Your Essential Guide To Grouting

When grouting is done well nobody notices it. But when it is done badly, becomes stained or cracked, that’s when people start to take notice – and for all the wrong reasons. Grout works in many ways in your bathroom – locking tiles in place, keeping out water, protecting tiles from dirt and giving walls and floors a professional finish.

It doesn’t take long to grout tiles, depending on the surface you are tiling, so it is a popular DIY project.

Here are a few tips to help you get the best possible finish:

Know your grout

There are a number of different types of grout around, including:

● Cement-based grout: The most popular choice for DIY tiling projects. It isn’t as strong as other types of grout, but it is much easier to work with.

● Epoxy grout: In terms of cost, this is at the higher end of the grouting scale, it tends to be more resilient and stain resistant. It is particularly good for surfaces that need to be water resistant – bathrooms being the obvious example.

● Latex-modified sanded cement grout: Not dissimilar to cement grout but with the advantages of being more water resistant and having greater bonding strength. Again, a great option for bathrooms.

● Caulking: Great for dealing with hard-to reach areas, this grout is squeezed from a tube either by hand or using a caulking gun.

Get the right tools

Before you start the job, make sure you have everything you need to finish the job. As well as a tub of grout, items you will need include a pair of pliers, a squeegee or spreader, a sponge, a bucket, a scraper and a cloth.

Get started

Once you have fixed your tiles to the wall you are ready to start grouting. Follow this simple guide and grout with confidence.

Step 1: When the tile adhesive has dried and set, use pliers to remove the plastic spacers.

Step 2: Spread a small amount of grout over the tiles with a squeegee or grout spreader, forcing the grout into the gaps by applying diagonally (your squeegee or spreader should be at a 45 degree angle).

Step 3: Work the grout into all gaps, wiping away excess grout with a damp sponge as you go (grout is particularly tricky to remove once dried).

Step 4: When the surface is dry, polish with a dry cloth. Finish off by sealing any joins between tiles and the edge of the bath or shower tray using waterproof sealant.

You can now invite your friends and family round to admire your perfectly tiled bathroom.