Home Improvement Articles

If you are contemplating laying your own tile, then learning how to fill the joints properly is an essential but often overlooked part of the process. I am always amazed at the number of professional tile setters who will leave the grouting to a junior, in the belief that somehow, this is an easy and less important part of the job.
 
While it is true that great grouting cannot make a poor tiling job look good, poorly executed grouting can make an otherwise excellent tile installation look awful. So, clearly it is a very important element and it should be done right.
 
Fortunately, it is not difficult to learn how to grout. Although there are many different brands of grouting material on the market, there are only three basic types; cement-based (or cementitious); polymer-modified and epoxy. This article is only concerned with the first two as epoxies are a little specialized, and although not quite the nightmare many people would have us believe, there are subtle differences in the material and method of application.
 
So, what do you need to get started? Well, grout of course, a couple of clean buckets, one for mixing and one for cleaning up after, a good trowel (flat, or square-nosed types are the best) a grout-squeegee, a white nylon scrub pad and a supply of sponges for cleaning up. It is also a good idea to get some rubber gloves as the cement is an irritant to skin.
 
Before you start to mix, first make sure the tiles are clean and dry, and that any visible spacers are removed along with any traces of tile adhesive that may have been pushed up through the joints during tiling. Ok, time to mix:
 
Follow the instructions on the bag; they can all be subtly different. Pay particular attention to the amount of water that is recommended. Usually, water is put into the clean bucket first, and then the powder from the bag is added; be careful here, a little bit of water consumes a lot of powder. If you are only doing a small area and have purchased a very small bag, then you can easily find you have put too much water in and then don’t have sufficient powder to make the correct consistency, so make your first mix small, you can always make the next one bigger.
 
Mix the powder and water to form a free-flowing, creamy consistency. If you are using a ready-mixed product, you may find it is slightly thicker than this. If you are doing a large job, then you can obtain a mixing paddle for use with a drill, but be careful to set a low speed, it is not ideal to whip too much air into the mix. Some brands instruct you to leave it at this stage, for a few minutes in order for the cement to slake.
 
Ok, so now we are ready to start grouting. For a wall, place a small amount of the mixed grout onto your squeegee, and start to spread it onto the tiles. If you are doing a floor, then you may be able to just pour the mix out onto the area where you intend to start. Now, using the blade of the squeegee, start to push the grout into the joints.
 
Tip:  Work diagonally across the joints, from one corner, for example from the left hand side, working across to the right. Work in the same direction, filling both the vertical and horizontal joints evenly, keeping open joints in front of you all the time. Try to avoid getting ahead of yourself and filling joints but leaving some spaces behind, which you then return to. This will create airlocks or bubbles in the joint when you try to fill them in. Keeping open joints in front of you gives the air that is being displaced by the grout, somewhere to escape from.  
 
Next, when you have done a small section, take any surplus residue off the tiles by placing the edge of your squeegee on the tiles and dragging it diagonally across the joints. This not only removes excess material, leaving far less to clean off with the sponge, it also helps to compact the gout into the joints. In addition, it also helps to conserve grout, as you can push the surplus onto the next section. When you have grouted all that you are going to do, set aside the grout bucket, but don’t throw it out just yet.
 
Now the tricky bit; waiting until it starts to set, I can’t give you a defined timing here as it depends on the particular product, the porosity of the tiles and also the temperature and humidity of the area you are working in. Check the instructions on your particular product but even they will be vague. The trick is not to wash off too soon, as you will pull grout back out of the joints, or leave it full of air-holes. Leave it too long and it will be difficult to remove the residue.
 
The first sign that grout is getting to the stage where it can be washed, is when it starts to dry on the tile surface, it usually goes lighter in colour as it does so. Look for this and also gently press the joint to see if it is starting to firm up, if it depresses easily, wait a little longer.
 
When ready, take your clean bucket, a nylon scrub pad and a fresh, clean sponge. Wet the scrub pad and allow most of the water to run off it, so it is just wet, but not dripping with water. Using a circular motion, lightly scrub a small area to loosen the residue from the surface. You will see some bubbles as the pad starts to foam the water. Keep going, turning the pad over to the clean side as soon as it has become clogged with grout. Proceed until the pad becomes too dry to continue, rinse it out in the water and carry on.
 
As you work, try to use the pad to detail the tile edges, taking care not to press too hard or risk dragging out grout, more detailing will be done with the sponge. Now switch to the sponge and pay attention to this technique:
Wring out the sponge so it is just damp.
Place the sponge down on the tiles and make a sweeping arc with your arm, just one, and don’t go back over what you just did. Make sure your ’swipe’ goes across joints, rather than along them.
No, lift the sponge, and turn it over to a clean face, go back to the start and make another arc, adjacent to the first one.
Don not, put the dirty face back down on the floor – you will only spread the residue, you won’t remove it.
As soon as you have exhausted all the clean faces of your sponge, rinse it out well in the bucket and start again.
Keep an eye on the water in the bucket, as soon as it is opaque throw it away, rinse out the sludge and get fresh, clean water

Keep doing this, tedious as it may appear, because in the long run, it will save you time and reduce the number of washes needed.
 
As you move the sponge across the joints, you can help to smooth them out, just be careful not to dig into the joints (if you do, just get a little grout from the bucket you set aside earlier and top it up, come back to it after it has had a few minutes to firm up). When you have finished, you may need to carry out a second wash. The more frequently you change your rinse water, and refrain from putting a dirty sponge on the floor, the fewer washes you will need.
 
Once it is dry enough (but not fully cured), you can use a dry scrub pad, or even a towel, to dust off or polish any remaining haze, and that is it, how to grout, wall or floor tiles the way the pros do it. If you have a lot to do, or you want to speed up the job and make the clean-up slightly easier, go for a really good float-style squeegee rather than the rubber bladed DIY ones. Also, if you really want to be professional, think about obtaining a wash boy set – this is a specifically designed bucket with cleaning rollers (often on wheels) with a large, flat sponge on a handle (or sponge board). A good wash boy will take more residue off in one sweep, leave the joints nice and flush and help keep you hands out of the water – well worth it on large floors for example. 

Ian H. Taylor is major contributor to the Tile and Stone Blog. Ian has over 25 years experience in all areas of the tile and stone industry. To read many more informative articles on all things tile, stone and grout, visit the tile and stone blog here: http://www.tileandstoneblog.co.uk