WHICH GROUT IS BEST??? Grout Testing with SHOCKING Results!!!
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- čas přidán 2. 09. 2020
- Every professional tile installer has their favorite grout. Whether it is Prism, Tec Power Grout, Laticrete Permacolor, Kiesel, Mapei Ultracolor, or Ardex FL, each tile installer has a reason why they like a particular brand.. All of these high performance cementitious grouts claim to have better color consistency, ease of application, stain resistance, and durability. But do they all live up to those claims? Well, that why I decided to make this video. After dealing with several grout warranty claims over the last 10 years, I decided to let you in on what I have already found out, and what grout manufacturers don't want you to know.
In this video I test seven different high performance cementitious grouts in an effort to find the most durable grout on the market.
You will be shocked to find out how some of your favorite grouts fail a simple abrasion test and how easily they can be removed with a plastic spacer, towel, or scrub brush--- especially when the grout is wet. Soft grout can lead to tile failures and grout problems are one of the biggest reasons for call backs. If your grout is coming out of the tile in your shower, you need to watch this video.
Make sure to subscribe to TileCoach and turn your notifications on in your settings. I upload a video at least once a week.
Leave your comments in the section below and find me on instagram @tilecoach. Have a blessed day and Tile On! - Zábava
37:11 Worst - Prism and Kiesel. Note the sorrow/shock/horror in their eyes as they see Prism miserably fail. It was their favorite before this test.
37:30 Best - Mapei Ultra color, for abrasion/scratching. However, they didn't test color leaching. Using the same/similar dark color for all would be helpful.
Summary - Color leached from ALL tested grouts. Most get soft when wet/soaked.
17:00 Kiesel, scratch test - fail when wet
19:27 Mapei Ultra color, scratch test, slower to absorb water
21:10 Laticrete Perma color, soft when wet
23:30 Prism, guys liked quick cleanup.
25:30 Recap of worst to best.
26:20 Permacolor select, soft when wet
29:55 Ardex FL, creamy, finished nice, hard when dry, some color rubbed off.
32:30 TEC Power Grout, shortest working time, hard when dry,
38:30 Spectralock one test result coming...
39:00 Fusion is crap
Thanks! Good info, going to go seal the Ardex FL we laid 2wks ago
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Please test Epoxy grouts... would appreciate Laticrete Spectralock and Ardex WA being part of that test.
I tested ardex WA the haze is horrible to remove. Now using mapei kerapoxy which is the best epoxy grout I've ever used and using for all my projects now.
I'm not even offering different types to the customer anymore.
@@brouwerification ty
I am the grout queen, I love the Mapei ultra color by far! Thanks boys.
@@brouwerification Same results and thoughts.
Some serious grout knowledge
That many guys together working and no swearing, you guys are true media professionals. Thanks for taking the time to conduct this test.
I find it's important to do real world tests with the products we use whenever possible. It's hard to make the time though so I appreciate y'all doing this testing and sharing the results!
Great comparison video! About to use Tec Power Grout as my tiled floors have it and it’s held up for years. I think the 511 sealer makes a huge difference especially when wet.
Can't wait to see you test flex cq and the other comparable products. Glad the grout I choose is the winner on this one. Keep up the good content man. I have changed a few things I do because of your videos.
..... so do you not use a sealant? And it's only a week cure, so would it not set harder in time, provided you don't scrub or scrape the bejeezus out of it for about a month. Just keep it squeegeed of and soft wiped for a period of time. I'm a house keeper and the older the grout the more stable, but if old it actually cracks out more often than not. The floor application is my main concern for failure because it's gonna stay wet 50-60% of the time in a normal house hold. 🤔🤔🤔
@@peggypenland1560 The entire point of high-performance grout is not having to seal the grout. If you use epoxy or acrylic/urathane then you don't ever seal those. Water isn't supposed to affect these types of grouts. Also what floor is staying wet for that long? Shower slope should account for it to dry. Outside of the shower shouldn't be getting wet a lot if the bathroom is done correctly.
