Do I really have to grout between ceramic floor tiles?

[Ray]

I'm planning a 38" x 61" tile project just inside the front entrance. The design of the 6x6 tiles is such that they look very good in direct contact with each other. Being just inside the front door, they will get wet when people enter from a rainy outside. The concern is that water will get into the spaces between the tiles and wet and weaken the adhesive below.

They will be laid on a concrete slab that's in direct contact with the soil. I don't think there is any chance of the slab ever reaching freezing, here in central New Jersey.

So should I grout (and seal) merely to prevent water from getting beneath the tiles?

Thanks

Ray

[trader4]

"So should I grout (and seal) merely to prevent water from getting beneath the tiles? "

What's the alternative to grout? I've never seen tile installed without grout. Not only would it look stupid, the spaces between the tiles would become a dirt trap.

[yaofeng]

Of course you do. Follow installation instructions. I hope you are not trying to change practices which have been well established and proven to work.

[John Hines]

Yep. Use an un-sanded grout for narrow joint gaps.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

No one can make you grout them. If you want to live with dirt and shit between the tiles, that is your choice to make. Some people put a compost pile in the back yard far from the house. Stupid when you can have it right in your front entry where your guests can enjoy it.

[Ken]

Normally there is a lot of effort expended in putting down ceramic tile. Failure to follow the procedures means that effort may be for naught. The call is yours, but I would not want to remove tiles I had laid down because they started to come up or were so filled with dirt I could not stand them. This does not even address the cost of the materials you might waste.

[John Grabowski]

Laticrete makes a grout that seals itself from stains and the color doesn't fade. You can buy it at Lowes. Check out the specs:

[Ray]

Thanks, all. I will grout.