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ADVICE needed please! Floor tiles newly laid - Grout looking AWFUL!

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J

jj1884

Hello 🙂

I was wondering if anyone could kindly offer me some advice please?

I've had some floor tiles laid by a guy who has previously fitted my carpets. On this occasion the guy has been very unreliable with timing, not having the right tools etc - quite unprofessional in my opinion.
He laid some ceramic floor tiles which I purchased from Homebase, tile adhesive (from Homebase) and a bag of grout I also purchased from Homebase - "Evo Stick Tile A Floor" in grey.

When grouting I noticed that he didn't use any tools, just a thin sponge (which I provided).

Anyway, this is the end result. I'll try and attach photos.

The grout looks awful. The best way to describe it is patchy and white when it should be grey and smooth. Perhaps he used too much water?

My worry is that he isn't going to do anything about it. When he last came over to fit some lino in another room (a few days after the tiles were laid) I mentioned to him that the grout doesn't look right. He just shrugged and said 'oh right ok not sure'. I guess being a female and on my own with a child, I just didn't have the confidence to speak up. However, he is coming over tonight to finish off a job (sealant around the lino in my bathroom).

The issue with the grout has been on my mind all week, and I am just not sure how to approach him or whether it would be better for me to purchase something like a grout pen or try re grouting myself although I have no idea how to do so. I worry that a grout pen would wash off when I clean the floors, plus I've noticed that the grout isn't smooth at all like my other floor tiles (these were done by someone else a while ago - I will attach a photo of how I think the grouting should look like in my next post under this one). Just to add - just over 24 hours the grouting was completed, I washed the tiles down with clean water twice.

Anyway, I will try and attach some photos. Any advice would be very much appreciated. The guy is coming over this evening so I am kind of in two minds as what to do. I paid him good money after the job was completed (the tiles were still wet some I couldn't see just how bad the grout would look when dry).
P1070444.jpgP1070438.jpgP1070441.jpg
Kind regards,
Jen
 
Re: ADVICE needed please! Floor tiles newly laid - Grout looking AWFUL

My other tiles (same kind) - How the grout should look 🙂 P1070442.jpg
 
Re: ADVICE needed please! Floor tiles newly laid - Grout looking AWFUL

mmm bit of tricky one, i can see two problems here;
If he grouted with only a sponge then the grout would be too wet, not compressed into the joints and the dye will be washed out as shown, but..
The other problem is you bought duff grout, i doubt anyone here would ever use Evo stick tiling gear. The grout you have is really sandy, whereas the nicely grouted floor has a much finer, and slightly darker grout.
He grouted it badly, but the grout you gave him wasn't up to much either. In my opinion its a bit of a 50/50 situation.
 
Re: ADVICE needed please! Floor tiles newly laid - Grout looking AWFUL

As above...and the fact that he let you get your materials from homebase suggests that is a "carpet fitter all round guy". or something like that but not a proper tiler!
 
Re: ADVICE needed please! Floor tiles newly laid - Grout looking AWFUL

Grout does look like it was to wet,Try using a different make of grout, and grout over the top apart from that there,s not much more you can do except remove the grout completely.
 
Re: ADVICE needed please! Floor tiles newly laid - Grout looking AWFUL

allways best to get the right trades for the right job...:thumbsup:

dont know any pro tilers that would touch that grout with a barge pole..
 
Re: ADVICE needed please! Floor tiles newly laid - Grout looking AWFUL

Tiling is out of line as well in the third picture.
 
Re: ADVICE needed please! Floor tiles newly laid - Grout looking AWFUL

looks like you caught yourself a cowboy "yee Haa" Bet he was cheap though, Good tiling cost more than some are prepared to pay.
There is no substitute for Quality, sorry to read that you have been bitten by the cheap and nasty
 
Re: ADVICE needed please! Floor tiles newly laid - Grout looking AWFUL

Thank you to those who were helpful 🙂

The guy is prepared to come back and rake the top layer of the grout off, and re grout. Could you please advise which grout would be best to use?
 

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