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Tips for Grouting Tiles

Tile Spacer Before you can begin grouting your bathroom tiles  you need to have a quick tidy up, but only begin to have tidy up if the tile adhesive has dried and has a firm grip on the tiles. It would be advised that you check the manufactures drying times. If the adhesive has dried then you can begin by wiping off any excess adhesive and give the adhesive some more time to set just to be sure. The plastic spacers which you have used to give the tiles equal distance apart need to be removed using pliers. Finally the tiles need to be checked for any adhesive that has got on the tiles and this needs to be taken off with a scraper if any has. Read on to find out more about grouting tiles.

How To Grout Tiles

After you have given the tiles a tidy you can begin to grout. Firstly you need to mix the tile grout. This should be done by following the manufactures instructions because grout can be mixed with either water or alternately a latex mixer, but mostly water is used. Remember that if you use water do not use warm water because this will set the grout before it’s in the joints. Once the grout is mixed you need to take about one hand full at a time and start from the corner of the room and work backwards putting the grout down then spread it out using a grout spreader. You need to be spreading the grout diagonally across the tiles and using the spreader tool at a 45 degree angle; this ensures that the grout gets into the joints.

Grouting Tiles

The third step is making sure that the grout is in the joints. Make sure you know the drying times for the grout if not then you should check the back of the packaging before starting to wipe off the excess grout. Once the grout has dried and you have left ample time from the manufacturers guidelines then it is time to wash off the excess grout. This is done by using a damp wet sponge, the sponge needs to be kept clean and regularly rinsed out. Then to clean the tiles off just pull the sponge lightly across each tile at right angles only. Finally just make sure you have got all the excess grout off because once dried the excess grout will damage the tile. This happens when the grout on the tile dries and removes the surface off the tiles. When the water has dried off the tiles then polish off using a dry cloth. It is highly recommended that you use a waterproof seal; this is done by running a bead of sealant around the key areas such as the bath and sink. This guideline is used for the re-grouting process also, the only other step for you to take would be the removal of the previous grout with a razor blade and it would make life easier to moisten the joints beforehand. Two other tips would be do not put any leftover grout in your drain because it will harden and block your drain, also use a waterproof grout is recommended for a bathroom. To keep your tiles looking pristine you may be interested to read our blog on How to Clean your Grout.