My Response to Jeff from Home RenoVision DIY | Mapei Ultracolor Plus Grout FA
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- čas přidán 12. 03. 2021
- Jeff released a video saying not to use the Mapei Ultracolor grout if you're new to tiling, but I completely disagree! ❌
I even use it again in a new video to complete in an entire kitchen backsplash and it is an extremely easy grout to use: • Tiling a Backsplash wi...
This video of his left me stressed and confused about whether I should take the chance with this stuff on my beautiful tile that I worked so hard on. But now that I've done it, I will use this product over and over again. In fact, I used it a few days later on my 2nd bathroom in this house.
You have 15-30 minutes to let this dry BEFORE wiping it off. That's plenty of time to work it into your entire shower - don't be scared! Go for it!
I love Jeff and the content he provides on a weekly basis - I'm just sayin, this stuff isn't that bad.
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Tools Used:
⚒️⚙️🗜️🔦📐🔧🔨
Ultracolor Plus FA Rapid: amzn.to/3qIWwT0
Grout Float: amzn.to/3rMYD9M
#HomeRenovisionDIY #UltracolorGrout #TileGrout
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czcams.com/users/KellyConcept.... - Jak na to + styl
I just used this grout on my kitchen and bathroom backsplash. I watched a video with a few tips. 1 - Use cold water. I used filtered water. 2 - Don't use a high speed mixer, mix slowly preferably by hand. 3 - Mix small batches. Use 3.5 ounces of water per pound of grout mix. I made 2 pound mixtures at a time (2 lb grout/7 ounces water). I followed these tips and I had no problem doing it all by myself.
Mixing it by hand is definitely the best with cold water
I had the same positive results on my shower floor by following those tips. I will say that the manufacturer is largely to blame by showing a diagram of mixing with a drill on the bag, the instructions should say “WARNING! DO NOT MIX WITH A HIGH SPEED DRILL!”
Did you mix the mud, let it sit for 5 minutes, and mix again? Its called slaking and it allows the polymers to be fully permeated by the water and the second mix is to really break em down and distribute them, making a superior grout.
@@Rock_Shady - Wrong instructions for this grout. The instructions on the bag specifically tell you to start applying it immediately after mixing, and in reading through responses from Mapei reps to questions or reviews, I've seen NO SLAKING! more times than I can count.
@jasperstarr6804 mapei ultra color plus? You gotta let that stuff slake. The old instructions said no slaking- just mix for 5 minutes. Those instructions led to people over mixing their grout which kills your pot life and when the grout cures to fast it doesn't cure as strong. Newer bags of ultra color plus say to let slake for 2-3 minutes. Trust me this is an incredibly common problem that gets brought up between the old and young tile guys at least once a week. Mapei has both instructions on their website aswell so it's really a fuckup on mapeis part for not deleting the old instructions from existance lol.
Depends on the temperature and humility. I've been setting tile for over 30 years and the first time I used FA grout it took FOREVER (as in hours) to dry as it was too cold in the bathroom I was grouting. The last time I used it in a shower was about a month and a half ago and I could only grout one side wall at a time (and half of the back wall at a time) before I had to start wiping as the grout was setting up that fast. I would not recommend for most DIY'rs as you can get in trouble fast if you don't know how to grout because this grout is very unpredictable.
100% correct also depends on tile type I sometimes get eh 15 min for porcelain and 2 min for subway tile stuff goes fast cause it’s not grout from 30 years ago no more sand and portlen
Apparently. I just saw a vid where someone was using it in a hot, humid environment and got about 3-5 minutes working time, so she did a lot of very small batches, only a few square feet at a time to complete the project: czcams.com/video/lns6XfK0xzA/video.html
He's not incorrect. Application depends on the situation. I applied this outdoors in the sun and it dried within less than 4 minutes. So while I agree that the situation can change. He was pretty much trying to keep people who have no idea what they are doing from making a huge mistake.
I only watched 45 seconds of that video by Jeff, and he specifically said not to use if you have no experience with tile and grout.
When u said the son u fd up
I've used this grout MANY times. I only mix a third of a bag at once and I use a measuring cup and scale so my quantities are precise. The thing is the once the grout is mixed it can sit in the container for some time. I personally apply maybe 2ft x 4ft and then immediately wipe it off. Then I do the next area so on and so on. The reason for the exact measuring is so when you mix the next batch it matches the previous batch. To save time have like 5 sponges and five buckets (and a helper if you can) of clean water when wiping. Hope this helps.
I was weighing my grout too for smaller portions and then found the PDF on Mapei's website called "Mixing Partial Units of Grout" and it gave me the proper ratios by volume to use. It made things a lot faster for me and I got a very consistent mixture each time.
I just did it with you suggestions and it came out great. The grout in the bucket literally lasted me about an hour and 10 min before it got hard. I mixed it with cold water. Thank you so much.
