The choice of tile grout, its types, selection according to the color and characteristics of the tile, leading manufacturers of the material. Tile grout is a special mixture designed to fill the joints between tiles. It is supplied in the form of a paste or powder, and before use it is mixed with a liquid to a thick consistency. By filling the gaps between tiles, the grout frames, supports and protects the edges. When pressed firmly into the seams, the material counteracts the penetration of water under the finish, increasing the tightness of the coating. The calculation of the consumption of grout for tiles is made according to special formulas or using online calculators on the Internet.
Features of the selection of grout according to the characteristics of the tile
Grouting mixtures that are used for tiling are divided into several types: cement-based grouting, based on synthetic resins, sealing compounds. Here is a brief description of them:
- Cement … The basis of such grouts is Portland cement. To give them certain properties, various additives are additionally introduced into the composition. They can slow down the process of polymerization of the material, increase its plasticity or give the mixture any shade.
- Synthetic … The basis of synthetic grouts is epoxy or furan resins. Such mixtures are distinguished by a variety of different additives and a rich gamut of colors, which allows them to be matched to any tile.
- Sealing … These formulations are made on the basis of silicone. They are also presented in a wide range of colors, however, due to their quick wear, they are not particularly popular.
The physical characteristics of the tiles significantly influence the choice of grout required to seal the joints between the cladding elements. When grouting a mosaic, for example, you should be aware that the color of the grout can have a significant effect on its perception, and in some cases it itself can be seen through glass mosaic tiles.
Therefore, for the treatment of the seams of such a facing, it is desirable to use translucent compositions. These properties are possessed by an epoxy-based grout. It is especially good for finishing swimming pools and other wet areas.
In addition, the choice of grout depends on the condition of the tile edges. Seamless tiles are laid at a minimum distance of 1-2 mm from each other, and for products with uneven edges, a wide seam is required. Each type of colored tile grout has a permissible joint size, this must be taken into account when buying piece material. The market has a huge amount of grout for laying tiles with a seam of 1-2 mm, 3-6 mm, 3-15 mm, etc.
The surface condition of the tile also influences the choice of mix for the treatment of its joints. If the coating is embossed or very porous, for example, terracotta, then it would be the best option when buying to carefully study the manufacturer's instructions or call his support service. All factories have technical centers whose employees answer various questions.
Some types of grout during installation can damage the delicate coating of the tiles. For example, gold can scratch a cement-sandy composition, and epoxy grout removed at the wrong time gets into the pores of terracotta tiles.
The main types of tile grout
In order to choose the best grout for tiles, you need to know their properties, scope and manufacturers of these products. Therefore, below we will consider each of the types of mixtures in more detail.
Cement Tile Grout
Trowelable cement mixes are divided into two categories: cement-based mixes and sand-cement compositions. Mixes of the first category consist exclusively of cement with various additives. Cement compounds are diluted with liquid latex or water. Such grouting is used for processing tile joints with a width of less than 4 mm. Its exact value is always indicated in the manufacturer's instructions.
Mixes of the second category contain sand, which gives them strength during solidification. It can have a different grain size, on which the width of the joint between the tiles filled with grout depends. With its large width, large sand particles are used, respectively, with a small one - small ones. Sand-cement grout is used for wide joints larger than 5 mm. Its color scheme is not rich. Due to the fact that the color is dictated by the materials, the mixture is most often white or gray. Due to the presence of abrasive material in the composition of the sand grout, it is not recommended to use it for glazed or marble tiles.
Cement grouting is of low cost. High-quality material has a price of 700-1200 rubles. for 25 kg of the mixture. This amount is enough for processing 50-100 m2 cladding made of tiles measuring 330x330 mm. Tiled cement grout is easy to prepare and can always be replaced, even after 10 years of repair. However, despite the presence of positive properties, such mixtures have significant disadvantages:
- Cement tile grout is prone to cracking. In this case, moisture, dirt and microorganisms that form mold can get into the seams of the lining.
