance.

The remaining grout is removed with a spatula, which is placed perpendicular to the seam. The rubber blade moves slowly down or to the side. Excess paste is returned to the container with grout. Stains are not washed off immediately, but after 20–30 minutes.

The seams are left to dry after treatment. The paste will need 20 minutes to become pliable. Until the grout has completely hardened, the gaps between the tiles are formed and filled.

In a bucket with warm water Dip a clean sponge or rag and wring it out thoroughly. If there is a lot of liquid left in the rag, it will be absorbed into the grout. Moisture is the cause of bright spots on the seams. They stand out against the background of the paler grout and look ugly.

Use a sponge dipped in water to rub along the gap between the tiles. A hard surface will remove upper layer grout, because it should be 0.2–0.3 mm lower than the edge of the tile. Use a rag to wipe off any remaining paste from the ceramic surface before it dries. After each processed seam, the sponge is dipped into a bucket and rinsed. The foam blank, on which the grout remains, washes away the dried paste and leads to deformation of the seam.

It is not necessary to fill the gaps between the tiles. The procedure is designed to form flat and smooth seams without depressions or pits. You will need a cable 15–20 cm long. Before work, wash the workpiece or wipe it with a damp cloth so that no dirty streaks or stains remain on the surface of the grout.

The cable is lightly pressed into the plastic paste with your finger and guided to the corner of the tile. The grout that has come out of the seam is removed with a damp sponge. If the mass has become lumpy, you need to run the cable through it a second time. The holes and depressions left after jointing are carefully filled with fresh grout. Prepare a small portion of thick mastic and apply it to problem areas with your fingers. Press in and leave to dry. If there is too much grout, there may be areas that are different in color from the rest.

Final processing

The mastic that has come out of the seams is swept away with a dry rag. Paste particles that have dried out are removed from the ceramic surface with a grater. The tool is shaped like a wide scraper with a rubber nozzle.

The grater moves diagonally. The wide blade is positioned perpendicular to the seam. Pieces of putty that have separated from the wall are removed from the tool by hand. Do not allow lumps of mastic to get into the gaps between facing material. They can damage the dried grout layer, and the seams will have to be re-processed.

Important: It is very difficult to remove dried paste from embossed or glossy tiles. It is recommended to remove the remaining grout immediately, before it has time to harden, and wipe the edges of the tiles with a rag or toothbrush.

The ceramic surface is cleaned of mastic residues with a damp sponge or rag. Wet grout removal is carried out 20–30 minutes after removing the paste using a grater. The glossy shine of the tiles will be restored by special solutions, which include:

• lemon juice;
• ammonia;
• table or apple cider vinegar;
• mustard powder;
• salt;
• toothpaste;
• detergent.

One component or a cocktail of several ingredients is diluted with water. The sponge is moistened in the solution and passed along the wall. If there is a lingering trace of the grout color left on the surface of the tile, you need to wait another 10–15 minutes.

A sponge is passed over the ceramic surface, removing any remaining mastic. The foam blank is rinsed after each tile so that no streaks remain. When old mortar acquires a dirty tint, prepare a portion of a new one.

After wet cleaning, carefully inspect the seams and fill the grooves left by the sponge. Wait until the grout dries, then polish the ceramic surface with a dry soft cloth to return the tile to its former shine.

Before final drying, the mastic is covered with a layer silicone sealant. Protective material must be used to treat seams in the bathroom and kitchen. Translucent paste prevents the appearance of fungus. The sealant is applied with a thin brush if only the seams need to be treated. Foam roller grabs both grout and ceramic tiles.

Clean and dry facing material is polished. Spray glass and mirror cleaner onto the surface, then wipe the tiles with a soft cloth until they begin to shine.

Even a beginner can fill the gaps between facing materials with mastic. The instructions will tell you how to prepare the grout to the correct consistency. Your hands will get used to the spatula in 5–10 minutes, and after half an hour the beginner will be able to determine by eye how much paste to put in the seam. The main thing is not to be afraid of tools and follow the recommendations so that everything works out.

Video: master class on grouting floor tiles

If you are making repairs yourself, you need to know how long it takes for the tile grout to dry, so that when carrying out facing works the technology for their implementation was not violated. First, you should decide which mixture is best to use, because their properties, and therefore the hardening time, may differ.

The drying time primarily depends on the composition of the selected mixture.

What is grout used for?

Do you even need grout for the seams? What functions does it perform and is it possible to do without it altogether? The answer is obvious: it is imperative to seal the joints. But the appearance and quality of processing largely depends on the type of mixture used.

First of all, you need to know how long it takes for tile adhesive to dry, because work can continue only after the surface has initially dried after laying the tiles. Usually a day or two is enough. If a thick layer of mortar was used to tiling the floor in the bathroom, then you can only walk on the tiles on the third day.

Putting the joints between the tiles in the bathroom plays an important role, primarily the following functions are performed:

• protecting the wall from moisture;
• preventing the accumulation of bacteria and the growth of mold or mildew;
• reducing the risk of clogging joints various types pollution;
• increasing the strength of the cladding;
• giving appearance surfaces are more decorative.

Depending on the components included in the mixture, the degree of manifestation of certain functional qualities may vary.

Grouting ensures the finish of the cladding and also makes it stronger.

Main types of mixtures

Modern manufacturers annually fill the market with new, more advanced products. Today we can distinguish the following types of tile grout:

• Cement fugue– based on fine sand and Portland cement with the addition of modifying components.
• Latex– a more advanced version of cement grout, has water-repellent properties, therefore ideal for the bathroom.
• Furanic– chemically stable, ultra-dense mixture of black color.
• Epoxy– viscous putty, contains epoxy resins, which make it more durable and water resistant.