Pure Sarcasm
This is super helpful!
I used this grout again today and had no issues. I used cold water to mix it and the temps were in the upper 50s, pot life and workability were exceptional. I grouted 60 square feet and didn't have any need to do it in sections. I actually had to wait on the grout to start the clean up. Once I was completely done with the job, the leftover grout I saved for touch ups was just as workable as when I mixed it. I really think the issues people are having are temperature related.
He is definitely right. I've been doing tile professionally for a long time. Mapei ultra color plus is both my favorite and least favorite grout to use. When it's used on gleazed tile like yours, it's the best grout to use. If your tile is anything else and the room temperature is above 80 degrees DO NOT use this grout because it will ruin your tile job.
That's great to know for future projects. I'll avoid this for stone and other porous tile work but use it on porcelain
If your tile is that porous use a grout release or an inexpensive penetrating sealer. Any grout, not just Ultracolor, will burn into a porous tile. If I went home everytime it got above 80 degrees I would go broke. Did you say you are a professional?
@@markme4 well said. I just cant comprehend how nonchalant this video is. Ultracolor is my favourite grout, but its an absolute beast of a product that can quickly destroy.
I watched a mapei training last week and this grout is very good is recommended for most of the tiles and situations. I think he just said to not use with porous materials as stones or use a sealer first. A great hint he gave that day was to always take a piece of tile as sample and apply the grout on the surface of the tile you’re installing. This you can check first what to expect and communicate any problems with your customer. Even with the fine aggregate it can scratch surface of a marble tile for example. You can make your customer see what gonna happen if he’s not willing to pay for sealing work. One product that really surprised me is that pre mixed bucked grout and I’m willing to use in all my projects now. It’s not just recommended for exterior I think and submerged places likes pools etc. it comes pre mixed you can apply right away. You don’t have to wait it dry a little bit like the other, it’s a different composition. Another important point was that I never saw anybody mixing the grout the way he said it’s the right way, takes a lot of time and you can mess the color of the grout if you put too much water, if you to repair it you can have different color because of the mixing. Also we always waste material when doing grout in the bucket etc. with the pre mixed product you finish the work and put it back in your shelf of grout and it’s ready to use in the next job.
I was about to start my bathroom grouting today when I stumbled across that video. It scared me and I started looking for alternatives. I then found your video which made me chance it and it was totally fine. I’m grateful for both videos though as it allowed me to prepare properly and work within a reduced timeframe. It dries quicker than I expected but it was my first time grouting.
Weird…I’m just about to start tiling and went through same YT journey
Yup that's why I'm here too
@@Jlaudiomustangs10 me too
Me too:) I’m going for it but glad I have the tips.
SAme here had it in car to return saw,,, brought it back in lol
Think ill try, 1st time tho but its not hot here
You are correct, we had ample time to clean up. Because of his video, I too was nervous in using the said grout and had to get my wife to make it a team effort. We did see another video that explained why the material sets up fast. In that video he explained that the use of a HIGH SPEED device to mix it drastically cured the material faster. So my wife and I used cold water and manually mixed the material by hand. Surely enough we are proud of our finished project. Thank you for your video!
czcams.com/video/hZzr0Gyrg3w/video.html
Admittedly, after watching Jeff’s video I was contemplating returning my unopened grout bag. However, after watching your video my anxiety level for using this product was reduced by 90%. You are candid about your skill level and you focused on the good things that Jeff passes on to us. Btw, your shower looks great 👍 I will definitely have two buckets of water ready to clean within 15 to 20 min. I can proceed confidently thanks to the experience and lessons conveyed by both you and Jeff. Thx for taking the time and making the effort to post.
I used it for the first time yesterday. A disaster. It was 97 degrees and the first half bag (10lb bag)I mixed was hard in less then 15 minutes. Took forever to get it off the wall. Then I read on the bag to read the technical data sheet is the weather is over 80 degrees. Duh. I couldn't throw the rest away since I still had to small walls to do and I wanted the match. All the other half bag I mixed ultra thin. This gave me about 20 minutes working time and I still had to wipe pretty much as I went. I have another bag I'm returning tomorrow. Learned my lesson
I took my shii back. Grout sets fast😂😂😂
It all comes down to your definition of DIY. If you are flipping a cabin without professional help, you probably more of a DIYer than most of us. I used the same Ultracolor Plus grout for a small kitchen backsplash and did small sections at a time and worked my tail off to get the tiles clean. One thing for sure is that charcoal grout on white tile requires more experience or more elbow grease. I think you are both right.
This kind of stuff is why you don't buy a flip.. this guy is saying he's new to tiling and is doing showers, yikes, just asking for future water problems that he's never even going to know happened and keep making the same mistakes
keep clean water handy, have some help changing buckets, wipe, rinse, ring, wipe, rinse, ring... The streaks go away quickly as long as you keep changing out the water. I installed this on my 130 square foot backsplash and it worked great. Jeff makes entire buckets with almost the entire bag. I made 2 pounds at a time and it worked great.
