All my floors were tiled and finished on Monday by my tiler who done a superb job. Everything is great but the grout is not drying in the way I expected. I have a beige porcelain tile in the kitchen and cloak room and my tiler used the ultracolour plus beige grout that I asked him to use.

Weird thing is that it's all different shades, some of the grout is a chocolate colour, some is brownish, some is dark beige and some of it is totally perfect.

Is something wrong, or does it just need more drying time ? I haven't sealed it or anything.

My tiler just called me as I was typing this up. Will get it checked out over the weekend. It's proper puzzling !

Incorrect mixing and probs to much water when washing off...

Ultracolour is top grout but needs respect when mixing and washing off.

Is it easy to fix Dave ?

I have certainly made the mistake of not washing it of properly.Will never do that again.

Originally Posted by kevg

Is it easy to fix Dave ?

It depends on the extent of the polymer leaching..

A strong Grimex wash might bring it right.. and the use of a scotch pad on the joints.

You have to mix it really well mixer is best when you mix you can see the bits of colour pigment in it the only way to put right is to rack all the joints and do again it does rake out ok but still a big job im afraid but messing around washing it wont fix it.

I avoid using Mapei grouts, even when mixed applied and cleaned properly the colour doesnt last, cant beat bal superflex, afraid its a rake it and do again it will only get worse no matter what you do.

Originally Posted by gall.b2282

I avoid using Mapei grouts, even when mixed applied and cleaned properly the colour doesnt last, cant beat bal superflex, afraid its a rake it and do again it will only get worse no matter what you do.

I disagree with that.. I use to use superflex for a lot of years and got sick of bad shading.. switched to Ultra colour and not had a complaint since.. i suppose it is down to the end user, if they are not a competent grouter then it will look bad.

the browns and the greys dont hold there colour there not course enough for floors, the recent superflex I agree takes a bit more mixing plus bal give you a 25 year guarantee

I have never seen any loss of colour with any Mapei grout....

I would take the 25 year guarantee with a pinch of salt.

Originally Posted by gall.b2282

the browns and the greys dont hold there colour there not course enough for floors, the recent superflex I agree takes a bit more mixing plus bal give you a 25 year guarantee

.. sorry but that made me laff... you try to claim on that.. then report back.

the thing with Ultracolour is, you have to use a mixer to mix it and not by hand. wait a minute or so then give another mix.

It's really depressing for me, first I get a cowboy tiler, then when I get a good one I get crap luck with the grout, and to top it all ive spent almost 3k in total and I still don't have a finished floor, why the hell I didn't just lay lino I don't know.

The only grouts I've had problems with over the years are Bal. I also found them the most unhelpful when the problems became apparent.

Originally Posted by aph257

the thing with Ultracolour is, you have to use a mixer to mix it and not by hand. wait a minute or so then give another mix.

I've never mixed any grout with a mixer, Got one hellava wrist action though

If i have a lot i use a mixer, otherwie i have a ktichen fork i use and have done for ten years (its the same fork too)

I did notice the jasmine i was using at the weekedn has some really dark pigments in it, oranges and browns and took some real hard mixing to get it a nice even colour.

I also ALWAYS make sure i have enough grout to finish a certain area and never mix seperate mixes on a single wall or floor.

Originally Posted by whitebeam

I've never mixed any grout with a mixer, Got one hellava wrist action though

i was at the Mapei training day on Tuesday where they stressed that Ultracolour is not like other grouts, (i hand mix normal grouts) and must be mixed mechanically. The demo used a small whisk (about 60mm) in a domestic elect drill.

just clicked the page is sponsored by mapei makes sense now.
we all know bal product are by far the best dont see many threads relating to the poor peformance of bal products
I have seen a few examples in my time of mapei grouts not being up to scratch (large scale) jobs
there is a reason bal is expensive, as for the guarantee you wouldnt need to claim it
sorry lads this is just the opinion of an experienced fixer as im sure you are 2 no need to jump all over me now

I done the demo day a while ago and tried weighing and measuring the grout exactly on different occasions and jobs and it seem to be different textures, one was a wet mix and one was a bit stiffer..

Just do it by hand but don't seem to get any problems.

