Help Required Urgently - Tile Advice

[Angiebeal]

Hi there, I have just joined this forum in the hope that somebody out there can shed some light on how my hubby can fix this problem.
We have just laid 30sq metres of very expensive porcelain floor tiles in our kitchen. Although not a professional tiler he has done plenty of tiling jobs at home and for friends in the past and has never come across this problem. The tiles have all been laid successfully and he has now finished the grouting. Disaster has struck!!
We purchased Bal micromax 2 in Gunmetal grey colour so to blend in with the tile colour and looked fab when wet. However all the grouting has now dried like a brilliant white colour Have read lots of forums but can't seem to find the answer to what we can do to rectify, PLEASE help!!!!!

 

[Qwerty]

I would get your tiler to resolve it. Get him to contact BAL.

Sounds like efflouresence to me. Basically it's caused when the grout is too wet, washed down too much or too early causing polymers and salts to rise to surface and deposits to white colour on the grout. Any photos?

 

[Old Mod]

It sounds very much like efflorescence, as Geoff says above.

U can generally remove it with a Phosphoric acid based tile and grout cleaner.
Obviously test small descreet area first.

 

[WetSaw]

I would get your tiler to resolve it.

The tiler is the husband so I strongly suspect he will be resolving it for the sake of marital bliss...

 

[Tommythetiler80]

Could give this a go

 

[Qwerty]

The tiler is the husband so I strongly suspect he will be resolving it for the sake of marital bliss...

Hahaha...... I completely missed the hubby part!

 

[Angiebeal]

Thank you for your advice. On the packet it says efforvescence free so I don't believe it is that although it's definetly some kinda chemical reaction. Have just spoke to tops tiles and the manager there was very helpful. He is going to contact Bal on Monday.
Meanwhile any other advice would be welcome as we are devastated.

 

[Old Mod]

On the packet it says efforvescence free so I don't believe it is that

Ask your husband if he was able to clean the floor with just a damp sponge, or did he have to have it quite wet?
Knowing MM2 and how it behaves, certainly in the heat we've been having in recent days, I'm guessing it would of been wet.

Just a little note on manufacturers spiel in our industry,
Hardie backer states its boards are impervious to water.
Indeed they are, technically, but only if you take the secondary definition of the word impervious, NOT the primary.

 

[Angiebeal]

Thanks again for all your comments. Unfortunately I seem to be no further forward. I have been told that the adhesive used ( b and q rapid set) may have reacted with the grout causing it to go white. The adhesive was allowed to dry for 36 hours although it says 3/4 hours on the pack so plenty of time allowed to let it dry.
I am at the end of my tether. There has to be an explanation and a solution to this. I will try and upload photo

 

[Angiebeal]

Here's the pic showing brilliant white grout

 

[Andy Allen]

Every grout is effervescent free providing you don't over wet it when wiping it off.
MM2 is an awful grout to use especially in hot weather......it goes off to quick and you tend to over wet it just to get the stuff off the tile.......adhesive reacting or bleeding through the joints would normally darken the grout not lighten it.

 

[WetSaw]

If you dampen the grout does it darken?

 

[Angiebeal]

If you dampen the grout does it darken?

Yes it does darken and takes the colour we originally wanted.
Have you had this happen before?

 

[Angiebeal]

Every grout is effervescent free providing you don't over wet it when wiping it off.
MM2 is an awful grout to use especially in hot weather......it goes off to quick and you tend to over wet it just to get the stuff off the tile.......adhesive reacting or bleeding through the joints would normally darken the grout not lighten it.

I am contacting Bal first thing Monday morning and I would like to be armed with as much info as possible. Talking to another tiler earlier said that it may be the adhesive reacting but that sounds unlikely to me. Any advice as what we can do next?

 

[WetSaw]

I am contacting Bal first thing Monday morning

I wouldn't bother. It seems to me that it's been made too wet when washing off. Grout colour reviver/rescue as mentioned previously is your best option IMHO.