Grouting non slip tiles

[cornish_crofter]

Customer chose non slip tiles for the floor.

I have just finished grouting them, the most difficult job was to clean the excess grout off. I knew you couldn't wipe grout the tiles like you would normally. However I realised I had given myself extrta work here.

I tried my best to work along the grout lines then profile them with a suitable silicone profiler (normally used for silicone joints). That worked quite well, but when I tried to remove the excess grout I ended up fetching the grout out of the joint.

The only option I had was to try to remove as much as I could then come back and clean the rest the following day. That was hard work, but it paid off. I had to resort to a fine wire brush in some areas.

Is there an easier way? There must be surely!

[Alan.P]

It's the build up around the bobbles that catch the grout that I find hardest, never found a way yet other than elbow grease and patience.

[tfs]

Grimex or grout remover by ltp, came across this in the past when a tiler had completed the job and must not have realised what mess was still left on the tiles as he probably left before the face of tiles were dry again.

[cornish_crofter]

One think that had occurred to me after I typed it was to use some kind of tape close to the edge, but the taping up would probably have taken as much time as it did to clean them.

The only thing I can think of at the moment is one of those paint edges that decorators use for protecting a wall when painting a skirting. I guess the trick would be to stop as much grout as possible from getting onto the tiles.

[tfs]

a tip for anyone who is supplying this type of tile! be sure to describe them as anti slip as some customers may feel misled if they do ever fall on them.

Tiles are rated as anti slip and by sticking to this name when supplying you kinda cover yourself if you sell/ supply them under this name.

[whitebeam]

What about a grout bag used directly into the joints

[cornish_crofter]

What about a grout bag used directly into the joints

What is a grout bag? Is that something like an icing bag?

[whitebeam]

One of these

[faithhealer]

will watch out for this, never used these tiles yet

[hillhead]

A tiler buddy of mine and his tiler brother layed 370m2 of 8" square non slip tiles a month ago in a local football ground renovation job.
He told me they pasted a good area, he came along with the tiles setting them in, his bro came with the spacers and then they used a good size piece of ply to press the tiles level !!! lol. Quick workers.
The grout was done quick too, after the saturday grouting there was a lot of haze etc stuck to the tiles, he told me they washed it again with a small amount of 'cement away' in the washboy water !! anyone ever do this? or see it done? he says the cement away works a treat in the water when cleaning.

[hillhead]

By the way they took ONE week to do this job.
Wish i could work have as quick, i learned to tile with theses guys and seen how quick some can work ! I remember being on a job a couple of years ago when on the site i spotted their big van pull in to start a house.
I had another tiler working for me that day and said to him that we'd go up at lunch time to see the quick lads.
Wow !! went up, they had kitchen floor tiled and kitchen walls and were tiling the utility ! Half a bloody day !! yes tiling with string too.

[andy allen]

when we did alot of non slip tiles we would get some hessian cloth the type you buy to polish your car with or an old towel.............spread the grout over the floor as normal when its gone off a bit dip the cloth in water ring it out and then drag it over the tiles and they come up clean as a whistle.............leave for a bit and then just give a final sponge over to sharpen up the joints.

[whitebeam]

Saw that done over 20 years ago

[andy allen]

i remember doing it 20yrs ago on some pilks 6x6 pin head and four square tiles round a pool.

[whitebeam]

The guy I saw doing it was on quarry tiles, it did clean them though

[cornish_crofter]

I managed OK on the area that I had 'pre cleaned'

Basically I had used a Karl Dam profile on the grout lines, then used the flat edge of the same profile to drag along the tiles either side.

Although this didn't take it all away it took away most of it. The rest was suitably loosened to wash off the following day with a scouring sponge - 10 for £1 from the local corner shop!

[lucius]

I dont know what cementaway is but i presume its acid based dosent matter how diluted it is you shouldnt use it the next day on fresh grout. The trick with grouting non slip tiles is to do a bit at a time cleaning the excess of the tiles as you go as close to the grout line as possible then sponging the grout lines when they are ready. less hate more speed.