Mapei is a sponsor but doesnt mean people cant be critical or discuss a product, unlike any other other sponsored forum......

i personally won't use BAL because of Topps.

I get my stuff from Topps, not everybodys cup of tea but suits me...

I buy the palace/Topfix

Originally Posted by whitebeam

I've never mixed any grout with a mixer, Got one hellava wrist action though

Oi we dont really need to know that...

Originally Posted by gall.b2282

just clicked the page is sponsored by mapei makes sense now.
we all know bal product are by far the best dont see many threads relating to the poor peformance of bal products
I have seen a few examples in my time of mapei grouts not being up to scratch (large scale) jobs
there is a reason bal is expensive, as for the guarantee you wouldnt need to claim it
sorry lads this is just the opinion of an experienced fixer as im sure you are 2 no need to jump all over me now

Everyone is not "jumping" over you but you make a claim that is not shared by a large proprtion of the members so your claim isnt really a valid one.
BAL adhesives are fine but very expensive. Mapei do indeed sponsor the forums and give free training days etc. There products are just as good if not better . Now you are think "Oh yeah suck up to Mapei" but you are wrong due to most of my materials come from Biscem or Weber....again fine products and at sensible prices. I have the same "experienced tiler" claim that you do of 33 years years now, so I think I know my stuff.

Anyway as for the grouts.....Coloured grouts are BALs weak points.
I tiled a shop entrance some years ago and a few months later they changed teh design of the shop so that there were 2 entrances divided by a pillar. The same tile was used and looks fine but Bal was used on the oone side ( Black) which within 6 months looked dark grey. This has nothing to do with efflorecence, it just faded and it wasnt even outside in daylight.
The other side was Mapei Black....today it is still Black.

Hi Sir I dont doubt you know your stuff and respect guys like yourselfs opinion, just to let everyone understand I have earned my stripes too and have excellent all round knowledge of the trade and could do without getting spoken down to by guys who talk a good game or have been in the game 5mins done there mammys bathroom etc

I certainly take your point about the black grout I find adding gt1 helps significantly and is always specified if you use the bal rep for a written guarantee

One job in particular Mapei was a let down 4000sqm 600x600 porcelain same level over three buildings the oldest 200yr old round atriums with stairs off ramps round escalators etc, the original joists or floor had not be renewed (department store) everything was screeded by pros, then we ditra matted taped and layed using the mapei 2 part flexi which by the way was excellent stuff the whole place was grouted in Mapei silver grey clients choice and for any smart ass out there it was mechanicaly mixed left mixed again washboyed of with tight sponges once it took a bite etc

6 months later me and my squad were asked 2 go back whilst the ditra and sticky had done a fine job (a lot of movement in the floor) the grout didnt but what the client wasnt happy with was the colour it was black patchy blah blah. at the clients request and cost £20000it was re done using bal wj with the gt1 admix been back twice for 2 phases went up had a butchers and its still looking good

As you say Bal is better on the whole in a diffrent leauge in fact, Mapei still dont have anything to compete wiyh white star for texture and colour or blue star .

I do like some mapei products and use them nothing compares to ultramastic and there range is well priced but comparing the two is like saying the rubi is a better machine than the Sigma

Seen the weber stuff in the CTD what do you recomend?

For Weber gear it all depends on what tile, substrate is being used, as it would for any other make.

Re comments about White star , Mapei do have an product to compete with it..Mapegrip Plus. Its good stuff too but rarely use ready mixed adhesives anyway.
The problem you had with Mapei grout seems to be an isolated one as this is the 1st I have heard about it.

Putting all things aside, every tiler should use what they feel comfortable with. I dont see why I should be adding GT1 to a grout when Mapei is working great for me....as are others such as Biscem Charcoal etc Ok if I wanted the most flexible due to substrate issues then GT1 would be a thoughth but I would rather the substrate get sorted before hand.

Lastly of course the Sigma is better than the Rubi..... there you go and Rubi are a forum sponsor !! Do you think I will be assisinated now ? Nope because we all have out choices.

This is all fine and well, but what about me ? lol

It sounds like a re-grout job to me im afraid, messy and time consuming, unless the bad areas could maybe just be raked an re-done.