@@insidmal We bought a flip and I'm now grinding out their sh*tty grout job from the bathroom floor to try again
I had a completely different experience the first time I used this grout. (I had used other traditional grouts previously, so it wasn't my first time doing a tile job.) For me, it was exactly as Jeff described -- almost a disaster. I wish I had seen Jeff's video before using Ultracolor Plus FA. The grout hardened like rock hard cement within 20-30 minutes, and I really struggled to scrape (not wipe) it off, joint by joint (and still today the grout job is mediocre when inspecting closely because of this fast hardening incident.) I think results can vary wildly depending on your exact mix ratio, water quality (minerals and municipal chemicals), the ambient humidity, and temperature. It's better to have a stern warning before using something like this (and perhaps have to do a little more corrective work like you did) than the 4-5 hours of dry grout scraping I had to do.
sounds like you were trying to go too fast and grouted too big a section
It probably depends a lot on the temperature and humidity and whatnot
@@williamanderson6006 Sounds like you are leaping to conclusions without knowing all the facts!
Use Prism and be happy
My results exactly. Rock hard and unable to scrape off. I have done 8-10 bathrooms and this is the only one there were problems with.
A lot of people don't know that you can get in trouble with this stuff if you use a high speed mixer. It will get hard in 10-15 minutes. There's another video on CZcams from a guy who had this problem. Mix slow or even better by hand.
Another great tip!
Thanks for sharing your experience and clarifying the grout cure time for us. I too, panicked after watching Jeff’s video as I’ve only done a couple of tile jobs and last time I used a sanded grout on my bathroom tile surround. I’m going ahead with the Ultracolor grout.
Thank you I just watched the other video also and was going to go and buy more grout, now I feel more confident to use the one I already purchased!
Thank you for this...I too just watched Jeff's video about this grout as I had some left over from a bathroom remodel a contractor did last year and it's the right color for my kitchen backsplash (marble). Needless to say your timing was perfect as I was in my head about it too-although I am not new to tile, I am a diy'er and do not do tile often. I just mixed small batches and worked in sections. It is winter and house temp set to 65. No problems even with the marble.
In fairness: your tile is high gloss (practically glass) which afforded you more time. In most cases, he is right.
In "most cases" high gloss tile is used - especially for new people. Ceramic and porcelain makeup the bulk of what improvement stores carry.
In most cases, he's wrong.
Yeah he’s right for the most part. If you were to attempt to grout a tile that sucks out the moisture and you grout to much, you’ll have a seriously hard time getting it off.
@@KellyConcepts such a hypocrite ( I still love you Jeff ) ( in most cases his wrong) 😒
Your just hating on him. You'll tile is glossy so thats why it worked. I been using this product a few years now and you do need to work it and wipe fast.
@@KellyConcepts unless, of course the vast majority of your tile is on the floor… where you don’t want it shiny… like glass. So for the MAJORITY of the sq ft of tile being laid… (diyers usually don’t start on a wall anyway) he’s still right. God save the Jeff.
Makes a huge difference if your tiles are porous or polished. Polished makes cleaning a cinch. If you have porous stone it'll dry way faster too.
He almost scared me from using it but I already bought it..i saw your video..got my confidence back and got it done:)
First of all ALWAYS READ INSTRUCTIONS!!
On my first DIY shower I did use Ultracolor, but I am a bit of a perfectionist so I not only read the instructions but I watched about 30 pro CZcams videos first and took a few tips & tricks from the pros. I worked in small sections. Did the first small section and started another section which took about 10-15 minutes, went back to the first and cleaned it off and then started the third section, went back to the second and so on. Timing is KEY. At the end I cleaned everything with a grout haze remover. And my shower looks GREAT!!!
One of my first time tiling was doing full mosaic walls on the custom shower. I used the Ultracolor plus. I did it in summer with no AC on. I just did portions at a time. Jeff is right, if it is hot, the grout will set up real quick.
I just learned this the hard way 😢
I just used this grout and loved it. I think the big x factor is the ambient temp. The instructions do clearly state if you are doing this in hot weather read additional instructions. I did this in 72 degree weather and was able to work and clean the grout for 30 minutes at least. I did an entire shower without issue. I was also using high gloss tile but I honestly dont think it would have been an issue either way. Great video glad you posted or I would have an inferior grout right now. This stuff is next gen and well worth it.
Always start grouting from the top down, and after you clean it with a sponge use a microfiber cloth to wipe residue.
