What are the criteria for choosing a grout for tiles?
Claiming that using a grout can achieve a unique design, we do not depart from the truth. Well, you can judge for yourself how many types and brands of tiles there are, and what variety manufacturers of grouts offer you. It is unlikely that someone will have exactly the cladding that you have chosen, in combination with the clay that you have acquired.
And you can choose the latter, based not only on practical considerations, but also on decorative qualities. So, the composition of the grout is divided into epoxy and cement, and for each listed species there is a modified version. Factors that also need to be addressed are the rate of hardening, resistance to chemicals and the formation of high temperatures.
Never use the traditional old method of joint processing, according to the principle of "the stronger the tile, the more we make the grouting", this method has long been considered unreliable.
Also the grout for tiles differs in color. If you need a neutral color, take the usual cement mixture, with the plasticizer as a filler, if you want, you can add a pigment to your taste or choose colored coatings.
By the way, you can offer different colors and halftones to several thousand. Creating your own shade, for the color of the tile, do not rush to smear the composition immediately after obtaining the desired tone, first prepare a little mixture and apply to the tile, wait for drying, if the color is the same, get to work.
How to use trowel for tile joints?
In principle, the coating of tiles does not differ from similar processing of the same porcelain stoneware or glass lining. In any dish that you think is suitable, mix with the water the contents of the package, if it comes to cement grouting, or carefully turn into a homogeneous mass of components of epoxy coating. Especially it is necessary to pay attention to the combined facing, from several colors, in this case and grout it is necessary to do portions of different shades .
When the mixture is ready( there are no lumps, the consistency corresponds to thick sour cream, and when the pigment is added the color is uniform), we take a plastic or rubber spatula and begin to push the resulting mass into the spaces between the tiles, trying to fill them to the full depth. Be prepared for the fact that the trowel for the tile joints is smeared on the tile, until the time has come to grasp the composition, it does not threaten, you will have time to clean the surface of the cladding.
How to clean the tile from the grout and make the stitches beautiful?
So, all the cracks between the tiles are filled, but how to clean the tile from the grout, if it is almost completely, with the exception of its central part, covered with the divorces of the drying finish. To begin with, the work on the seams is not over yet, we need to give them a beautiful look.
To do this, we take a thick cable or at least insulation from it and, laying it on the length of the coating, filling the gaps in the lining, we carry out along the seam with light pressure. It turns out slightly recessed neat seam. If the composition was cement, treat it with a special hydrophobic impregnation .
And now it's time to start cleaning up, or rather preparing for it. We give time to slightly harden the seam, while warming up the water and adding vinegar to it to get its 8% solution. Next, we arm ourselves with soft rags and a sponge, and begin to rub the remains of the grout carefully from the tile, while trying not to damage the seams.
Moisture is not afraid of moisture at this stage, but do not abuse the abundance of water, so the rag and sponge should only be moistened, and do not spray around the vinegar solution.