Grout for filling joints. Laying tiles on a warm floor - tips and video recommendations Epoxy grouts - durability "for centuries"

Ceramic tiles are an excellent finishing material. Possessing a huge number of advantages, it has been and remains one of the materials that are always very popular. Of course, this is a very beautiful surface finish, which, however, is quite easy to spoil with carelessly made seams. So how do you properly grout the seams between the tiles on the floor?

Grout mixtures are intended for filling tile joints. They are divided into the following groups according to their composition:

Cement-sand grouts
Polymer-cement mixtures
Epoxy compounds
Epoxy cement grouts
Polymer blends

So, cement-sand grout mixtures are used for decorative grouting of joints between tiles indoors, characterized by gentle operating conditions, for example, moderate air humidity. At the same time, it is important and necessary that the base is not subjected to deformations and is durable, brick or concrete. Such grouts are made from white cement, to which pure fine-grained sand is added.

Polymer cement grouts are suitable for the same conditions as the previous ones, they are also made of white cement, however, in this case, polymer additives are used to give the composition strength and moisture resistance, and to avoid such a defect as cracking.

Epoxy and epoxy-cement mixtures are used for interior and exterior facing works. Due to their special chemical properties, they easily endure the most severe operating conditions, such as exposure to aggressive environments, a deforming base, and high humidity.

Polymer compositions are made on the basis of silicone. They are used in the "seamless" laying of stone or porcelain stoneware, which are subsequently polished. The high elasticity of polymer grouts ensures their resistance to sudden changes in temperature, which is why they are often used when facing rooms where warm floors are laid under tiles. Polymer mixtures are injected into the joints using a special syringe, which is commercially called "joint filler".

When choosing a grout, pay attention to both its chemical composition and the following factors:

Cladding material
Compatibility of the mixture with the adhesive you use when laying the tiles
Coating operating conditions
Width of spaces between tiles
Facing color

Let's look at these options in more detail.

Cladding material

The vast majority of these mixtures are intended for a wide range of facing materials. An exception may be grouts for those types that tend to enter into a chemical reaction with some of the components of the grout compositions and change color (dolomite, shell rock, marble). Epoxy mixtures, for example, are used to fill tile joints in materials such as glass or porcelain stoneware (that is, with low water absorption).

Adhesive mix compatibility

As a rule, the tile manufacturers themselves recommend which adhesive is most compatible with which grout. For example, cement grout is perfectly correlated with a cement-sand mortar. This, by the way, is a very important parameter, and you should not neglect it, since some people have a habit of taking those materials that are available or in the first store they come across, not paying attention to whether they are compatible with each other. Although almost any hardware store usually has a wide range of grouts.

Coating operating conditions

So, when choosing a grout mixture, it is important to take into account such points as: floor or wall tiles are laid, whether we are talking about external or internal cladding, what are the temperature and chemical conditions characteristic of a given room.

The scope of the composition is usually indicated on the packaging. Accordingly, for floor tiles, you should select a grout designed specifically for this option.

Width of tile joints

The maximum allowable joint width is indicated on the packaging of the mixture itself.

The principle is as follows: the wider the seams, the more susceptible they are to aggressive factors, that is, the grout composition must also be more durable, plastic and moisture resistant.

There are mixtures that can be used in the range of 2-20 mm, they are called universal.

Facing color

The seams should be slightly darker than the main background of the tile. Thus, the strict geometry of the tile is emphasized and the dirt in the seams themselves is masked, that is, a kind of plaque that is characteristic of wet rooms and those places where there is a lot of tobacco smoke.

When the seams are rubbed with a white mixture, after a certain period of time a yellowish coating appears on it, and it is far from always amenable to household detergents. If they are sealed with a dark fugue, then you will wash them no more than once every 2 or 3 months. Grouts, in essence, are a mixture of cement and various mineral additives, which gradually, over time, “fade”. Therefore, the darker the color of the grout, the longer your joints will retain their original appearance.

But, of course, for many, the color of the grout is a category more aesthetic than practical. So, quite often the composition is selected in accordance with the artistic concept and color of the facing material. To date, there are no restrictions on the choice of grout with a given color.

The most popular grout mixtures

Cement mixtures are among the most inexpensive and popular. But they are susceptible to aggressive liquids and high humidity: a characteristic coating quickly appears on them. Therefore, manufacturers do not recommend using them, for example, for kitchens.

This does not apply to cement compositions with polymer additives. They can be used in any conditions. So that the spaces between the tiles do not deform, crack or crumble under the influence of water or high pressure, it is worth choosing grouts reinforced with artificial components.

Resin mixtures are very durable, but, of course, they are more expensive than cement ones. Such grouts do not fade for a long time, are not susceptible to the appearance of fungus, withstand the influence of aggressive detergents and are famous for their even surface.

The composition of the resin grout includes a paste and an active substance, they are mixed immediately before work. The process regulator is poured into a container with the base of the mixture and mixed with an industrial mixer until a uniform, thick mass is obtained. Be careful and remember that chemically reacted grout can only be applied for an hour. So, even before starting work, you need to calculate the approximate amount of the mixture that you will need for one approach. Without violating certain proportions, mix the components, and then get to work.

How to sew seams?

In the process of grouting, a small elastic rubber spatula 6-8 cm thick can be very useful to you. But before you start work, you should carefully clean the seams. An ordinary, sharply sharpened awl is quite suitable here. Be careful not to damage the icing with the hard edge of the tool. You can also take special kits designed just for cleaning and grouting.

After cleaning, the spaces between the tiles must be thoroughly rinsed with a sponge dipped in water. After making sure that there is no excess glue left between the seams, you can dilute the mixture.