Aloha, Mapei UltraColor Plus FA has been our best grout so far over the years. It also has Sealer in it, but we still add an extra coat 511 because the humidity here and weather is no joke. Mahalo for the awesome videos!!! 🤙🏽🤙🏽🤙🏽
Team meetings are a must! Would love to see how you handle yours play-by-play! Sometimes we have to have ours in the van on the way to work but at least once a week I like to have my employee talk to me about how his week is going.
I’m in the UK but watch your videos ... so glad I watched this one. I had already purchased the Mapei for my shower floor!!!!! We don’t have the other brands so much here in England. So ... this evening I grouted my mosaics and they look fab, I’m confident now that they will be good 👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼
Got me thinking more about the products I use and how I "market" them to customer. Thanks coach!
Like a couple of others who've commented, this is "regular" grout which I only use for backsplashes. All my other installations are grouted with Spectralock epoxy grout. Been using it for over 10 years. I have customers whose floors look the same 10 years later with decent maintenance. This video is great for DIYers and pros who are afraid of epoxy.
You forget most Customers are not willing to pay for the additional cost of Epoxy grout
@@jasonmcguire4933 Guess I'm lucky, all of my homeowners choose Spectralock. Nobody has balked at the additional cost especially when I tell them the advantages of epoxy grout maintenance.
@@kevinneustaedter3587 Kevin has it figured out, same experience here as well. Informed customer chooses epoxy every time.
Doing my bathroom floor this weekend and this was extremely helpful to me! Thank you
I just retired after 45 years setting. I don't much care for the modern conventional groups. For the last 12 years I've been using Spectralock on almost everything. Finished product is hard,stain resistant, color consistant, and waterproof. I know a lot guys hate epoxy but I think it's easier once you get your procedure down pat. It's all in the timing. The owner and housekeepers love it.
Agree epoxy grout isn't that hard to work with if u have the correct brand (i use mapei kerapoxy here in Europe) and got used to the haze removing process.
I use a mapei cleaner, scotch and brute pads and to finish a microfiber cloth on the same day and the day after again cleaner with microfiber cloth.
Since I mastered the process I haven't installed anything else. It's just to superior and a tile job should last a minimum of 25 years without maintenance which it won't with cement based.
Hi from the Netherlands 🙏🥳
@@brouwerification Gary here from Maui. What I like about Spectralock is you can mix any size batch by just measuring parts AandB in a paper cup and add powder to get desired consistency. Most people mess up by trying to get it too clean on the first wash. Just shape the joints and take off heavy film. Let it sit for 1 hour then take off remaining film with white Scotchpad, sponge up dirty water and dry with a towel. DONE Also you can use it on travertine without sealing the stone. It may sound scary but just spread it like it was glazed tile. The grout will seal as you go and cleans up easy. After second wash the result is stone is epoxy sealed. No other sealer is needed. Aloha and have a great day
@@garycapek7309 in fact all grouts results are about timing and temperature...I’ve have learn that..
What about the issues of Epoxy grout turning yellow? Especially in areas where the sun hits it!
@@kirkdunivan2184 I’d imagine if you’re using white grout on white tile the beginning color will lean more blue white to counter the yellowing and the area in question wouldn’t be that big considering I have never met a reasonable person who wanted to pair white grout with floor tile. So all in all I’d imagine there shouldn’t be much of an issue.
What a eye opener on these grouts.
Now i know why some of my Kitchen tiles needed a refinishing in a high Traffic area Thanks Much
Great test ! I have been saying this for years . Especially when an installer mixes or used out of spec. You know the guys .... grouts tough to spread so they add water or with power grout dont set a timer then scrub with a wet sponge. There is a minimum time to spread and wash key factors in a good grout job but being ina wet area like a shower floor and cleaned like most customers do to get soap build up off is crazy. Hmmmm epoxy for wet areas ?
Great Testing Grout. I love MAPEI Products forever. Thanks!!!
