To Grout Or Not To Grout? Topps Tiles Encaustic - Tile Advice

[JMC tiling]

Hi guys,

Installed some encaustic looking tiles from Topps today, 45x45 with a pre scored grout joint in the middle to make them look like genuine encaustic. Question is, do I grout this joint as it seems a little shallow to me (also they are 2mm so had to make my joints 2mm but can't see how they get away with that according to BBS, they expect the fitter to make bigger joints? would look awful!) and concerned that the grout will not hold/wash out when sponging off but the customer wants grey and these pre scored joints are red clay colour. For the record, they were a bit of a nightmare as poorly sized and the scored joints do not match up very well but managed to make it look good as we do

this is the link to them FS Salisbury Tile | Topps Tiles hopefully some of you have had experience of these before. Will add some photos as soon as I have managed to sort out my poxy iPhone!

Many thanks, John. J.M.C Tiling

 

[hmtiling]

No grout. It won't hold anyway.

 

[JMC tiling]

No grout. It won't hold anyway.

that's what I thought, hate the tiles now, why they don't just make them in separate 200 x 200mm is beyond me.

 

[ExplodingPudding]

Your supposed to grout them. But you'll need something fine enough to stick into those joints. We do the encaustic displays (Henley & FS) in Micromax2 as the other BAL is too gritty to do the joint. If your not using BAL then your going to ideally need something which can reach down to a similarly small joint and not something too gritty.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

The only issue I see is the grout line should be the same colour as the fake grout line on the tile.

 

[hmtiling]

Your supposed to grout them. But you'll need something fine enough to stick into those joints. We do the encaustic displays (Henley & FS) in Micromax2 as the other BAL is too gritty to do the joint. If your not using BAL then your going to ideally need something which can reach down to a similarly small joint and not something too gritty.

So you do work for Topps then!!!!! I knew it!!!

 

[hmtiling]

So you do work for Topps then!!!!! I knew it!!!

I don't think it's right that you come on here pushing topps' products when they're neither the best nor best value. Most of the people on here will know this already but the diyers will not. If you want to push your products I'm pretty sure you have to be a sponsor. Poor behaviour!

 

[hmtiling]

Your supposed to grout them. But you'll need something fine enough to stick into those joints. We do the encaustic displays (Henley & FS) in Micromax2 as the other BAL is too gritty to do the joint. If your not using BAL then your going to ideally need something which can reach down to a similarly small joint and not something too gritty.

also your henley tiles are ceramic not encaustic

 

[J Sid]

So you do work for Topps then!!!!! I knew it!!!

come on Harry would you admit to working for them

 

[hmtiling]

come on Harry would you admit to working for them

hahahaha!!! very good julian

 

[Tile Shop]

I don't think it's right that you come on here pushing topps' products when they're neither the best nor best value. Most of the people on here will know this already but the diyers will not. If you want to push your products I'm pretty sure you have to be a sponsor. Poor behaviour!

Not taking any sides, but I'd hold off on giving him a public stoning. He's only trying to help. He's not promoting himself as a primary supplier and has also advised a product that is readily available from many other companies, that he knows works from experience. Besides, it was the OP that said he got them from Topps. And while he's not saying to "buy everything from me" and not even mentioning his company name (it was you that assumed he worked for Topps), can't honestly see what he's doing wrong. He's just answering a question and offering advise on a product he is familiar with. Maybe ease off a little and give him a chance?

 

[hmtiling]

Not taking any sides, but I'd hold off on giving him a public stoning. He's only trying to help. He's not promoting himself as a primary supplier and has also advised a product that is readily available from many other companies, that he knows works from experience. Besides, it was the OP that said he got them from Topps. And while he's not saying to "buy everything from me" and not even mentioning his company name (it was you that assumed he worked for Topps), can't honestly see what he's doing wrong. He's just answering a question and offering advise on a product he is familiar with. Maybe ease off a little and give him a chance?

may have been a little harsh, but it still seems a bit underhand and have you seen the retail prices at topps!

 

[Tile Shop]

So we could just say, "its MUCH cheaper elsewhere". One thing I agree with you on is the fact the are ceramic. So I guess they've been scored down to the biscuit. If so, any fine-ish flexible grout would be fine. Grout 3000? Mapei UCP?

 

[JMC tiling]

 

[JMC tiling]

Job completed today, I did grout the pre-scored lines as it would have looked awful otherwise and actually was quite easy with the fine joint grout, just concerned me how shallow the score is. I think they look good but wasn't too impressed with the colaberation and some the the pre-scored lines being a fair way out considering the price but managed to work some magic and get it looking tidy. And for the record, I didn't supply these tiles, the customer chose them from Topps. I'm not a big fan of Topps myseld to be far.