Hi I have had a lime stone floor laid in the bath room by a very competent tiler.It is the second floor/wall he has laid and the first one is beautiful.
The second floor/wall was laid on Bal white flexible base in June and the walls were done 3 weeks ago, All the tiles were grouted with bal limestone grout at the same time and here is the problem,85% of the joints are near to cement colour with the remaining 15% consisting of 8% white lime stone and the rest cement colour I have had people in to look at it and it has been confirmed it is not efforvescent salts. It has ruined a very expensive Bathroom It has been suggested that it is removed and re done but I consider the upheaval,mess,dust and possible damage to the tiles could be too much to be taken on any ideas greatly appreciated

Have you contacted BAL..?

Did you keep any of the grout packaging for reference codes/stock no./production dates etc.
As per administration (Dave) put it back to Bal as you will no doubt be in a long queue with reference to Limestone grout.

Yes awaiting lab test

Yes put to Bal and awaiting lab test I have all packaging adhesive and grout with all relevant batch and cod numbers

ive had the same problem with this grout, could be over wetting the grout, could be adhesive bleeding through the joint, or it could be a bad batch of grout...........i would give bal a ring first

Hi Bal have been contacted and awaiting lab report, Not over wetting as un wetted samples are the same. Adhesive was dry ( see time before grout was applied)

Smokey, click your authorisation email, then your posts will not have to moderated / approved.

OK Dave all done

Please let me know if in any way I can bleach the Grout?

Just read other similar threads and it has not given me much confidence with the Bal product. I hasten to add the other floor was grouted with Norcross

who supplied the grout smokey? and why was the switch from Norcross to bal made?

Hi Doug the first floor was last year and I bought the Norcross limestone grout. Now I am not an expert in this field and when the tiler said he would pick up a couple of bags of lime stone grout I never thought any more about it and as it was in a different part of the house a slight variation in overall limestone would not have been a problem but this is a different matter. he is a very reliable Guy and is devastated by it

I'm sure he is smokey, I've personally never had a problem with bal grout, apart from the price.

Can i ask, was the grout the super flex one..?

Dave Hi Yes it was Superflex wide joint

Ok, thought so.. this grout has been known to have probs with drying patchy from reports that we get.. I do hope that BAL sort this for you.. please do let us know the outcome.

OK will do

Hi all just to update you all on he bal grout, I have been promised the lab report on the product to-morrow 29th Nov so I will advise you all accordingly.

regards Smokey

Originally Posted by smokey

Hi all just to update you all on he bal grout, I have been promised the lab report on the product to-morrow 29th Nov so I will advise you all accordingly.

regards Smokey

That will be interesting..

Well Gentlemen the report was thorough and after going through all the checks Bal confirmed there was nothing wrong with the product and the colour of my batch and my sample of dried grout matched the colour for this product and Bal showed via photographs a sample matching mine. As a Iso 900 company the procedure followed was correct. So what was the cause of patchy grout? the answer is I do not know.I can only guess at possibilities but cannot be certain. One thing I do know and would recommend to any person having any visual finish at all is to have samples of the finished product before committing to them.

Certainly even if the grouting was unblemished the limestone colour between manufactures can vary enormously So moving forward does any one know if as the grouting is slightly recessed about 2 mm could I re grout to this depth with a different colour,? removing the grout is out of the question.
Or could I bleach in any way the grout to lighten the colour?

Thank you

The response i thought you would get....

IMO it is probs down to too much water when washing off but as said above this particular grout has had some not so good reports on here..

So.. 2mm is too shallow to get a true grip imo.. your best bet is to recolour it.. Mapei Fuga fresca will do the job..

Fuga Fresca is a polymer paint for bringing back the colour of cementitious grouted joints in floors and decorated surfaces.
Applications:
Fuga Fresca may also be used to eliminate irregularities in the colour of joints caused, for example, by incorrect application of the mortar, or to eliminate unsightly stains caused during use.
Fuga Fresca helps to obtain joints with a uniform colour, which absorb less water and which are easier to clean.
Technical data:
Colours: 26.
Application: by brush or directly from the canister.

http://www.mapei.com/public/GB/produ...20fesca_gb.pdf