I discovered this immediately after seeing the Jeff DIY video and I had been just as intimidated as you were. Thank you for adding your experiences! I just bought this grout without realizing this key difference. But after I did some careful reading, research, and looked into customer reviews, I decided to use it. I'm in southern LA (it's warm here), so I turned the a/c down to 68 Fahrenheit, and I used cold water to mix the grout. Just like you, I had MORE than enough time to grout my backsplash which is about a 3x5 foot area. I had someone help me sponging the area, but I likely would've been able to do it on my own despite being a first timer. You just have to read up and work purposefully. If you're in my shoes but have any doubts, or want to give yourself plenty of leeway, get the Keracolor.
To Jeff's point, I did wait the 15 minutes to wipe off the excess and I was too late! It had hardened into a complete mess on top of my tiles! Now I am scraping it off, millimeter by millimeter to start over again. This happened to 2 of the walls in my shower. On the last wall, I used a clean sponge and wiped off in 3-5 minutes and I cleaned the sponge after each wipe. I also only mixed 1 lbs to 7 oz of water so I could work with small amounts or else it would harden in bucket and I was only hand mixing. No drill mixer. So for me, this stuff wanted to harden immediately and I'm paying the price for waiting 15 minutes the first time.
I just finished grouting my bathroom with the Mapei Ultracolor grout with complete success. This was only my 3rd tile job in my life and I would definitely recommend this product. It did not setup too fast, it was easy to use and looks great. Read the instructions, make small usable batches (I did 2 pounds of grout at a time) and don’t panic. Thank you for sharing your experience with this product. FYI: Jeff has a wealth of experience but I really wonder if he has actually used this product based on his video that would scare any amateur tiler.
A truly fair and respectful assessment! The end result speaks for itself.
Great video! I'm a huge fan of Jeff's as well, but I always want lots of different perspectives before I start a new project. BTW, we are restoring a 100 year old house and Carriage House completely by ourselves so I'm doubly glad I found your channel. Looking forward to seeing your other content. (Now it's back to the shower install...)
I used this exact product in a new shower and had zero issues. One wall at a time. No worries. This is excellent grout.
Kelly I used Mapei Ultracolor Plus FA grout on an entire shower. I mixed ONLY 2 pounds at a time with 204 ml water, did a say 3' x 4' section ONLY , then wiped. You NEED two people. My wife sat in a chair with seven (7), count em, SEVEN sponges, and three (3) five gallon rinse buckets, and kept the room temp between 60 and 70 degrees. FANTASTIC RESULTS TWO PEOPLE.
I have never grouted before. Not once. I just finished my kitchen floor last night and used the FA. It went so smoothly. The one mistake i think a lot of people are making is using a drill to mix and going TOO FAST. 350RPM MAX super slow. Mixing for just under 5 minutes with the correct amount of water turns this to runny peanut butter and it's PERFECT. Waited about 20 minutes to sponge and buff, and it turned out pretty good
So glad you shared this. Just watched his video and was questioning my ability to use this grout. I hate the results and extra work of trying to seal my grout afterwards. I was hoping to use this product, or something similar, and his video made me worried. You gave me the confidence to go for it though, especially since I am experienced.
Thank you so much for this video. I truly enjoy watching another DIY'er give feedback about their experience with products!
Thank you! I just bought a house and have to regrout and this is the grout we have from the previous owner! So, now I feel good about using it.
Great call Kelly. I saw this Jeff video too, and since my bathroom re-tile project is many weeks away, I just filed the info out of mind for the time being. Many thanks for showing your experience with the stuff.
I was in the same situation today. After watching his video and started grouting my first wall I was constantly stressed out that my wall would turn into something like someone who gazed into Medusa’s eyes. I rushed to wipe off the grout after about 30 min and I was surprised to find out that it was still quite wet. After that realization I started tiling everything and let it dry for over an hour before coming back to wipe off the excess.
Impressive and respectful argument. Your video provided the confidence I needed to pursue a first time DIY 50 sqft backsplash grouting with Ultracolor FA. Like many others, Jeff's video sucked what little confidence I had right out. However, after completing the project, I had virtually no issues with the Ultracolor FA while adhering to MAEPI's technical bulletin to the letter. I sponged ~15-20 minutes after floating the grout in a 68° degree kitchen with no concerns of rapidly setting grout on the tile face. The tile was buffed with a dry cloth ~45-55 minutes after sponging to showcase the luster of the marble we expected. Thank you once again for your insight and consideration. Relax folks. You can do this!
My thoughts exactly. Had the same reaction to Jeff's video and even returned the grout. I talked myself into buying it again. Saw this video and decided I could do it. Ended up being easy. If you're worried at all about this grout, mix it a little thinner than usual. I actually had time to go over it twice with the same bucket of grout. I like Jeff, but his video was way over-dramatic.
