What Role/s does grout Play in a Tile installation?

[pendleh]

Hi

Im doing a piece for my website and wondered what role(s) does grout play in a tile installation. Having read about spanish tilers not using grout. With it being porous it hasnt any waterproofing properties either. Any information on grout would be brilliant and I look into it.

Many Thanks

Howard

Tiling Solutions 4U

[Fekin]

Grout fill voids, and seal joints to stop water getting behind a tile and weakening the tile adhesive basically.
It's also used as part of the decor of a room when tiling since you can now have near enough any colour grout you want, but really it all comes down to, it's a finishing product as well as a protective one.

In hotter climates, floors are often not grouted, and the tiles are butted up to each other because it's warn all year round, where as places like here in europe it gets hot and cold, making the tiles expand and contract far more than say Spain, so butting tiles together here could enp up cracking them as the grout lines also work as expansion joints.

[Proper Job]

ok mate there is more than meets the eye with grout. Yes it comes in fancy colours ands different types, but the grout is what gives the tiling its structural strength also aids in making the tiling more flexible.
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grout is not for expansion joints because it does not expand epoxy will a little but grout is only flexible and not to the same degree as a shatter proof ruler. Regarding spain most of there outside tiling uses wide grout joints and in fact they even make slits in the tiles when tileing slopes and angles. Regarding grout lines sizes there is huge debate because large tiles e.g has a square edge or known as an aris edge and is installed with a 1mm spacer gap, butting up tiles fails because you will always get voids between tiles and when trying to grout butted up tiles your not really going to get much grout in the voids to create a proper seal also it doesn't matter how well the base floor is laid u will always get settlement. Now getting back to large size tiles most people see large tiles laid with a 1mm spacer gap this is recommended by many companys e.g porcelanosa but in fact large tiles can take less movement than small tiles so they should be really installed with a larger grout joint to allow for the movement if u want to get down to the technical side of things. Also if you have at butted on tiling on floors see how many cracks you can see it does not happen over night it take years but it does happen due to this.

[Fekin]

I stand corrected then.

[penno]

It hides mistakes

[Proper Job]

Sorry for the bad English a little flued up here at the moment and can hardly see, but anyways yes a wide grout joint or line hides differences in size of tiles (B&Q specials floor tiles ). Anyways a very good example of a wide joint is to take a look at natural quarry tiles or terracotta on old floors.

[Sir Ramic]

As the old saying goes
"Grouting can either make or break a job"

[GazTech]

[quote=Sir Ramic;48726]As the old saying goes
"Grouting can either make or break a job"[/quote]This is the finishing touch...framing or blending in of the tiling work...as I always say, if it looks good ungrouted...then it will look sensational when grouted.Bit like a woman...if she looks with her hair up , then she will look fantastic with it down.....Gaz

[lm tiles]

Totaly agree with Gaz ....... Good grouting makes a Good job Great

[Turkish]

What`s an example of bad grouting? I`ve just done my first job and was pretty pleased with it, no holes in the grout and even, are there any other tips from the pros??

Don`t know what happened there but that question from "Unregistered" was from me!!!

[Proper Job]

alright mate when i grout normally use mapei ultra colour plus which you really need a little nack to use it does of quick or the other brand i use is Bal. I like sharp grout lines, but some builders or construction companies like them to be proud with the suface so they are easy to clean. I do find the bal grout does polish up well on the grout lines where the mapei because it covers 2 -20mm spacer gap is a little course for walls i find. Oh weber white grout is also pretty good mixes up like whipped cream and spreads like a pro

[Grace'sDad]

Originally Posted by Gaz @ Topps

This is the finishing touch...framing or blending in of the tiling work...as I always say, if it looks good ungrouted...then it will look sensational when grouted.Bit like a woman...if she looks with her hair up , then she will look fantastic with it down.....Gaz

Now you sound like blinkin' Swiss Tony!
...."tiling is like making lurve to a beautiful woman....."