I have a theory/suggestion about this issue. In the past 10 years we've moved over to 1/8in grout joints almost exclusively. The thinner the grout joint, the less ability the grout has to bond together and be strong, especially if too much water is used to finish it. It can drown it out a lot easier. I think this is an inherent issue with smaller grout joints. My suggestions is to do this same test with 1/4in grout joints and i think you will see that the grout joints will hold up a lot better. I used to be a grouter exclusively and grouted lots of houses on my own and i don't ever remember having this issue with bigger grout joints. Although i will say, i was using the original Customs Grout bags, maybe the old stuff is just stronger than the new stuff with all the extra ingredients.
Also a few other things about this test.. I think using thinner tile, like these mosaics that sit more flat to the substrate cause there to be less grout joint depth and that also causes the joints to be shallow and get drowned out easy. As well as the fact that this is glass tile, the water cannot get absorbed in the tile like ceramic and porcelain. With ceramic and porcelain tile, it can help with the drying process when grouting because the tile will absorb some of that water. With the glass, most of the water will stay in the grout joint until it evaporates.
Great video, these type of experiments only help us understand these things better.
Depends some of this tiles were a mix of stone ceramic and glass and stone tiles on these is usually as thick as regular wall tile.
I been looking for videos that shpw grouting 1/2 inch grout lines because I am installing river stone tiles and those lines can be a 1/2 inch or lager sometimes. I see a video where they used Fusion Pro for River Stone Pebbles for the shower floor and the grout started coming out. But I still do not know which grout if best for those large grout lines.
Thanks for making this video learned a lot from it Coach
Love watching your videos, makes me wanna tear down my shower and start from scratch! Anyway, I'd be very interested as to what you and your crew talk about in your morning meeting. I need new motivational material to pump my crew, new perspectives are great! Thanks for taking the time to read my comment.
WOW! Was grout like this 30 years ago .I remember having to take a circular saw at my grout when I messed up my DIY project.It was only less than a month old and it was harder than the tiles 😵
Thank you for the hard work and sharing!
Great video and interesting tests. We've used a lot of Primz, now using mostly Mapei FA. But I had no idea Prizm had this issue. Thanks for sharing this.
Looking forward to the Spectralock 1 and higher end grouts, maybe even epoxy demos one day. Thanks boss, great video
I appreciate this test very much!
Project Farm needs to test this out
Just stumbled across your channel yesterday and let videos run on autopilot - I’ve been holding my breath to see the result because I literally have an unopened package of Mapei on my counter right now… whew.
What a great video , thanks for all you do !
I used prism on my personal house, I'm like you guys, I like it. Easy to move, versatile joint spacing color consistent. Thought I had a bad batch cause I can scrape it out with my fingernails. Pretty depressing. I've had to take out old school grout and the stuff is so hard it takes multiple blades just to do the 4 joints around a piece. Glad to see the Ultracolor did good cause I just put some in my inlaws shower.
The only grout I've ever used is Mapei, though I'm not a pro, but I've used Keracolor, Ultracolor Plus FA, and Flexcolor CQ and liked them all. Ultracolor seems to dry the hardest, but iirc Ultracolor has CSA cement in it, it's not just Portland cement, so that probably explains it. In Mapei's own literature they actually recommend Ultracolor Plus FA for tiling subway tunnels and mass transit use, so I'm assuming it's pretty strong stuff.
Ultra color is my favorite grout. I ve been using it for many years. It works for small and large joints plus it hardens quick if you have more work to do after grouting. For some reason I knew it will be the winner.
Just put down prism the other day on 200sqft of tile. No complaints on color or consistency and I drill-mixed it. It is holding up well but does seem to be soft especially if in contact with water. It indicates on the box that it is "ideal for... submerged grout joints" 😬 ...anyway the floor I tiled won't have too much to do with water so I am thinking it will be fine.
Wow what an informative video! Thanks heaps!
Thanks so much for this. It justs confirmed for me what i had suspected with prism grout. I will never use that product again
Very interesting samples of the grout. Getting ready to do our floors.
Also did you seal the grout?
