R
Rich
Hello all, I put up a post a while ago on grouting (see link below). To most pro tilers on here this was a bit like teaching you to suck eggs but I hope that a few people picked one or two tips up that helped them out.
[h=3]Grouting...[/h]
I wanted to put up another post about grouting with epoxy. It seems that a lot of people (including tilers) shy away from using epoxy because they have herd horror stories about it (like we all have). Epoxy grouts have changes a huge amount over the years and it really is not something to hide away from anymore. If I was doing my own tiling, I would use epoxy all the way way through and not bother with cementitious grouts. The primary advantage to using epoxy over cement based grouts (without going into its chemical resistance properties) is that epoxy does not absorb any water. All cement based grouts absorb water and then release it, when this happens the grout also absorbs dirt and oils that stain the grout and makes it change its colour. Because epoxy does not absorb water and dirt, it does not give bacteria anywhere to thrive.
I like to use Mapei Kerapoxy basically because it nice to use and comes in a lot of different colours but there are loads out there and everybody has their favorites.
Kerapoxy
View attachment kerapoxy.bmp
Kerapoxy is a two-component, acid resistant epoxy for joints more than 3mm, available in 26 colours. It may also be used as an adhesive. Particularly suitable for hygiene areas and where resistance to aggressive chemical substances is required.
For use in the food industry, industrial floors and walls, swimming pools - especially those containing spa or sea water, laboratory benches.
Kerapoxy Design
View attachment Kerapoxy design.bmp
Kerapoxy Design is a two-compnent, decorative, satin finish, acid-resistant epoxy mortar for grouting glass mosaics, ceramic tiles and stone material with particular aesthetic value. Available in 8 colours. Also suitable as an adhesive and grouting thin mosaics
Mapeglitter
Mapeglitter is a metallic coloured glitter to be mixed with Kerapoxy Design to form a sparkly metallic grouting mortar suitable for grouting joints in all types of tiles but particularly effective when used together with metallic or glass tiles and mosaics.
I was using the Kerapoxy on a floor this week so I thoughtthat I would show some pics. Very basic kitchen floor, sorry if the pics are not very good, it was very very very hot and the epoxy was setting fast.
By far the most important thing about using epoxy grout is to know what you are using. This may sound silly but I think most people get into trouble by picking it up and using it like normal grout. As long as you know what to expect, you cant go far wrong. Once the epoxy has set then there is nothing (that I know of) that will remove it and when it starts to set it can set incredibly quickly so it is very important to have everything ready before you begin. It makes life a lot easier if there are two people doing the grouting. I like to get as many clean buckets a of water as possible (I also keep a bucket of water and sponge by the door to wash my shoes off before going in or out of the room), these want to be really clean and usually fill about 5. Then I wash the floor off with clean water to remove any dust or grit off the face of the tile (the joints should already be cleaner out). With cement based grout, you dont want to get the tiles wet before grouting, with epoxy, water is your friend, dont be afraid to get them wet, this will help when it comes to clean up. Next I put on 3 pairs of laytex gloves, this makes it quick and easy if I get the epoxy on my hands to whip a pair off and carry on, you do not want to get the epoxy on your skin if you can help it.
The epoxy and emulsifying pads
Plenty of clean water
The clean floor before grouting
This is how the 2-part epoxy comes to you
You must mix ALL of part A and ALL of part B together
It is best to mix the two components with a electric paddle mixer set at a low speed. Make sure that it is really well mixed.
The epoxy is very thick, I use an epoxy grout float and I only use the shortest edge of it as I find it easier to fill the joints. It is easy here to leave hollows in the grout or to put the grout out using the float. Make sure that you really pack the joints with the grout, dont worry to much about how much is left on the face of the tile.
As you work your way backwards make sure that you keep an eye on the grout, be careful that the epoxy does not start to set, if it starts to, then one of you drop off the grouting and begin emulsifying.
Use the emulsifying pads with plenty of clean water in small circles to looses the grout on the face of the tile. At this stage I dont worry to much about the joints themselves, I just make sure that I emulsify and break down the grout on the surface of the tile. You can see that after this stage, it leaves a "milky" residue on the tile.
Now you can start removing the "milky" residue with clean sponges and clean water. You can also start to dress the joints but be careful that you do not mark them as the grout should still be soft
After the first wash off with the sponge you can relax. I like to leave the grout for about 10-15 min before the second wash. This is where a lot of people go wrong, the floor will now look finished but it is so important that you remove ALL of the residue, I tend to go over the floor about 5 times with clean water and sponge each time. If you walked away from this floor now it would be ruined.
From this point on the floor will look pretty much the same after each wash. Each wash I pay more attention to the joints to get them nice and smooth. The last 2 washes I wipe the tile with one side of the sponge before washing it out, it takes a long time but this is the best way I have found to get the tiles totally clean. A wash boy is a handy tool to use here.
