How To Grout Your Tile And Stone

More and more homeowners are experiencing the satisfaction of repairing their tile and grout. The high cost of labor for even small jobs, has driven people to the stores looking for tile, materials, products and information.

This is GREAT! Why shouldn't homeowners learn to tile and grout?

I've seen many new homes with completed ceramic tile jobs that have made the hair on the back of my neck stand up in fright ... especially tract homes where the bottom line for the developer is speed and corners to cut. So the more we learn about the different trades and the applications and techniques thereof, the better we will recognize a well performed and finished product to be proud of.

With this in mind, here are some grouting techniques to install in your memory banks for your next tile or stone job around the house.

Whether you have laid new tile or have scraped out the grout from an existing tiled area, make sure you clean the grout joints thoroughly and have taped off the areas you don't want the grout to "spill over." Wiping grout off of sealed cabinets and semi or glossy paints, won't hurt those materials if you use care when wiping, but sometimes a little labor invested in taping adjacent areas will make the job easier in the long run.

When the grout joints are clean and ready to fill; mix the powdered grout with clean water and according to the package specifications. The grout should be lump-free with a consistency that will not easily pour out of the bucket.

Use the appropriate grout for your application. A non-sanded grout should be used for grout joints that are 1/8" and smaller in widths, while sanded grouts are to be used in joints which are larger. Typically you'll find the smaller grout joints filled with the non-sanded grout in the bathroom and shower areas.

Use some latex gloves to protect your hands and with a grout float held at a 30-45 degree angle, spread the grout firmly into the grout joints. Don't worry about the mess on the tiles as this will clean up with your sponge at the proper time. Some areas that are hard to float, you can force the grout into the joint by hand. When all the joints are filled completely, scrape the excess grout off the tiles by holding the float at an almost 90 degree angle and pulling diagonally across the joints so you don't remove grout from the joints. Put all the remaining grout back in the bucket.

Allow the grout to set for about 10 minutes then with a clean bucket of water and grout sponge, lightly wipe the tiles with a damp sponge (not a dripping sponge). Always wipe with a clean side of the sponge, flip the sponge over and wipe another section, then rinse the sponge clean. The initial sponging wipes most of the unwanted grout from the surface. The second sponging smoothes and neatens the joints and the third cleans the haze or residue from the tile. Always allow a few minutes between the three sponging cycles as this will allow the grout time to properly set. Remember, you don't want water from the sponge to puddle on the grout as this weakens and deforms the consistency.

Lastly, a final wipe will smooth any remaining high spots in the grout joints and clean the tiles of the remaining haze. After the grout dries, you can polish the tile with cheesecloth or a soft cotton cloth to remove any remaining residue. Nice Job!

Copyright 2006 Grout Getter Company

Landscaping Around Your Mailbox

Aggregates can be fine or coarse. Fine aggregate is usually sand although other materials may be substituted. The ideal sand for concrete contains particles that vary uniformly in size from very fine grit up to 4 in. When landscaping around your mailbox the gradation from fine to coarse is important because the finer particles fill the spaces between the larger pieces.

Gravel, crushed stone, pebbles and slag are coarse aggregates that are a minimum of ¼ in. in size. As you can see, therefore, there is a constant gradation in aggregate size ranging from the very finest aggregates in the sand to the coarsest in the gravel. Larger sizes in coarse aggregate can go up.

The reasoning behind the gradation of particle size in both fine and coarse aggregates is as follows: If all particles were large, a cross section of the pour would resemble a wall of Ping-pong balls. If, on the other hand, the cross section included marbles, beads, buckshot and BBs in addition to Ping-pong balls, the smaller items would fill the spaces between the larger The cement paste, in addition to coating all the particles, would fill the most minute openings and the result would be a solid, dense mass with maximum strength.

After being taken from a natural source of supply, aggregates are screened, graded and mixed in proper proportion. Fine or coarse, all must be clean and free of all other matter. Any strange material in the mix (clay, loam, vegetable matter) will keep the cement paste from doing its job. If impurities are present the mix will be porous after hardening and have lower than standard strength values. The aggregates must be hard and durable for landscaping around your mailbox if the concrete is to be likewise. If they are soft, flaky or at all soluble, they won't do a good job. The only exception is in lightweight concrete mixes where porous aggregates are used to minimize weight.

All the ingredients described may be purchased separately or already mixed. Buying separately in bulk may be a good idea when you have a variety of projects that require different types of mixes, but where the projects are general small walls, patio slabs, walks, etc. it's a better idea to buy a "concrete mix", specifying the largest size aggregate you wish to have. This will be delivered dry (probably a 1 yd. minimum load) but with the proper proportions of fine and coarse aggregates thoroughly mixed. You add the cement and water.

For small landscaping around your mailbox jobs you can buy ready-mix products in sack containers. Some of these are 90-pounders (a cubic foot), others 60-pounders. Mortar mixes, concrete mixes, grout, pointing mortar, sand, gravel, stone-all may be purchased this way. But this is not the easiest or the most economical way to buy large quantities. Where you have a big slab to pour or a long walk, it's best to consider calling in a ready-mix truck. With this setup you get not only the aggregates, but the cement and water all thoroughly mixed and ready to pour when the truck arrives at the project site.