Just completed another marathon tiling job, this time ceramic tiles to the walls in a new kitchen, 460 tiles, and a lot of hours !
I have spaced the tiles 3mm up from worktops (using standard 3mm tile spacers which were used throughout)
There are 2 options for the finish .. Grout the joint at the same time as grouting the tiles, or fill the gap with silicone.
What is the considered best practise for the joint between tiles & worktop ?
Rick
It depends on whether you expect there to be movement or not.
I have granite worktops and they have not moved at all. The gap to the worktop was grouted, but then a thin bead of clear silicone run over it - effectively invisible.
Otherwise, silicone is probably a better option.
What colour grout and sealant (and for that matter tiles) do you have in mind? White grout is generally a bad idea because it will discolour. Light grey, if it goes with the tiles, is a better option. It's also worth sealing the grout with Lithofin Stainstop. This will prevent discolouration and make wiping and cleaning much easier. Not cheap, but very good and you don't need much.
.andy
To email, substitute .nospam with .gl
... tell me more about "Lithofin Stainstop" not come across this.
Is it easy to apply. does it affect the tile or just soak in to grout ?
The wall tiles are various rustic shades of brown ... if I siliconed the bottom I would choose a matching colour to the grout.
But like your comment on grouting, then running thin bead of clear silicone, don't expect any movement.
Rick
I would go for a good quality silicone, as grout will very likely crack. The tiler who did our kitchen used silicone for this, and it still looks pristine some 10 years later.
I used White Silicone, and also used masking tape above (vert), and below (horiz) the joint to provide a neat finish as my tiles were dark green. Still Ok approx 12 yrs later. Tom
I'd recommend the same Nail and Seal that I recommended for glueing skirting boards to the walls. It's great stuff for this sort of work.
Silicone forced into the joint, low modulus neutral cure. Use masking tape to get a perfect finish. Use your finger to smudge silicone across into the grout lines if needed.
J.B.
I do a lot of tiling and silicone every time, grout will eventually powder and break off
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