Grouting Help

[PhilÃÂÂÂ]

Hello

My Shower room (4 months on..)

Now ma happy nearly have all the tiles on the walls, just need a grouting hand.

I have some ready mixed grout (never done grouting before..)

I have been told to get a sponge and get some on, then push it in the cracks and wipe away,. Then after a small time??? wet the sponge to get a nice smooth finish, then after some more time, with a damp sponge wipe the crap off the tiles??

The problem is I don't know much about these times.

I am thinking wait about 30 mins then with wet sponge smooth the grouting???

Then a few days before wiping off the tiles (with wet or dry cloth?)

Any help at this great stage is much appreciated?

Many Thanks Phil

[John Rumm]

I am no tiling expert, but can describe what worked for me...

Make sure it is proper grout, and not a "Tile'n'Grout" (if it is then throw it away NOW!). Bal or Nicobond are reputable makes. The powdered ones are actually very easy to use as well, so don't be afraid of going that route either.

I would recommend a decent grouting float. Say:

are like a plasterers float, but with a surface made from squeegy rubber on a foam base. They let you squeeze the grout into the gaps very quickly, but at the same time wipe pretty much all of the residue off the face of the tiles as you go. So you pick up some grout on the corner of the float, slap it into the joints, and then clean off the face of the tiles using the edge of the float like a squeegy (the accumulated gunk can then be used for grouting adjacent tiles, or returned to the mixing pot and reused that way.

Its probably better to work by area, say 1 sq meter at a time. Put the grout on, wiping the excess off the tiles as you go with the float. By the time you have done that much the first bit will be starting to go off. using a slightly damp sponge wipe along the grout lines, leaving a smooth finish.

Dry will do fine. Kitchen roll will save you needing loads of clean cloths. The very thin film of grout left after the float and sponge will basically brush off.

If you want a nice concave finish to you your grouting, then Wickes sell what is basically a rubber finger. You can use to draw along the grout lines before sponging, and it will give a even concave finish. (I also found one quite useful for getting a pleasing profile on silicone sealant when used with masking tape guides as per the uk.d-i-y FAQ).