Grout problem in shower area

[SJPurdy]

If the humidity in the room was very dry after applying the grout then this could cause the surface setting of the grout to be weak. I have seen this with floor grout when a dehumidifier has been left running after grouting - but I doubt this is the cause here as the result is much more severe. At one time in the distant past there was a recommendation (by a manufacturer) to spray over the grout (after grouting) to keep it hydrated when grouting highly vitrified tiles.

The accurate ratio mixing of grout baffles me a bit because if grouting porcelain then the ratio will remain the same in the applied grout. However if grouting an absorbant bodied tile then water will be sucked out of the applied grout changing the waterowder ratio!

 

[J Sid]

Good idea! Yesterday BAL told me to mix a small amount on to a scrap tile which I did. This morning when Topps visited, the grout softened when made wet just like the grout lines.
So I pinched the wife's scales, put on a small mixing bowl and set the scales to 0. I added 4 grams cold water, then grout to take it up to 24 grams so 4 grams water 20 grams grout 5:1 ratio. I have put the mix thinly next to the first sample. It will be interesting to see what it is like tomorrow.
Does anybody mix grout this accurately?

if you still have some of this grout do a test and mix as instructed and see what happens.
if you get the same result then you are prepared when you get the answer from them you are expecting

 

[Jon B]

Thanks SJPurdy but the humidity was nothing unnatural and there wasn't any heating in the room for a few days either. Coincidentally the BAL adviser made the same comment about spraying the grout if the tiles are absorbent. But I have done a lot of travertine which I assume is absorbent without this problem.
I get the point about the ratio, I am equally baffled but it is their get out clause if they want it.
The Topps manager commented that my porcelain tiles were "biscuit" on the back, which I think means they are more absorbent clay, so yes they would change the ratio anyway. He didn't think I would need to re-grout outside the wet area but I will need the same grout even if it is a fresh bag.

 

[Andy Allen]

Bal.....25 year guarantee!

This means they will spend 25 years guaranteeing they will find a way of it not being there fault !!!

 

[Flintstone]

I'm glad I vowed not to use bal about 7 years ago.

 

[Italy]

what to say?
bal in my dialect, means?
the usual word in Italian .....

 

[Ian]

what to say?
bal in my dialect, means?
the usual word in Italian .....

BAL is 'building adhesives limited' a British adhesive company.

 

[Italy]

BAL is 'building adhesives limited' a British adhesive company.

bal, in my dialect, means balls

 

[Dumbo]

bal, in my dialect, means balls

Thats about right

 

[Tile Shop]

This is a BAL get out that I used to hear quite often....... "We have analysed the sample and the mix was contaminated". They never said what with!

Even after people used new buckets, mixers, grout floats. They always found something in it that shouldn't be in there and it was every time we raised an issue to them. There was quite alot when the Superflex Wide Joint grout first came out.

Luckily though, not been sent any BAL problems for a very long time.