- Any cement grout will absorb moisture. Many latex compounds are advertised as water resistant. But at this time on the market there is no completely waterproof grout of this type that can prevent the ingress of moisture from the cladding to the base. Sooner or later it will happen anyway. It's just that ordinary grout can lose its properties 5 years earlier than a mixture with additives.
- Cement grout is not suitable for cladding walls in contact with a chemically aggressive environment. Its use is undesirable even for the device of kitchen aprons, which are often exposed to special detergents, blood or acids. The same applies to the working areas of food production, shops and other facilities where the tile cement grout comes into contact with aggressive substances.
However, these mixes have been successfully used in home renovations, and are great for tiles on the floors and walls of bathrooms, kitchens, corridors, balconies and terraces.
The most popular are litokol, Ceresit and Mapei tile grout. These manufacturers provide the highest quality products for their products.
Synthetic tile grout
As mentioned above, these grouts are based on epoxy or furan resins. The first type of grout, in addition to epoxy resin, includes a hardener and pigments. These substances, when polymerizing the composition in tile joints, make them resistant to moisture and chemicals.
Not so long ago, epoxy grout was used only for the needs of production due to the complexity of working with the compositions and their high price. Modern two-component mixtures have become quite acceptable for most outdoor and indoor applications, as well as home interiors.
Epoxy grout has many more advantages than disadvantages:
- They practically do not absorb water. By using epoxy grout for tiles in the bathroom, you can be sure that fungus or mold will not appear under the cladding.
- The material is resistant to sudden temperature fluctuations. It can be used both indoors and outdoors.
- Epoxy grouts are highly resistant to chemicals. For this reason, they are often used for cladding surfaces that are in contact with aggressive media, be it an apron for a house stove or an electroplating bath for etching metal in production.
- Tile joints filled with epoxy grout will not fade - it will not have to be changed for at least 3 years.
- The seam material is very elastic. This allows the use of grouting when facing surfaces subject to deformation: plywood, chipboard and others.
The disadvantages of epoxy grout include:
- High material cost … A five-kilogram jar of such grout costs about 5,000 rubles. If the tile size is 600x600 mm, then it will be enough for 50 m2 cladding. In addition to this, you will need special sponges, grout cleaners and spatulas.
- Difficulty of work … In the process of adding a hardener to the mixture, it is necessary to observe the proportions of materials with great accuracy, otherwise the epoxy grout for tiles will turn out to be of poor quality. If it remains ready for a certain time in a bucket, it may harden and become unusable for further work. It is impossible to dilute it again.
Furan-based grouting grouts are absolutely water-free, as they are made by reacting furanol with furfuritic alcohol. They are the most resistant to chemicals and even strong acids.
The process of using furan mixtures is quite complicated: before grouting, the tiles must be covered with a layer of wax, and the remains of the mixture must be immediately removed with hot steam. Most often, such grouts are black and are used in production.
Tile Sealers
These include silicone-based sealants and seals, which are highly elastic and are used instead of moisture-resistant tile grout in expansion joints to isolate the facing plane from other coatings or structures. The service life of sealing compounds is much shorter than that of grouting. In the past, matching the color of a high-quality insulating compound was problematic. Sealants stained the cladding heavily, so tilers avoided using them and preferred to grout the joints. Today, sand and cement sealants come in a wide range of colors to suit any surface.
Modern sealants are easy to install and can be easily removed with water from the surface of the tiles. Thanks to the sand included in their composition, the mixtures create an elastic seam almost identical to any grout. When choosing a plastic compound, it is important to know that there is no silicone grout for tiles in principle. There is a silicone sealant, but they should not try to grind the seams, since it only serves to fill them, sealing the joints of the cladding with plumbing fixtures in places with high humidity.
Tile grout color matching
Today in specialized stores you can find tile grout of all kinds, from ordinary white mixtures to quality products from well-known brands.