My reward 
[h=3]Grouting...[/h]
I wanted to put up another post about grouting with epoxy. It seems that a lot of people (including tilers) shy away from using epoxy because they have herd horror stories about it (like we all have). Epoxy grouts have changes a huge amount over the years and it really is not something to hide away from anymore. If I was doing my own tiling, I would use epoxy all the way way through and not bother with cementitious grouts. The primary advantage to using epoxy over cement based grouts (without going into its chemical resistance properties) is that epoxy does not absorb any water. All cement based grouts absorb water and then release it, when this happens the grout also absorbs dirt and oils that stain the grout and makes it change its colour. Because epoxy does not absorb water and dirt, it does not give bacteria anywhere to thrive.
I like to use Mapei Kerapoxy basically because it nice to use and comes in a lot of different colours but there are loads out there and everybody has their favorites.
Kerapoxy
View attachment kerapoxy.bmp
Kerapoxy is a two-component, acid resistant epoxy for joints more than 3mm, available in 26 colours. It may also be used as an adhesive. Particularly suitable for hygiene areas and where resistance to aggressive chemical substances is required.
For use in the food industry, industrial floors and walls, swimming pools - especially those containing spa or sea water, laboratory benches.
Kerapoxy Design
View attachment Kerapoxy design.bmp
Kerapoxy Design is a two-compnent, decorative, satin finish, acid-resistant epoxy mortar for grouting glass mosaics, ceramic tiles and stone material with particular aesthetic value. Available in 8 colours. Also suitable as an adhesive and grouting thin mosaics
Mapeglitter
Mapeglitter is a metallic coloured glitter to be mixed with Kerapoxy Design to form a sparkly metallic grouting mortar suitable for grouting joints in all types of tiles but particularly effective when used together with metallic or glass tiles and mosaics.
I was using the Kerapoxy on a floor this week so I thoughtthat I would show some pics. Very basic kitchen floor, sorry if the pics are not very good, it was very very very hot and the epoxy was setting fast.
By far the most important thing about using epoxy grout is to know what you are using. This may sound silly but I think most people get into trouble by picking it up and using it like normal grout. As long as you know what to expect, you cant go far wrong. Once the epoxy has set then there is nothing (that I know of) that will remove it and when it starts to set it can set incredibly quickly so it is very important to have everything ready before you begin. It makes life a lot easier if there are two people doing the grouting. I like to get as many clean buckets a of water as possible (I also keep a bucket of water and sponge by the door to wash my shoes off before going in or out of the room), these want to be really clean and usually fill about 5. Then I wash the floor off with clean water to remove any dust or grit off the face of the tile (the joints should already be cleaner out). With cement based grout, you dont want to get the tiles wet before grouting, with epoxy, water is your friend, dont be afraid to get them wet, this will help when it comes to clean up. Next I put on 3 pairs of laytex gloves, this makes it quick and easy if I get the epoxy on my hands to whip a pair off and carry on, you do not want to get the epoxy on your skin if you can help it.
The epoxy and emulsifying pads
Plenty of clean water
The clean floor before grouting
This is how the 2-part epoxy comes to you
You must mix ALL of part A and ALL of part B together
It is best to mix the two components with a electric paddle mixer set at a low speed. Make sure that it is really well mixed.
The epoxy is very thick, I use an epoxy grout float and I only use the shortest edge of it as I find it easier to fill the joints. It is easy here to leave hollows in the grout or to put the grout out using the float. Make sure that you really pack the joints with the grout, dont worry to much about how much is left on the face of the tile.
As you work your way backwards make sure that you keep an eye on the grout, be careful that the epoxy does not start to set, if it starts to, then one of you drop off the grouting and begin emulsifying.
Use the emulsifying pads with plenty of clean water in small circles to looses the grout on the face of the tile. At this stage I dont worry to much about the joints themselves, I just make sure that I emulsify and break down the grout on the surface of the tile. You can see that after this stage, it leaves a "milky" residue on the tile.
Now you can start removing the "milky" residue with clean sponges and clean water. You can also start to dress the joints but be careful that you do not mark them as the grout should still be soft
After the first wash off with the sponge you can relax. I like to leave the grout for about 10-15 min before the second wash. This is where a lot of people go wrong, the floor will now look finished but it is so important that you remove ALL of the residue, I tend to go over the floor about 5 times with clean water and sponge each time. If you walked away from this floor now it would be ruined.
From this point on the floor will look pretty much the same after each wash. Each wash I pay more attention to the joints to get them nice and smooth. The last 2 washes I wipe the tile with one side of the sponge before washing it out, it takes a long time but this is the best way I have found to get the tiles totally clean. A wash boy is a handy tool to use here.
My reward 