Great video, I totally agree with the points you have made, including read and follow the product directions. I recently used this product for the first time and my recently installed shower. I mixed the grout in smaller batches as a precaution, after applying the grout I waited 15 minutes before cleaning it from the walls. It worked very well following this protocol. I prefer a grout joint that is full of grout and not hollowed out with sharp tile edges exposed. Meipai ultracolor grout is is excellent and can be managed if you follow the directions.
Just used this video as a guide for doing my small shower. Saw Jeff’s video and it scared me too but decided to go for it. Mixed small batches, 2.5 lbs with 8 ounces of water. Mixed with a drill slowly. Had plenty of time to use up each batch and happy with the results.
I followed your and a Tiling Contractor Sal DiBasi's demonstration instructions on how to grout with this Mapei Ultracolor plus FA for my first grouting of ceramic tile. It went well and my wife even says, " looks great!" So, thank you sir!
After watching your video I pushed forward with the dreaded grout. I didn’t get it thick enough and this was my first grout project. It was an awkward backsplash but I persevered with paranoid optimism. I’ve got to go back and touch up a couple spots but I’m calling it a success. I don’t think it would have been any easier if I made another trip to Home Depot and exchanged the grout. Thanks for the reassurance, it can be done.
that's not reassuring at all !
I want to start by saying I am a home remodeler and have been doing this for many years. I used to use cementrous grout and until I found this product about 2 years ago hated grouting due to the haze that cementrous grout causes. That being said......Jeff is right about being careful with this grout. I have had a couple issues that burned me using that grout due to the porcelain tile being textured with a lot of grooves and the temperature in the home was above 75. We spent a day trying to clean off the grout that adhered to the textured tiles because of leaving it on the tile for 30 minutes. That's it it was only 30 minutes and it's still almost ruined the home we were working. That being said... If you're dealing with glossy tile that's glazed then you will not have any issues and can grout the entire shower without any problems....... I still typically ask the homeowner to please turn the temperature down to about 68 in the home on grout day. The typical response I get from my customers is are you going to pay for my electric bill! Ha ha ha. But I always respond with do you want your grout to look horrible!
So please be careful with this product......know what tiles you are using it for and temperature and adjust the wipe time........again with that being said this is the only grout we use on all our tile work.
I just saw your video and I feel your pain after also watching Jeff's video and I agree with you and also understand where Jeff is coming from and that he has at least put out the PSA regarding this type of FA grout. Great Job on the bathroom!
I just grouted our 13 x 20 foot room with Ultracolor FA with my wife. It was good to have the warnings. We waited until the weather cooled to 60F, then mixed about 3 cups material with 1.5 cups of tap water at a time using a gloved hand, applied it over about 15 minutes, then wiped it off and we then wiped a total of 3 times with a damp sponge and fixed a few areas at the end where there were a few airholes. We did a one dry rub over the entire job at the end of the job. It doesn't seem to be much of a problem for a do it yourselfer, but it is nice to have a second person on big jobs. Was nice to have the warnings, as well, thx to both Jeff and Kelly.
yeah well you cannot order temperature to be 60 degrees or even 70 degrees for most part of the year in most places so it IS a problem.
5:25 "building up my self esteem" Ah, yes, the DIY dilemma. I have felt this on numerous occasions LOL. I'm sure my mom thinks I'm the laziest, but I really just 1) like to prepare a lot before starting a project (most of which I am doing for the first time) and 2) have to work up the courage to be ready to fail at any moment (despite all the preparation). #diy
great feedback....BUT QUICK QUESTION: WHAT DID YO U USE TO MIX THE GROUT....SPEED DRILL OR BY HAND?
I just finished my first tile job and did have some difficulty with this grout. It was 90 sqft of backsplash tile up to the ceiling. The tile was 3x9 handmade look so they had the wavy edges and surface. I also live in Arizona so it was 100 degrees outside. It took me about 30 minutes to finish a 9ft countertop length and the rest of the grout was hard in the bucket by the time I was done. I could only mix 2lbs of grout at a time and still struggled with hardened grout near there end. I was able to wipe the grout off without too much work after the 30 minutes. The lines may not have ended up as smooth as I wanted but the grout was not stuck on the tiles. I probably would have had a much easier time with a different grout or if I saw these videos first and cranked the AC.
So when do you know when you can wipe away? Do you just test periodically to see if it’s set as in no product comes off when you touch it?
I really appreciate your video. I was the same way. Almost carried this stuff back. But I came across your video and decided to try it anyway. And glad I did! This stuff worked great. I kept waiting for a "white flash" from the bucket and it immediately go rock hard, lol.
I mixed exactly to the directions and did what they said. I was surprised that I had to wait quite some time before it set up so I could wipe it down with my sponge. About 22 minutes. I believe that temperature and humidity is the trick to this stuff for an armature like me. My day was 50° outside and 70° inside.
If I hadn't seen this video and one other on CZcams I would have returned it for a basic grout. Glad I didn't.