Looks like the norm for grout hardness is a softer grout. Maybe the brands think that the grout there for “looks” & what keeps it adhered to substrate is the installation of choice......for the “thin set” etc...
Just seems awkward because as everyone knows, there are customers out there that scrub the crap out of their showers & tile😉
Great interesting vid👍🏻
thanks for the helpful comparison! 🙏
Hey Tile Coach this is the video I’ve been wanting to see!! I have a request though. Could you do the video again, but allow the grout to be the only variable. Same person mix, follow directions 100%, same water temp, and only use all the same tile? Great video though
Also, please wait 28+ days before simulating regular cleaning. See my other comment for more context.
thank you for the test . it was very helpful
I’m glad you did this video. I had this issue and wondered if it was my error in Instal. I always wondered if these grouts were actually any good. They say no sealer required but when you get it wet the water absorbs. It shouldn’t absorb if no sealer is required. That never made sense to me. I have been using mapei ultra color plus fa and having good success but I might still recommend sealing it to my clients. Or just go with a cementitious grout that I know will be super durable if installed right and sealed. I’ve gone back to old jobs I did to update and checked regular customs cementitious grout and it was rock solid even when wet. My logic now is natural stone I’m using cementitious grout because it needs to be sealed anyways. Porcelain and glass tile I’m gonna use mapei ultra color plus fa and seal the grout or try Laticretes spectralock 1
I want to see you try this with Mapei's premixed product. As a DIYer I did a lot of research on this, the flexcolor CQ line was the only premixed product most people didn't find bad. I think Prism had one that was decent too. I used the flexcolor premixed and have done plenty of scrubbing on my grout joints without issue.
Their magic is that the color is part of the "sand" (actually quartz balls) not a pigment like traditional grout. So you can't wash out the color during install. I am now wondering if that means you wouldn't have any issues like you see here with the terry towel.
If you try it, beware! It dries crazy fast. If you let a test board like this sit for more than 5 minutes you'd be pretty screwed. I'd just follow their instructions pretty closely for timing and wiping.
Thats an apples and oranges situation though. These grouts r still cementous based grout and trying to compare that to an acrylic or urethane base grout is unfair.
Premixed grouts r great but can still fail spectacularly, due to unforseen issues. A little to cold and that stuff is a nightmare to work with. I've had it separate from the sand and basically disintegrate in the joint. They r one of my favorite grouts though when things go good. Typically never have to worry about them again
Great video love your contacts in all your videos
Thanks I use mape for all my shower installs . I’m glad to know nothing so far is better.
Great job MAPEI, good looking grout test. Looking forward to the single component grouts.
Very interesting video. I personally like permacolor and standard accucolor from tec. I can say I have never had a problem with either. Mapei on the other hand has been a source of problems for me over the years. I have another test you can conduct and hope to see. Use the regular or standard lines and mix them with a latex additive and see how they perform. I always use tec's additive when mixing accucolor.
How about the new spectralock premixed? Supposed to be good. I’m looking to regrout a Tec power grout (same issues/washout) shower and this excellent video is helping me narrow down my choice for replacement.
Wow I was surprised power grout started setting up so fast. Usually mapei is real fast. Maybe humidity in N.C. don’t use that fusion. It came out with running water after curing for : weeks. Mapei cq prepare for quick setup and film. I just don’t use premix anymore. So I wasn’t to know about spectra 1. May as well just use epoxy.
That was a great test. After 32 years plus I never tried or even thought I needed to think my grout was going to fall apart. Thanks Isaac now I’m going to test. 🙁
i use the mapei, but do not use a power mixer, too much air causes it to set super fast!
Great Test! Wish Grout Once did what it claims.
Good stuff Coach
Very informative!!
I seen your other video about you guys using the Fusion Pro grout on a river stone shower floor and you had to remove it and redo it a few years later because the grout turned black and was coming up. So I wanted to watch this video to see which grout you found best. Looks like the Ultracolor is the best here. So I am going to buy that one for my River Stone shower floor grout. I hope it turns out good and lasts for decades. Thanks for the videos.