As a rule, 0.4-0.6 kg of grout is sufficient. We dilute all this in a small amount of water using a paint mixer, it will not take much time. When you get the consistency of rustic sour cream, you should wait 5 minutes, mix thoroughly - and the composition is ready! Immediately before grouting, you can moisten the seams again with a sponge on a surface of 1-1.5 sq.m. Now get started.

15-20 minutes is enough to process 2-3 sq.m of the floor. After that, with a damp, not wet, sponge, carefully walk along each of the seams. In this case, they are smooth, even, of the same depth and width. Remember that ideal seams are always slightly recessed relative to the plane of the tile itself, which emphasizes its geometry.

You can also form a seam using a special spatula, which is a piece of dense rubber cord. Although a piece of an ordinary white antenna cable, a round handle of a spatula, a plastic lighter, etc., will also work. Such options are suitable if the edges of the tile are smooth and it is laid correctly. If the edge of the tile is sharp or the glaze is uneven around the edges, grouting with a similar spatula can ruin the whole picture, because the seams are deep, and the sharp edge of the tile becomes visible. Here you should use a sponge. Ideal seams, in any case, can be achieved, but I must say that this work is not easy, and requires special skill.

After grouting, it takes 10-12 hours for the composition to harden, then the entire tile must be washed with a sponge, removing excess composition from the surface. When the tile dries, it is worth carefully wiping it again with a soft cloth. If you do everything correctly and accurately, then your floor will look just amazing.

How to clean old grout?

Sometimes situations arise when the initial grout acquires a not very presentable appearance over time, spills out somewhere and exposes the seams. What to do? There are two options - either partially wipe the problem areas, or do it all over again with a better and more modern mixture. Of course, it’s easier to restore the crumbling areas after all, if the grout that you used last time remains. But if not, then redo everything again.

At the same time, the most time-consuming and responsible part of this event will be the cleaning of the old grout. To be honest, this work should be left to a professional tiler, since if you clean it yourself, you will probably damage the glazed edges of the tile, that is, ruin the entire cladding.

Fortunately, there are many compounds and washes on the market today designed to soften old grout in joints containing a solution of acetic acid. But if you want, try softening the seams with plain water, but this will not be as productive.

When you treat a plot of 0.5-1 sq. m, then proceed directly to cleaning. Here again, a sharply sharpened awl or a special scraper will do. The main thing in such jewelry work is to act slowly and very carefully. After cleaning, each area should be passed with a dry brush, thereby cleaning out dust and small particles. This is really painstaking work that requires much more effort than grouting itself.

After the entire surface is ready, you can take on a new seam treatment, which has already been mentioned above. Just try in this case to use a mixture that is more resistant to external influences.

To have beautiful floors, tiles and tile joints must look neat and aesthetically pleasing, so try to finish the surface exactly following the recommendations of specialists.

Underfloor heating, due to a number of advantages, is increasingly being used in apartments and single-family houses. The correct operation of the system depends on the quality of the installation of cables or heating elements, as well as the selection of an appropriate floor covering.

Installation of tiles on underfloor heating requires the use of an appropriate adhesive mortar and grout

Experts recommend using a heated surface made of materials with high coefficients of thermal conductivity and its accumulation, that is, ceramic tiles, ceramic products or natural stone. It should be borne in mind that for gluing the cladding on this kind of surface, you must use the correct mortar and grout.

A warm floor, like any other object, undergoes changes when heated. When the heating is started, the surface will heat up and will give off heat heating the room. In this regard, the products used for the installation of floor cladding must be highly elastic. Otherwise, the adhesive or grout layer will crack. Consequently, ceramic or natural stone tiles will peel off the substrate.

The installation of cladding on underfloor heating requires the use of an adhesive solution, which is characterized by good flexibility. This is extremely important because materials are exposed to high temperatures and change their volume. This means that the layer connecting the plates to the base must withstand heat. When using elastic adhesive mixtures, we must not forget about using a grout with similar characteristics.

Installation of tiles on a heated floor requires the use of an appropriate adhesive and grout. Choosing the right commercial cladding solution for underfloor heating is no guarantee of complete success. The main principle during gluing the cladding is the combined Floor-Tile method, which consists in applying glue to both the base and the tile. This method ensures 100% adhesive coverage of the space between the tile and the subfloor.

The same method is also recommended for bonding underfloor heating ceramic tiles. Otherwise, in places where there is not enough solution, air will form, and later water will seep in, which can adversely affect the functioning of the heating system.

Do not neglect the additional seams on the cladding. If the substrate has not been preheated prior to coating, no seams should be made. The gradual inclusion of heating will lead to the fact that excess moisture can freely evaporate from the floor through the gaps prepared for sealing the seams. Accordingly, a long technological pause is needed after laying the tiles, as well as the gradual switching on of the heating of the newly made floor, which will allow all layers of the floor to dry and protect against possible deformations or moistening of the coating.
In the presented video, you can view recommendations on how to choose a grout for different types of tiles. Happy viewing and good luck with your repair.

02.07.2019

Hello, I'm going to level the floor on the loggia, I will use the litoliv basis equalizer. There is metal on the loggia and the question is: is it possible to fill the entire floor with a continuous layer and will there be cracks at the junction of the metal and the screed with an average equalizer thickness of ~ 3 cm. Thanks

Good afternoon.
Whether a crack occurs or not depends on the contact area of the LITOLIV BASIS screed with the metal part. Information or a photograph is needed in order to understand what this metal part is, where it is located and how it is attached to the balcony slab.

21.06.2019