It depends what tile you use if your tile is not glazed it can stain the tile. As a professional contractor when you wipe the tile it will always have the colour streaks you just have to wipe it one more time.
Thank you for doing this video. After watching a bunch of these videos, I realized the grout I have on hand is Ultracolor FA. Glad you did this video.
And it will work just fine.
Thanks! After watching his video I started to second guess whether I should use this stuff or not.
I have a habit of overthinking before I even start the job and usually prove myself wrong with how easy most tasks end up being.
It seems we've both arrived at the same conclusion!
Great vid and thanks for taking the time to share your findings. It certainly helped me make my decision easier.
I watched that video and almost returned the FA but I wanted to fill a wide range of gaps and liked the no seal feature. I ended up doing it thinking if it starts to set I’ll quit immediately. It worked great. I did it in two batches. I wish I had seen your video beforehand for a little stress relief!
Thanks for this video. I was having second thoughts about the 2 bags Ultracolor I bought.
I mixed a batch with a mixer, and it got hard really quick. I mixed another batch manually with a metal stake and it stayed workable for quite awhile. If you choose to use a mixer, mix only a small batch, apply and wipe off soon. If you choose to mix manually, you can make more and not have to wipe down immediately.
Thank you very much for your video. I have watched Jeff's for quite a few videos and started to believe his confidence 100%. I got the same impression about that grout and decided against using it because of Jeff's recommendation, even though it would had been my preferred choice. So thank you again for keeping him honest.
When I was at Floor & Decor I actually could not find the color I wanted in anything other than the product Jeff said not to use. I ended up swapping to something unsanded instead that was slightly different. I spoke to an employee there and he actually said they're phasing out the unsanded stuff. So eventually this distinction won't really matter. I loved Jeff's original video and erring on the side of caution for new tilers is good advice. I do appreciate you showing the other side of this though. That bathroom looks great!
Thanks.. excellent info. But Do you have to remove the old grout out before applying the new one. ?!
If you are asking that question, im not sure you should really be using this grout.
I’m a pro tiler and and that grout can dry fast, depending on humidity, temperature and tile material. High gloss porcelains you won’t have much trouble with, but with clay tile, you better be ready to work because if you leave that grout on for 15 minutes before wiping, your going to struggle to get it clean. Same with Tec power grout. I have figured out a good grouting system with these grouts and actually like rapid setting grouts. I could grout a shower like that in probably 3 hours and be out the door.
I just used it and it worked out fine. My only lesson learned for future, I would have mixed 2/3 of the bag and then later the remaining 1/3 because I just barely completed the job before it became unworkable.
I think I will give it a go after all. But, a 15 minute real-time demo of usage would certainly have given me more confidence than the time lapse (for nervous DIYers like me!)
Try it first on a sample and see how fast it dries first. It is a pain to work with this grout. It gives you false confidence. For the first 10 to 15 min the grout doesn't seem to be drying to fast. But then it seems it will instantly harden in the 15-20 min after you mixed it.
Thanks for the video. I watched Jeff's video a day before I was about to grout my new walk in shower I just finished so needless to say, I panicked a bit...until I watched your video! I just finished the grout and I had no problems at all. That said, as I was getting to the end, the grout became more stiff but still workable. I did have to rush a little more to sponge it off than I did at the start of grouting. Thanks again!
Saw that, was considering returning the grout I purchased. planning on sealing tile before grouting for mosaic slate, graphite, and glass kitchen backsplash.
I am slow... so... it did scare me off a bit.
Hey Kelly. I went through your videos. I was looking for a vid of you installing the tile. Looks great. Do you have a video of you installing that tile. Would be super helpful.
I have similar project.
Thanks for the feed back. Jeff is one of top go to professionals and i agrre that sometimes he just want to make it simple for his followers... in fact the plus fa was reported by a lot of people as being tricky to work with.
I have used it extensively and have never had a problem.
Thank you for this video. I was seriously nervious about using this grout after Jeff's video. After watching your video I decided to give it a try. With 250 ml of water to roughly 2 lb 6 oz of mix the grout was nice and creamy and easy to work with. Ambient temp in the room was 70-71F. I broke our new shower into 3 grout sections. After 30-40 minutes from grout float touching the wall I was able to do the first wipe. On glazed tiles and glass the haze easily came off at 30 minutes and 1 hour. Was a piece of cake!
Hey thanks for your vidéo.
Can you tell me how much Time to wait after doing thé grout before cleaning thé shower with vinagar to remote Any remaining powder?
Thanks for this video! I had watched Jeff's video and almost threw away my bag of Ultracolor FA -- then I watched this video, and tonight I finished grouting some ceramic tile (with a 'slate'-like appearance), and it works great. My house was at 67 F, and even at 30 minutes, it was ready enough to wipe off with a sponge and blue shop towels.