We've been using mapei flexcolor CQ, we just call it CQ, for years now. It's amazing. Cant use it in steam rooms, and not great for restaurant kitchens. Other than that, you're good. No mix. No problems. Honestly, I've grouted in my corners in showers with it and have never heard a word. For what it's worth.
What was the clean up time? was it setting up as fast as ultra color ?
Into my bathroom remod a few weeks, and just laid the 12x24 porcelain floor tiles (using ProLite and a leveling system, over concrete slab), 1/16th grout line. I'm two passes into grouting over two days, and can't seem to get the very top of the brown tile edge profile covered where it meets the color finished surface of the tile (which is a whitish/grey combo). Using Warm Grey grout (Flexcolor CQ). Packaging indicates it's good for 1/16th, but that quartz sand just doesn't want to stay down upon initial wiping after 5, 8 or even 10 minutes. As a test, I grouted a 12- in. line proud under where the vanity will sit and basically "sawed" the excess off with the float edge, like doing concrete flatwork, to finally get it to fill the final millimeter and cover the unsightly brown tile edge. But that would take a very long time over the 55SF floor. Is there a better way or product? Or is it just supposed to be that way and I'm being too picky about finish? No issues with lippage. Keith (Elk Grove, CA).
Thanks, Coach!
I used Tec grout yesterday for the first time, and was taken aback by how fast it sets up. I'm talking hard within an hour. Though it did come off pretty easy after wetting it down.
I have found tec is very picky on mixer speed I set max rpm on my m18 mixer to 200 gives you much longer working time, that being said I use mapei ultra color fa 99% of the time
@@mikekruger9561 I use mapei UC fa too but have had issues with it getting a bit soft when wet even though it was rock hard when dry and cured. But even after intermittent water exposure, when dry, it did tend to soften a bit. It's kind of disappointing these modern grouts are the way they are. And I have a feeling Portland cement grouts won't be around much longer. Maybe they'll come up with better technology in the near future regarding single component grouts.
I’d like to see how Mapei flex color does under these tests.
I wanted to see Polyblend get tested. I left the haze on a floor for a few days and when I went back I was scrubbing it with a wire brush and water and it wouldn't soften it at all. It literally has a polymer on it so it seems superior to all of these grouts.
I used polyblend unsanded and it comes up easy even after several months. I'm going to try sealing it and see if that makes a difference. I did some more tile yesterday and after 24 hours I could clean off the haze with a paper towel and some water.
Polyblend used to be ok but now it sends like garbage
Wouldn't sealing help with hardness? Especially because all seem to soften up with water. Is sealing standard?
Can you test the premixed grout that can be applied right out of the container it comes in?
Seems to me since water penetrates the grout and softens it ...then a sealer additive is a must right?
Re test with sealer additive instead of water
Northern WI we don’t get much choice in product but I’ve used and cleaned the Tec accucolor premium sanded grout in a grey with the grout boost and I didn’t notice any color coming up. Area I cleaned was the main entry into the house so it gets wet and dirty a lot. Didn’t realize grout got soft when wet
Awesome. Ultra color has built in sealer. Try putting sealer before the test. Just a suggestion. Thanks guy's. Aloha🤙🏼
My favorite float is the one is used to do epoxy grout...also it has been my experience that if I grout twice the floor you have better results on resistance and also the grout lines looks more filled no matter what kind of grout i use but this is my experience and my opinion based in 15 yrs of being a female tile installer...also is critical that you let the grout dry enough before it gets cleaned out....
Grouting 2 times for a perfect finish. Nice to hear other people do it as well.
I only use kerapoxy design nowadays.
Would be nice to see different backsplashes ie glass stone subway contrasted with light medium dark grout. Some people would benefit from seeing how colors compliment the tile. Thanks1😊
Hello - At the end of this video, you mentioned that you might try to use Mapei Flexcolor CQ more often to see how that grout is hardening up. Have you found it to be a good one, or have you seen issues with it as well? Also, could you please provide your opinion about something like a Delta Classic 400 shower base vs. a tiled mud pan? Thank you in advance for your time.