Using a suitable composition, you can not only perform reliable insulation of the cladding joints, but also give the interior of the room a finished look. In this case, colored grout can become a full-fledged part of the decor.
For example, if you choose it to match the color of the tile, you can get the effect of a monolithic coating at the output. Or vice versa: by choosing a grout that is contrasting in color and no less bright than the tile, you can create an original decor that perfectly complements the interior of the room.
To save time when purchasing materials, tiles and grout should be purchased at the same time. If the tile has already been purchased, it is necessary to have a sample of it in the store with you in order to compare and select a mixture of a suitable shade for sealing joints.
However, it happens that the owner still does not know which grout to choose for the tile. For this, there are general recommendations, which can be found below:
- A light grout visually combines individual tiles into a single pattern, while a dark grout divides it into beautiful details.
- If the tiled cladding has several colors and a rather complex ornament, the grout should be selected based on the dimensions of the room. In small rooms, its color should match the lightest tiles, this will visually enlarge the room. In spacious rooms, you can use the tiled grout of the darkest color.
- For plain tiles, it is recommended to choose a grout based on the colors of the interior elements. In addition, its color should be successfully combined with the floor covering. Usually the grout is in contrast to its background.
- If the tile is laid in the form of a multi-colored mosaic, then it is not recommended to make its seams too contrasting and bright. In this case, it is better to use calm shades: beige, light gray and the like.
- It is not recommended to grind the seams of floor ceramic tiles with light mixtures, since the facing after a certain time may become expressionless, and its grouting may seem dirty.
- Many dry mixes change color during preparation, for example, Atlas tile grout. This should be taken into account.
If among the huge number of grout you have not chosen the one you need, you can always buy a mixture of white or completely colorless, which are universal for any tile.
In stores, grout colors are presented on cardboard boxes and fans in the form of glued samples. In addition, there are special layout books. You can pull out colored sticks from them and apply them to the tile, choosing the shade of the grout mixture.
If you need any special grout for tiles, then you should pay attention to epoxy mixtures with additives that create certain effects. True, in this case you will have to pay more.
The simplest is the mother-of-pearl effect. It is achieved by adding a sachet of pearlescent powder to the grout. After preparing and developing such a mixture, the seams of the tiles will shine better and shine in the light with mother-of-pearl. The cost of such an additive is 1300-1700 rubles. for one sachet containing 75-150 g of powder. It is enough for 3-5 kg of grout.
In addition to mother-of-pearl, there are additives made from silver or gold chips. In the tile joints, they shimmer with bright sparks when the cladding is illuminated. The cost of a package with a golden additive is about 2500 rubles. They are produced under the Litokol and Mapei brands.
If "gold" is not enough, you can purchase special additives for neutral grout. They give the seams a uniform color without overflowing bronze, platinum, gold or silver.
For those who love special effects, they produce glow-in-the-dark grout. For example, the photoluminescent composition Night Vision Litokol can accumulate light during the day and give it off as a blue glow at night for several hours. Such a pleasure costs 9,500 rubles for 400 g of a packaged supplement.
Leading manufacturers of tile grout
In the vast majority of specialized stores, tile grouting from the following manufacturers is currently offered for purchase: Ultracolor Plus, Ceresit, Sopro Saphir and Atlas.
Basically, the quality of their products is at the same level, although there are some peculiarities. For example, Atlas grouts are easier to mix and fill than comparable materials from other companies.
But the Ceresit tile grout is easier to remove from the cladding after finishing the processing of its seams. Therefore, the choice of a mixture depends more on its desired color than on the names of the brands listed above.
Ultracolor Plus is an excellent choice. It is a resilient and quick-drying material that can be used for tiled floors and bathrooms.
How to choose a tile grout - watch the video:
Our material today can be completed with the presentation of Sopro Saphir 5 grout. It has deservedly received recognition among numerous master tilers due to its resistance to any dirt and excellent water resistance. Happy choice to all!
