BAL tilemaster 3000 grout - bal micromax

[linton1990]

good evening all,

I have always used Bal Micromax2 grout. Lately i have been having issues with the coloured grouts drying patchy. No matter what i do i can't stop it. So I'm thinking of changing to Tilemaster 3000 grout. Has anybody changed from bal because of the grout being patchy? Anybody got a good contact for tilemaster grout?. Im happy to buy online or somewhere local in the Romford area. How do we rate tilemaster 3000 grout?

Thanks for taking your time to read

cheers
John

 

[Dan]

Either that or Mapei grouts which match their silicone perfectly. As for suppliers, just need to look online I think.

 

[linton1990]

fast reply, thanks. I did try the Mapei UC Jasmine and i found that to be slightly patchy. Maybe i just didn't mix it well enough though

 

[Dan]

If you're finding so many grouts patchy my guess would be your mixing it wrong to be honest.

 

[Matt Bott]

For ucp I think it's 3 minutes slow electric mix leave 2 minutes to slake then remix don't add any water after that it will say on bag I've never had any problem it I actually prefer it to grout 3000

 

[Matt Bott]

For ucp I think it's 3 minutes slow electric mix leave 2 minutes to slake then remix don't add any water after that it will say on bag I've never had any problem it I actually prefer it to grout 3000

Just to confirm mix to homogeneous state leave to slake 2-3 minutes remix

 

[One Day]

Grout 3000 is the best grout I've yet to use.
BAL micromax is patchy, and goes off too fast and too hard.
UCP is patchy at times, never seems to hold its consistency, gets wetter in use, and is horrible to use on wall tiles.
3000 is clay-like and smooth, easy to mix and not fussy with water quantity.
Hands down the winner.

 

[andy8758]

I have been a regular BAL Micromax grout user because it is widely available, it was convenient to keep a few different colours in stock, and I got on well using it. But in the last 18 months, the patchiness is becoming more apparent. The grout 3000 is becoming my stock item. I agree the Mapei is messier to use as it always seems to get runnier with regular remixing, and Weber grout foams too much (during washing) making it necessary to empty washboy every few sq metres.

 

[Dan]

A fair few say that to be honest.

 

[Matt Bott]

Well when someone stocks 3000 in my local area I'm going to give it another go

 

[Knifey_Spoony]

Tilemaster 3000 is probably the worst grout i have used.We are using it on site and it is fine for floors but on the walls it just doesn't dry.I grout up 4 bathrooms before i go to wash it off and the joints are still as wet as when i put it on.Then after washing the water runs down the joints and gives it a rubbish finish.The mid grey can dry very patchy as well.Never had it with any other grout.

 

[hmtiling]

3000 is too slow to firm in joints with anything but ceramic. Ucp and mm2 are too fast fast for my liking. Ultra flex joint is the happy medium I find.

 

[One Day]

You guys who don't like 3000 because it's slow - are you working site or commercial? Reason I ask is because on domestic jobs I think it's the business. I admit it's slow though.

 

[One Day]

I think Ardex FS is better for site conditions where you need a fast set.

 

[hmtiling]

You guys who don't like 3000 because it's slow - are you working site or commercial? Reason I ask is because on domestic jobs I think it's the business. I admit it's slow though.

All commercial/domestic for me. I've had a couple of problems with very minute hairlines in it too on solid floors. Also, it sets a little soft compared to others. Having said that i've use it a fair bit without issue and it is very user friendly. I just prefer something a bit faster for 2nd washing and polishing.

 

[One Day]

It's interesting to chat about materials though. I've only ever had problems with BAL Superflex/ Micromax, and UCP. Had technical come out twice from BAL and twice from Mapei. Resolved each time thankfuly.
Yet to have any problems with 3000.... (watch this space I guess!)

As for slow soft grouts, what about Microflex?! Best white grout ever though.

 

[hmtiling]

I've had ucp 113 go patchy and no issues with mm2 apart from being caught out on a warm day. Mapei didn't want to know according to the tile shop and said it was user error. Fuga fresca sorted that one.
Micromax white smells funny though! Not that I purposely inhale a great deal.
The worst grout hands down is Weber pro joint! Horrendous tackle

 

[Knifey_Spoony]

You guys who don't like 3000 because it's slow - are you working site or commercial? Reason I ask is because on domestic jobs I think it's the business. I admit it's slow though.

Site work mate.No way would i want to use it on a domestic job.On site i tile Mon-Thurs then do all my grouting on Friday.That way,at the end of the day i give the grout a final go over before i go home.

If i was on a domestic job and only had 1 bathroom to grout am i going to have to hang around all day just to wait for it to dry?

 

[Qwerty]

If i was on a domestic job and only had 1 bathroom to grout am i going to have to hang around all day just to wait for it to dry?

Of course not. I get paid and have the rest of the day to do as I please. Domestic only work has it's perks!!!

 

[Rookery]

Everyone has their favourites and I think a lot of that is what you get used to. Mapei UCP all day for me, (I've never had an issue with it being patchy), except the white isn't white enough in my opinion. If I need a bright white for white tiles I use BAL Microflex. That's the only BAL grout I will use. I don't like Weber, Ardex FS is ok but only OK.

 

[linton1990]

It's interesting to chat about materials though. I've only ever had problems with BAL Superflex/ Micromax, and UCP. Had technical come out twice from BAL and twice from Mapei. Resolved each time thankfuly.
Yet to have any problems with 3000.... (watch this space I guess!)

As for slow soft grouts, what about Microflex?! Best white grout ever though.

Out of interest, what did the reps come out for? And how did they resolve the issue?

 

[One Day]

Out of interest, what did the reps come out for? And how did they resolve the issue

BAl was a shade problem. 2 whites vastly different side by side. Paid me to recolour as it was a mosaic. Mapei patchy and another stained oddly like rust, wouldn't admit anything but have me free epoxy to cover costs.

 

[scott latter]

HI THERE , YOU CAN GET PATCHY AREAS DUE TO INCORRECT MIXING WITH MAPEI UCP AS THE CRYSTALS IN THE GROUT NEED TO DISSOLVE COMPLETELY ALWAYS MIX WITH POWER WHISK LEAVE FOR 2-3MINS THEN MIX AGAIN .

 

[One Day]

HI THERE , YOU CAN GET PATCHY AREAS DUE TO INCORRECT MIXING WITH MAPEI UCP AS THE CRYSTALS IN THE GROUT NEED TO DISSOLVE COMPLETELY ALWAYS MIX WITH POWER WHISK LEAVE FOR 2-3MINS THEN MIX AGAIN

NO NEED TO SHOUT!!!

 

[Rosco100]

Have used Tilemaster's grout 3000 for a number of years and never had a problem,Always dries fine in any situation,I know people who have mixed it to thin and had problems with it not going off,So it's always best to mix it as thick as possible,Wouldn't use anything else !

 

[muddyfunkster29]

My favourite grout is Ardex FL & FS depending on the tile being grouted. If I can`t get Ardex I will use Tilemaster 3000 which is a good back up. 3000 takes longer to set, but is a quality grout.
I buy all my Tilemaster gear from A&M Tiling Chelmsford, just down the road from Romford. I have bought Tilemaster leveller from PFC Flooring in Harold Hill and I am pretty sure that they stock quite a lot of the range.