Chalon Rein - Anchorage, Alaska
Pre-fab shower pans are growing on me over the years!
I absolutely love Spectralok and it’s all I ever use in wet areas. Never had a call back
I’m doing a shower floor now and I’m trying to get spectralock pro but with covid I’m having a hard time finding
Thanks for the research fellas. Fyi , power the power grout is a fast acceleration grout. Says so on the packaging. You have to get on it much sooner than others . Question . If all of these samp samples had been sealed with a quality sealer a day before the test , not allowing for the water to penetrate. Would these samples fare better?
Hi. Thank you for this informative video. So many different kind of grout out there and I would like to find out which one is best for shower wall. I’m currently using the subway white tile for my shower and I went to Home Depot and purchased a premix grout, no sure if I really like it because it is so gritty. Which one should I use. I purchased a grout scrapper and put the premix one. Not sure if it will come out good. Anyway. Thank you again and yes more meeting video please. If was helpful.
The best lesson to learn here is a rule of thumb so to speak. If you don't want call backs. Make sure you seal your grout. With a spray sealer or hand applied method. Either way works well at sealing the grout from the water itself. As aforementioned the Ultra and power grout dries very hard. So to keep that very beautiful finish. You better seal the grout. Or the first time it gets dirty the customer will call and complain. You could also use synthetic grout in a tube. But in my opinion that stuff is a pain to clean up and it does repel water very well. Though it will in time become susceptible to mold growth along the edges between the tiles surface and the synthetic grout itself. So seal your grout and let the customer know. That this grout must be sealed once a year honestly. To become the hardest most beautiful grout on the market today. Tried and true and tested by the best In the business. All grout will become soft again if left unsealed.
Mapei has a sealer in it. They say no sealing
I have Prizm grout in my shower and havent had one issue with it! Shower was done 9 yrs ago and gets 2 showers a day in it. I also clean with a medium hard plastic bristle brush
How do you clean it daily ?
I have it a three weeks ago!!!
@@sabajess9083 I have natural tile so I just use a natural tile cleaner on the whole shower with a plastic scrub brush. I dont clean it ever week tho. More like every other month, but i also rinse any soap that is in the shower before i get out to help with less soap build up
I like Ardex very much, so now can see how is working.
Did you put any sealer on them? I would hope having a sealer would minimize the effects the water has on making them fold.
Someone mentioned Bostik. I would be interested to see you test the Bostik Neverseal or some of their other products against the Spectalock 1. Of course, the reason I am interested is because I used their Neverseal to grout my screened-in porch. I will say that it was very challenging to grout outside with the sun shining on the tile.
The Bostik Trucolor is my personal favorite. Never had any problems with it at all
I like using power grout because I figured a system out when using it but it goes soft like you showed. My shower grout lines get deeper with every clean. I’m starting to use ultra color but I’ve heard same stuff, plus first time I used it the color kinda went blotchy. I’m lost with grouts.
did somebody test flexcolor cq? To compare with FA(hardness, scratch resistance, color consistency...). From my experience is super stiff after install, but I like more to work with FA. So I am looking for different opinions, from other professionals. Is it my understanding correct if I say CQ is somewhere between epoxy and cement base grout? Thanks for every opinion.
Would be good to see an epoxy grout like spectralock pro premium grout with part A and B
Quartzlock is the only way to go. I had to remove 2 tiles due to plumber installing shower valve wrong and it took a heat gun at high heat to even get a grinder to cut out the this grout.
Hey Isaac. What is your go to grout right now, especially seeing most don't perform as one would expect.
Words from a true professional
How about testing after sealing. Prizm may have failed the worst, but on the other hand, it may absorb sealer very well and greatly improve. Being a DIYer, I like the fact that its easy to work with. However, I am definitely inclined to use Mapei in my shower and floors in the bathroom. Does the Mapei product you used have sealer in it?
