Desperate for advice re powdery grout (even after regrouting)!

[jemwa]

I'd really appreciate some advice on some tiling we had done back in March. I waited 2 days before polishing off excess grout and mopping then another week before sealing. We didn't move into our new house until April and in June noticed a lot of marks from our dog in the grout. I had a look and noticed I could remove some of the grout with my fingernail. I contacted the company who we paid to 'supply and lay' our floor tiles (not bathroom wall and floor, this was done by out builder and is like cement and perfect) he came back and regrouted problem areas. Withing 3 weeks we noticed it happening again. Never before had we had this problem and I started to think it was something I was doing. After arguing it out with the company and having the original grout sent away for testing (which was fine apparently) they got a new tiler out to regrout the ENTIRE house with grout with an additive. I need to phone him in around a week to come back to seal the floor.

I almost feel sick as today I got down and although the grout is hard in some places, other places it still feels 'soft'. I don't want to go through all this again, I feel sick even thinking about it. My husband works away overseas so it's just me trying to deal with the problem. I just don't know what to do. They tell me they have never had this problem before (but maybe I noticed it as I have a small dog who's claws get in the gaps into the grout)? I only polished the excess grout off yesterday afternoon and then mopped with only a tiny amount of detergent and water.

I would really appreciate some advice from someone in the know. thanks so much.

[GazTech]

I can only personally recommend grouts I know to be true.Did you see the lab test reports on the suspect grout...if not you may well have been deceived.See if the grout manufacturer has a representative who will come around and survey it for you....Gaz...ps can you name me the grout plz Jem?

[scrubmuncher]

Originally Posted by Gaz @ Topps

I can only personally recommend grouts I know to be true.Did you see the lab test reports on the suspect grout...if not you may well have been deceived.See if the grout manufacturer has a representative who will come around and survey it for you....Gaz...ps can you name me the grout plz Jem?

I this not likely when using a very watery mix? I've seen a similar problem when working abroad and the lads would mix it like this for speed. It shrinks so you have a deeper groutline than wanted and then doesnt seem to go off properly, of for a long time anyway.

[Cliff Anger]

Like Scrubmuncher i thing the likeliest cause is over watering the grout to make the installation easier to apply. Most grouts are polymer modified which means that overwatering washes away the polymer which holds it together. Again it would be no surprise that the grout sample tested would be ok -most manufacturers are ISO 9001 companies so faulty manufacture is highly unlikely.
I would keep complaining to the installers and insist the areas are re-grouted until you are happy with the results.

[Dave]

You mentioned this is your new house....by any chance is this a floating floor..by that i mean a chipboard floor laid on a polystyrene base.....if this is the case then there could be to much movement in the floor if incorrect prep work has been done causing the grout to break up and crumble into this powdery form.......dave...

[Dave-T]

dont suppose you used unibond grout did you?

[jemwa]

I'm in Aus and I'm worried about naming the grout company. These were all laid on cement floors.

[Fekin]

Nothing to be worried about by naming the grout company.