Looks fantastic, and by the time my kids are up in the morning, it will be ready for foot traffic. Thanks for making this video, it definitely restored some confidence in my DIY abilities to get this done!
Do you have to use Mapei grout maximizer or can you still use water?
I needed to see this video a week ago. Ironically, yesterday I grouted for the first time and used this product. I had the same experience as you. Mine turned out fine as well. I will finish my last back wall tomorrow.
This helped me so much, thank you!!
Do you use a sponge first and then a rag/towel?
I’m literally you in this video. Jeff had me about to return the grout tomorrow morning. Instead I’m going to give it a shot, fk it
Thanks
Hand mix or via Drill? Im about to use this same grout later on my first tiling job and Im nervous about ruining all my hard work. Do you recommend a 15 min drying time before wiping off?
Don't use this shit product. Use regular grout with Portland cement
Thank you for your video. I bought the same grout and after seeing your video and having watched the one you had discussed from the other gentleman, I had my doubts of using this one. But I am going to use it now. It’s hot outside (116 deg F) but cool inside. So I will be ok with that. I’m only doing one wall in the bathroom about 60 sq feet of surface of glass tile.
Just saw another video from a guy who failed on his second job with this product after the first job was a success.
Higher air and water temps will always make the mixture cure faster, but what he found was that mixing with a high speed mixer can also cause the grout to set faster according to the manufacturer. It has to do with the exposure to the air.
Inversely, that’s also why the material in a lump in the bucket isn’t setting up, is still workable after some time. It mostly hasn’t been exposed to the air.
Same experience as you, also used black. Plenty of time, I’m in a basement and it’s October in Toronto so I’m sure that matters. I have a matte finish green ceramic tile. Wet the tile down before grouting, says in the bag.. may help with the dry time.
I think Jeff is right. Grouted my floor with that magpie. It was a disaster. Almost ruined my tile. I switched to a different product for my shower tiles. It went great
I agree with him and trust him. The tile you have is extremely large and glossy with makes it extremely easy to wipe off. Even if it failed on you it would be pretty easy to replace it. I'm using irregular tile and a mix of glossy and matte along with glass in places and all are all different sizes and shapes. Replacement for me would be super expensive and a big time pain in needing the time it would take to redo it all. I also would say in most circumstances he's right at least he has enough sense to tell those that think they can do most anything themselves not to make the mistake and ruin their work!
I was doubting my choice because I wanted a grout that was low maintenance and didn't require resealing. But I appreciate both videos. I would have tried to do too much or not paid as close attention to the time. My ceramic tile and grout are pretty close in color, so the difficulty level wasn't quite as high, and I only was doing a 21 sq ft section.
I can’t agree more. I bought the fa and sat around until noon drinking coffee building confidence. Lol But like you said Jeff made us pay attention to this product. I built a large shower in my basement. I shut the dehumidifier off and turn down the temp and I believe that gave me more working time. I wouldn’t go past a half a batch at a time in hot weather. Grout came out beautiful. The product offers to much to not use it. Thank you for the confidence to try it and Jeff for making me aware of what I’m using.
Thank you!! Watched that video right before yours and now I’m going to grout 😂
i had a contractor use this on our shower walls and floor in a bathroom. I ended up cleaning the tiles about a day or two after the grout was put down and I had no problems getting it off. It took many hours to do but water and a sponge was fine to do it.
I'm trying this grout out now. Using little less then a 3/1 grout to water mix, doing a 110 sqare foot floor with about 600 4x8 tiles. I mix 8 laddles of mix to 2 and 1/3 of water. Doing 30 square at a time. It's gonna take a while but the time between applications is working
The right way to critique someone. Thanks for video. I bought the Ultracolor Pluss FA last night and saw Jeff's critique and your response right afterwards. Thanks! You didn't throw out the baby with the bathwater. Jeff is really great!! I also found his critique fo the cheapo chinese drywall lift was not legit for a DIYer. I had to watch a lot of vide3os to recover my confidence to purchase the cheap one. If I was a pro, the pro version would be what I would buy, but even then only as the business paid for it.
Appreciate the video. I watched Jeff's video first and was going to try it myself anyway. Glad to know I'll be fine. Thanks!
What is over looked in both videos is the question: Are you grouting natural stone tile, engineered tile, glazed, glass, etc. as their surfaces all react differently to grout. Subway or porcelain tile has an extremely smooth surface that is hard for grout to make its mechanical bond to. Where as sandstone tile, which is much more porous, requires faster cleaning and higher effort when grouting.
lol just saw the pinned comment
This video also scared me and I'm about to return my Ultracolor FA and exchange it for Flexcolor CQ which I've heard is almost as good and far easier to work with. I have 2 small shower walls so I'm not too concerned with the FA on those, but I have a 95 sq ft floor and the FA terrifies me on that large of a surface. So much area to make a mistake or miss cleaning a spot.
