Is it OK to Tile and Grout the same day?

I'd really appreciate some advice please!

I've had a couple of quotes to do a tiling job in my bathroom.

One guy in particular seemed the most professional but there were a couple of things he said which concerned me, one of which was a technical issue.

I assumed he'd tile one day, and then return the next day (or later) to do the grouting, once the tile adhesive had time to dry out.

However, he said he'd be able to do both tiling and grouting in one day, and that it wouldn't make a noticable difference to the job. I'm a bit suspicious, but admit that I'm not aware of tiling techniques, so he could maybe be using a fast-set adhesive which dries quick enough to allow grouting quickly?

Can anyone confirm this - is it possible, or more accurately, recommended, to grout and tile the same day?

(On a slightly different note, he claims he's one of the guys the big sheds subcontract to do their tiling, and he did come recommended from a local tile warehouse)

Thanks in advance

Eno

Reply to
Eno Case
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Sure. Once the tiles grab then you can grout. The tle cement won't be wholly strong, but if its hard enough to hold teh tiles from slipping - generally an hour or two - then it can be grouterd.

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

TNP, thanks for your reply.

The reason I was wary was because I thought the moisture in the adhesive would have to dry out or evaporate or whatever, before the grout went on?

I had thought that once grouted and sealed, if the adhesive behind was still wet, then how would it ultimately dry out.

This is based on stuff I was told in the past, although this information could be wrong of course.

Eno

recommended,

Reply to
Eno Case

You can get 'quick drying' tile adhesive (3 to 4 hours till set). This is usually used by 'professionals', it is more expensive than normal stuff, but allows them to tile and grout in the same day, therefore moving onto the next job tomorrow and make more money.

The usual charge up here (West Yorks) is £20 per sq yard to fix and grout, so if you have 15 sq yards then that is £300 for the job (i.e. per day). If they have to grout tomorrow then that is £150 per day, if two men (normally) then that is £75 each per day instead of £150. Hope that makes sense, it does to me but then again I wrote it!

John

Reply to
John

Just remembered the other thing that concerned me about this tiler.

On part of the wall, there's still wallpaper - he said it'd be ok to tile straight onto that.

Is that the case, if the wallpaper is stuck fast, or is it always best just to remove the wallpaper first?

Eno

Reply to
Eno Case

That's the clincher - would be inclined to look for someone else to do the job!

Tony

Reply to
Tony Hayes

I wouldn't tile over wallpaper - the moisture in the adhesive might do 'orrible things to it.

Si

Reply to
Mungo "two sheds" Toadfoot

Is it April 1st already?

PoP

Reply to
PoP

Well it just gradually seeps out via the grout I suppose. Or into the plaster/masonry behind and then evaporates out into the room.

It just dries eventually!

I had massive condensation after plastering, even after the plaster was set properly. Took a week or two to stop weeping moisture into the air.

In fact nearly two years after the roof went on, the green oak is still drying out ...

Nothing is completely impermeable really - well none of teh more common matrials - they all 'breathe' a little.

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Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

Its prbably best to, but its no big deal.

Tiles sit there on top of each other, held up by spacers and grout. The adhesive is just enough to stop the whole shebang falling off teh wall :-)

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

Yes, it does, slightly. It softens it. Howvere once dried out teh adhesive resets and all is well.

Perhaps we had better peel the cardboard off our plasterboard before tiling?

Tiles really don't need much adhesive strength to stay up. If a tile falls OFF a wall, you can place it back where it was and mostly it doesn't fall down. It needs the merest dab of adhesive to keep it from falling down - all the vertical load is taken by the grout.

Ok its a bit differente if you are tiling up a 45 degree ceiling, or the top of a window recess or alcove..there the tile weihht IS taken by the cement. Bt Ive even done the odd one of those over what was left of a nasty plastick wallpaper in a bathroom. Top layer was peeling so I ripped it off - brown paper and glue was left. Tiled over it. No problems.

If you want to waste a couple of hundred quids worh of labour stripping it and cleaning up the mess, be my guest :-)

It sounds like this guty is balanced right on the cusp of what is acceptable quality, and minimum cost to you.

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

I've seen a tiler working in B&Q. The noticable thing was the speed. He tiled a kitchen display by the time I walked down the aisle and back but the quality of the result was not what I would like. I don't believe you can tile and grout wall tiles the same day. Floor tiles maybe, as access is required to the room they tend to use fast set adhesive but this has to be mixed from dry powder. I asked a pro who has been tiling for 25+ years and he says no way can he grout wall the same day, needs at least 24 hours in his opinion with ready mixed (even pro stuff) wall tile adhesive. Possibly longer if the wall is impervious. See tileing guide

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Reply to
BillR

Well I patched our bathroom wall with 4 tiles about a year ago. I used B&Q's rapid set adhesive and grout all in one mix. Our outer layer is laid on, I hope only, one layer of previous tiles (not by me). The patch tiles are rock solid and are right by the shower so they got wet the morning after I put them up.

Peter

Reply to
Peter Ashby

Maybe I ought to stop doing this then and think about a career change, been tiling now for 15+ years and NEVER been called back to a tile falling off. Even been back to the same houses to remove my tiling when new owners moved in and they were stuck fast!

My original answer to the question is repeted below.

You can get 'quick drying' tile adhesive (3 to 4 hours till set). This is usually used by 'professionals', it is more expensive than normal stuff, but allows them to tile and grout in the same day, therefore moving onto the next job tomorrow and make more money.

The usual charge up here (West Yorks) is £20 per sq yard to fix and grout, so if you have 15 sq yards then that is £300 for the job (i.e. per day). If they have to grout tomorrow then that is £150 per day, if two men (normally) then that is £75 each per day instead of £150. Hope that makes sense, it does to me but then again I wrote it!

John

Reply to
John

Whats this quick set tile adhesive called? I've asked at 4 tiling outlets, all used by pros, in the town where I live and none of them have a ready mixed quick dry for wall tiles. They only have quick set powder mix for floor tiles.

Reply to
BillR

Have a look here

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Ardurit S16 (Grey) or S16W (White). It is a powder that has to be mixed though.

Reply to
John

Pros would know to use quickest or speed set for a same day grout party

Reply to
Tile god

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