Working with faux stone applied vertically to CMU I found using Mapei LFT large stone Thinset performed much better thaN using mason brick mortar especially adherence vertically But for grouting Between stones is thin set better than mortar?
I just used bright white tec power grout and the finished product came out a creamy colour with almost a reddish tint to it and their is random speckles throughout it all. Does anyone know what could cause this?
Love the permacolor select! Trick is to cut open the color pack and dry mix it with the base. That way you don’t have to mix the whole thing and you can save a little. It’s a pain to waste a whole bag on a small amount.
And tec power grout is great stuff, but it fires off probably twice as fast at others.
Or just shake it up real good and pour only the amount of colored water that you need.
I only use two types of grout from Mapei when doing showers, baths or kitchen backsplash: Kerapoxy (Epoxy grout) or premixed Flexcolor with quartz. And I sleep well at night...
I recently had a bathroom remodel and Simple Grout was used. This grout is 10 days post application and is not hard but kind of rubbery or spongy. For emample if you press your pinky finger into a grout line with some force it will indent then reform to its original shape. Is this normal? Could the installer have mis- used this product causing it to not dry/cure properly? I am quite worried. It was an expensive remodel and the contractors are not very helpful with questions or critiques.
Also permacolor select wipe it all down with damp sponge. Let it reemulsify. Then wipe off the grout from surface and work joints. Let set for 3 hours. Then final wipe. You have to follow directions.
Is there any way that sealing the grout joints could prevent it from getting softer and keeping the correct color, that won't get wet look....
Yeah thats probably a test they should do. Epoxy grouts are horrible to use and get a nice full joint with!
Would using a grout sealer make it harder to wash out or scrape out?
Great demo, thanks. I'd be keen to get advice. I have to grout my subway tiles soon, they are the type with prominent facets. And what's concerning me is that my float is going to skim over the joins as they are of course at the lowest part of the facets. Would I bevbetter using a sponge to get down into the facets ?
Did you end up testing the Mapei flex color? I'm about to use it on a shower and was wondering how it would hold up.
I am intrigued by metallic epoxy grout sealant; the kind that's applied with a double tube caulk gun. I would love to see a test video like this about that stuff.
Any chance you have any experience using it, have opinions on it or have any advice concerning it?
laticrete permacolor , one of my favs. Ultra smooth
Do you seal it? And dont all grouts have a "cure time" recommended to cure before agressive cleaning?
I just bought the polyblend charcoal color grout but after reading the reviews that the color becomes lighter after it dries, I’m looking to return it. I don’t know if it’s user error but seems very common on the reviews
Have used tec powergrout more than any other brand. You have to spread less at a time than any other because of how fast it sets. But you can have light traffic after a few hours and it is very hard when cured.
Not a bad floor grout but I find the white power grout is to gritty for tight joints and I have had problems with specks of black or grey Silva sand, in the white grout, very annoying? I like maipie unsanded with the additive you use instead of water
For a mosaic glass backsplash, can I just use the "Mapei mosaic & glass tile mortar" thin set that I put it up with, to grout? Seems like a better option, with it's adhesive quality and elasticity
I am a little confused. I always use a grout penetration water proofing to seal my grout in showers and wet areas. So I don’t look at water proofing ability but rather open time, ease of use, color results. I have bought grout that looks one color on the package but is entirely different when used as directed. Mapei’s charcoal looks light grey when dried. Their warm gray looks white. So I tend to take that into consideration.
My favorite grout tool is the one next to me when I need it. Lol
Our company quite using Mapei Ultracolor Plus because it was washing out of the joint when wet.
What did you switch to?
Looking for advice....going to do Satori 24x24x3/4 outdoor pavers. We have 4-season weather. Looking for recommendations for mortar & grout. Thinking Ardex X 77 and Ardex FL Grout.
Over the past year I've been grouting with bostik. I'm hoping it performs as well as it is easy to install. Have you done any test on bostik vivid?
What would happen to the shower if u leave the soft grout in it? Should it be removed and put a harder grout?