For people who were having trouble with this product, did you hand mix or use a drill/paddle? A different video mentioned that his problems of a very fast set time came from mixing it at high speed. When he mixed it by hand, he had a lot of time to work with it.
This video was helpful. The tile place gave us this grout with our order and I wasn’t real confident I could pull it off. I watched the Jeff video too and had the same experience. Love the guy but watching that video gave me instant doubts. So thank you for the confidence booster. I’m sure there are unique scenarios where this could be a disaster for some people.
My understanding is using cold water and having a room that’s hot And high humidity helps. Waiting 10-15 min is enough before wiping with sponge
I JUST used this for a job two days ago (floor and shower walls) and had never used the FA version until then.
It did NOT stain basic porcelain glazed tile, and that’s white tile with a non-shiny surface, even after having to sit un-wiped for 2 hours because the plumbers showed up an hour early during my final wall skim.
Was even able to take my strong plastic scraper and fix goopy corners to a clean 90 degrees by merely sponging the grout again.
BUT
When working with it in general, I got roughly 20-25 mins work time, with it remaining perfect in consistency and was surprised it hadn’t gotten any harder/thicker with time…regular grout usually starts to turn “rocky” nearing that window of end time. I paused for three mins to wipe down, come back and went to scoop with my rubber applicator…
Hard as a rock.
Solidified through the entire bucket. First mix had been too much to start with, so expected to lose it, but did NOT expect it to go from thick and creamy to straight solid like that.
Very odd.
And kind of cool. Lol (chemical science rocks!)
Outside of that, this grout is great. Mind the window of work time and don’t over mix, should be fine, especially if doing one wall at a time.
Way I see it, you can either tile and lay grout or you can’t; There’s no in-between.
Do or do not. 😂😂
I grouted a floor with this stuff by myself and it turned out great. I would def have your sponges ready and maybe someone to clean them when you're doing the second wipe.
i just did my grout install in my shower with this product. Yes it does dry fast but I had no issues. Just know going in. I actually split the bag in half and mixed the first half and grouted the walls and the next morning did the floor with the remaining mix. Had I tried to do entire shower with the whole bag at once i would have had to hustle/work faster. In both the applications the remaining grout mix in my bucket became hardened as i got about 90 percent of the bucket emptied. I am glad i stuck with this product because now I don't have to use a sealer.
Thanks for making this video. I procrastinated a month second guessing choosing this grout after seeing Jeff's video. I finally did the job the week after watching your video. Grouting 24sq/ft of pebble tile I mixed slowly with a drill using cold water (2) 10lb bags. I had no issues and had plenty of time to apply and clean up.
Which is useless post because you didn't mention the temperature and humidity level of your work environment which is the main factor.
Thanks bro! Just about to mix this grout!
I watched the same video and panicked as I applied the grout. It was so simple to use and I had ZERO issues
I have used this grout a lot it works great. These people are idiots and probably mixing to much grout at once and or not sponging it off correctly.
I had a good experience with this grout. Mixed with very cold water and precise measurements of grout and water. Ambient temps just normal room temperature (not hot). Pot life was well over an hour. On polished porcelain no problem at all, just worked in sections, and the polished surface was very forgiving (easy to clean excess grout off, even when dry). On a river rock portion (ie. gaps up to 1/2 inch) it was NOT fast setting at all, and I actually had to let it set for over an hour before it was ready for a wash. I would not be scared of Ultracolor Plus FA, but also would recommend you do a test board with your specific tiles just so you know what you can expect.
Yes, the key is to mix it with cold water, it last a loooong time in the bucket without getting hard.
I am glade Jeff made his video. I used this product on a small area with no problem. I am getting ready to grout the kitchen, dinning room and hallway floors. Without Jeff’s warning it could have been a costly disaster. I subscribed to Jeffs channel. Thanks for giving direction to his channel.
Thank you I almost returned it and it came out great. I have some tips for everybody. *1) USE COLD WATER TO MIX, AS COLD AS YOU CAN, 2) MIX A GOOD QUANTITY BUT LEAVE IT IN THE BUCKET, DON'T APPLY IT ALL AT ONCE, WORK IN SMALL SECTIONS 3) LOWER THE AC IN YOUR HOUSE.* I got a pitcher and put some ice and water and that is what I used to mix the stuff (without the ice of course) It literally lasted me a little more than an hour on the bucket before it got hard. I applied it in small sections, if you are doing a bathroom lets say I did half of a wall. I used a timer and when I got to 15/20 min I started wiping with the sponge.
good thing its winter here in Michigan...I will be using it tomorrow. Thanks for the tips.
This is good advice. I always portion a little at a time to prevent from wasting.
Agree with you 100% I did 3m2 of flooring in about 20 mins, i then left it on for a further 20 mins and had no problems at all, it’s only the second diy tile job I’ve done.