| Grouting Tile | Mixing and Preparing the Grout |
| Applying the Grout | Cleaning Grout Haze |
When choosing a grout you should always choose a cement based grout that mixes with water. Never use any type of premixed non cement based grout. Premixed grouts are vastly inferior in many ways to standard cement based grouts. You should also use the correct type of sanded or unsanded grout for your particular tile installation. Both sanded and unsanded grouts have their specific uses in different types of tile installations. Sanded grouts should always be used in grout joints 1/8th inch or larger while unsanded grout should be used in more narrow grout joints of less than 1/8th inch Sanded grout will always be stronger and produce nicer looking grout joints than unsanded grout. You should always choose sanded grout over unsanded grout in tile installations that are appropriate for sanded grout. In tile installations with smaller grout joints and in stone tile installations where you do not want to scratch the polished finish of the tiles unsanded grout is still the best option. You can read more information about choosing the appropriate sanded vs unsanded grout here.
When choosing a grout color you should choose a grout color that complements your tile design while at the same time not detracting from the tiles themselves. You do not want to pick a grout color that too closely matches the color of the tiles. A grout color that looks the same as the tiles will not allow the tile installation to be emphasized and the tile installation will look flat and dull. You also do not want to choose a grout color that sticks out from the tiles and distracts from the look of the tiles themselves.
Properly mixing the grout with water is an extremely important step in the grouting procedure. A common mistake many DIY grouters make is to mix the grout with too much water. When mixing grout the less water that you can use in the grout mixture the stronger your grout will be. There are many problems associated with mixing the grout with too much water. The grout color can become faded and blotchy or the grout can be weakened and start to break apart in the grout lines. You should mix the grout so that you are able to hold the grout in your hand without the grout oozing out between your fingers. Mixing the grout with the proper amount of water can take some trial and error to get the mixture just right.
For DIY tile installers and grouters it is best mix the grout with water using the exact amount of water as directed on the box or bag of grout. The manufactures instructions will give you the exact amount of water to use in the grout. In most cases you will find that mixing the grout according to the manufactures instructions will give you a very hard and clumpy grout. The grout may seem very dry with what appears to be too little water in the mixture. Most if not all tile installers will actually use slightly more water than what the manufacture calls out for. When mixing the grout per the manufactures instructions you should stick to what the manufacture instructs you to do and follow the instructions very closely. If you find that the grout is way too dry and difficult to force into the grout lines the you may want to add a small bit more water to make the grout workable.
In hot weather the grout can start to dry quickly so it may be necessary to add a little bit of extra water to the grout mixture. When adding water to the grout mixture a little water will go a long way. You never want to add water the the grout mixture while you are grouting your tiles. It is important to get the mixture correct before you start grouting your tiles. Adding water while you are grouting is a big mistake in most cases. The additional water will cause the grout to become weak and the overly wet grout will have a lighter more faded color. This also causes different areas of your grout to have different color shades. Following the manufactures instructions instead of just winging it in your grouting procedure will help ensure that your grout will be as strong and evenly colored as possible. After mixing and preparing the grout you are now ready to apply the grout.
Grouting tile can be a difficult and time consuming job which also requires some practice and acquired skills. You may want to consider hiring a tile installation contractor to do your grouting job for you. You can read some valuable information here about how to hire a tile installation contractor.
Grouting Tile How to Apply the Grout