Tile grout

[maewang99]

I need to retile my bathroom floor, which includes a large shower stall area that we are always having to scrub until the grout is gone.

Thai's do not use a grout sealant?

anyone have any expertise on this?

I have tried to look for grout sealant, i.e. Global House, but have never found it.

this is to reduce mold.

[ukrules]

Where does this mold come from anyway ? I have a clear water tank on my Dolce Gusto coffee maker and noticed a kind of greenish looking algae growing on the bottom of it.

The thing is I have only ever used bottled mineral water in my coffee maker, it's very annoying. Is it something in the air ?

[beachproperty]

Here in Thailand its a continual problem ......mold. I brought a product from America called "Tilex" which when sprayed on moldy tiles clears it off. It contains bleach.

So if you just spray (instead of scrub ....like my wife wants to do) a diluted form of bleach on the tiles where the mold is ....it will disappear. Smells like crap (bleach ... for awhile)but gets the job done!

Good luck!

[namdocmai]

First make sure the floors have a good slope, 1 cm on a metre is a thumbrule.

Then make sure the groutpaste is pretty liquid so it really goes deep between/under the tiles.

Let the grout dry slowly to avoid cracks.

Then i treated my floor with a chemical that makes stones waterproof. Homepro sells it.

There are more additives for grout in Europe, the Thai grout is always a problem.

[GaryB1263]

Most of the problems in my condo are grout related. Definitely use a sealer. It's not too late. Tilex is #1 in America but it is a bleach solution. In time it will cause a problem with your grout. Bleach(acid) and grout(cement=carbonates) do not mix.

[nputman]

Use acrylic sealant, vinegar will help with mold problems.

[neverdie]

First make sure the floors have a good slope, 1 cm on a metre is a thumbrule.

He's just re-grouting, I'm not sure he's going to change the slope of the shower floor in the process.

[kannot]

The "real" solution is harder work but I do it EVERY time I shower, dry the walls and all fittings afterwards, this way grouting will last 10+ years. I often use the towel Ive dried myself on as I wash them daily anyway but a microfibre cloth can do it too or better a cotton towel

[kannot]

First make sure the floors have a good slope, 1 cm on a metre is a thumbrule.

He's just re-grouting, I'm not sure he's going to change the slope of the shower floor in the process.

Keep up ND........

"I need to retile my bathroom floor,"

[Rooo]

Moved to housing.

[neverdie]

First make sure the floors have a good slope, 1 cm on a metre is a thumbrule.

He's just re-grouting, I'm not sure he's going to change the slope of the shower floor in the process.

Keep up ND........

"I need to retile my bathroom floor,"

Ohh holy c r a p. My bad and my apologies sir !

In that case, I have a small suggestion about the mouldy grout.

If the OP is retiling and despite the fact he has t mentioned what surface (I'm assuming concrete), consider taking a few weeks to allow the bare floor to dry out completely and apply a really good sealant before the tiles go,down.. I understand you may have already done this, but I have seen many of a festering floor under the tiles and continually damp concrete underneath I won't help.

I have found that, bi-yearly I regrout, as I often spray onto the floor and the chemicals eventually damage the grout in any case. But I don't have mould problems either. I can't remember the name of the wet sealant we used but it almost looked like fibreglass after it was applied.

[eyecatcher]

The "real" solution is harder work but I do it EVERY time I shower, dry the walls and all fittings afterwards, this way grouting will last 10+ years. I often use the towel Ive dried myself on as I wash them daily anyway but a microfibre cloth can do it too or better a cotton towel

Haha, you sound like my mother.

When I go back to the uk and stay with her, she makes me wipe down the walls and enclosure before I get out.

I always complain....but you know I refitted all her bathroom 5yrs ago and it looks as pristine now as it did then.

Regarding grout, it is imperative that you get a grout with a mould inhibitor already mixed in.

Use that and you are off to a good start.

Next on the floor never never use white,cream....the lightest colour you should go with is cement grey, better still dark grey, brown then durt, mould cAn't be seen. Its there but to you its not.

Next keep your tiles large and your joints thin, 3mm max, the job looks better and grout lines look near and less chance of mould attack.

The mould is the spores in the air that come to life in condensation. They are in the atmosphere all the time but condensation, steam,lack of ventilation is the catalyst for them to settle and multiply on a cooler surface.

Shower wall bottom corners are usually the first place of attack then the lower three tile courses and is if you have a plastic curtain it will not be long before it goes pink.

To clean it is easy. I always used to use an old toothbrush, dip in bleach and run up and down the joint lines. It will kill and clear black mould in 30mins.

Regarding tile sealants, only really necessary with a natural tile finish such as travertine, which is rough and open pored., for ceramic glazed tiles there is no need for a sealant unless you really are a lazy layabout cleaner, but when you see the cost you may think twice.

There was a product on the market called a grout pen. The idea was with dirty grout to run in up and down, like a felt tip pen, but I will tell you what a hideous mess they easily achieved, forget them. If you need to regrout, then rake out with the proper tool and redo.

And I disagree with advice above about making grout sloppy. Grout is not an adhesive its a grout to stop any slight lateral movement of the tiles should there be any differential expansion coefficients.

It should be mixed to a paste and pushed into the joint, thereafter you can achieve a smooth finish.

OP you should have posted on the diy forum in the first place!

[angelsephemera]

Clean with bleach, the specialised grout cleaners are basically bleach anyway.

[malcolminthemiddle]

Cotto, among others, do a mold resistant grout, don't they?

[eyecatcher]

Cotto, among others, do a mold resistant grout, don't they?

Yes malcolm they probably do, as do every other grout and adhesive manufacturer in the world.....which is why I suggested it as being priority just 2 posts before yours!

Keep up mate!