A Guide to Epoxy Grouting...

[Rich]

Very good post Rich, its been a while since i have dropped in on the forum and as usual there are great hints and tips.


You have tempted me to try out epoxy as more and more of my customers express concerns with regards to grout discolouration etc.


I might knock up a couple of square meters of old tiles in my garden to practice on though.

Many Thanks and good luck with the external tiling.

Give it a go mate, its not as terrifying as you might think, like I said earlier on, as long as you get prepared before you start you will be fine

 

[Rich]

Here is a like to one of Jay's posts of epoxy 15 years later


epoxy grout why !!!

 

[davemul]

Will Kerapoxy be suitable for a wet room guys?

the tech info says 3mm grout gaps upwards

my grout gaps for the walls and floor will be 2mm

is that ok?

thanks

 

[davemul]

oh and what is the coverage like?

ive just bought 10kg of jasmine kerapoxy... 6m2 on the floor and double that for the walls

 

[eytc]

buzzin fish

many thanks for the great advise

 

[tommyzooom]

Great post that,
I too should look into offering this option more, as a lot of floors now are grouted in light coloured grouts.
I, like most tilers had a nightmare using epoxy years ago.
I might have to rip up the kitchen floor and redo to practice

 

[user123]

Great post that,
I too should look into offering this option more, as a lot of floors now are grouted in light coloured grouts.
I, like most tilers had a nightmare using epoxy years ago.
I might have to rip up the kitchen floor and redo to practice

Andrew, you'll be surprised how easy it is. And I was so worried about skin sensitivity people suffer from, but I'm lucky, had no reaction at all and really don't find it that much harder/different to deal with than cement grouts, you put in on, you clean it off within the right time with plenty of hot water, easy peasy.

 

[paul flight]

good post mate well done

 

[Rich]

As has been said, I think the biggest problem with epoxy is the horror stories. It really is good stuff to work with, if I was doing my own tiling I dont think I would bother with normal grout to be honest.

 

[Rich]

buzzin fish

many thanks for the great advise

What does buzzin fish mean?

 

[macten]

Really helpful guide

 

[poynton phil]

Gonna be using this stuff myself soon, thanks for the advice.

 

[KnackeredKnees]

Rich,
Thanks for your guide to epoxy grouting I'm just about to embark on some so very helpful especailly the wash down information. I see you've use Mapei's Kerapoxy Design I'm thinking of using the same but need a dark green colour which they don't do. Do you happen to know of anyway to stain or colour the translucent mix before grouting i.e. to colour the grout itself rather then the surface?
Thanks again for the guide.
Knackered Knees

 

[Rich]

Rich,
Thanks for your guide to epoxy grouting I'm just about to embark on some so very helpful especailly the wash down information. I see you've use Mapei's Kerapoxy Design I'm thinking of using the same but need a dark green colour which they don't do. Do you happen to know of anyway to stain or colour the translucent mix before grouting i.e. to colour the grout itself rather then the surface?
Thanks again for the guide.
Knackered Knees

Have you looked at all of Mapei's epoxy range or just the Kerapoxy design range? I should think that you would be able to get your hands on some green epoxy, if not from Mapei then perhaps another brand.

 

[KnackeredKnees]

Rich,

Thanks for the response. Yes you are right I could but the both Mapei's and Akemi greens are too light and I've not been able to find a real dark green anywhere. I'd need to mix their green and black to get the right homoganised base colour and then cut through some of the two colours to get my 'marbled' effect. That means two pots which, as we know, aren't cheap and I already have the translucent. So being short of the readies I thought I'd try the colouring paste option which might allow me more flexibility in the colour match. Having said that I'd not want to spoil the job for want of spending £50! :smilewinkgrin:


KK

 

[Dave H]

epoxy grou twith mosaics

As has been said, I think the biggest problem with epoxy is the horror stories. It really is good stuff to work with, if I was doing my own tiling I dont think I would bother with normal grout to be honest.

Hi Rich,

very helpful post, haven't used epoxy grout for quite a few years, old Ardipox grout on kitchen worktops probably last time, have a job to do where client has been sold Kerapoxy to grout
15mm2 iridescent glass mosaics in shower walls, is this going to be as easy as you say? joints
are about 2mm, also have others where mosaic is v jointed so wider at back and narrow at front,
any advise appreciated

 

[MTiler]

When working with Epoxy grout you should always wear NITRILE gloves not Latex gloves. Its nasty stuff and can burn skin if left to dry on it. You can also become sensitised to it and have bad allergic reactions.
I work with it alot on steam rooms and as its an enclosed space I have become sensitised to it, so i now wear a fullface mask to stop any reactions.
If it starts to go off and youre struggling to clean it wipe it down with Acetone. If its completely dried the only way to shift it is to use a heat gun to soften it.
The 5kg tubs are too big for one person to work with as has been mentioned but if Im given the large tubs I just split them in to two using digital scales.
I use white emulsifying pads and then sponge cloths instead of sponges because they just get clogged up with epoxy and smear it everywhere.
Its also worth using warm water to clean.

cheers
missyT

 

[Diamond Pool Finishers]

Great post and advice there Sharon , and advice i will take if i have to use epoxy on any work in the near future

 

[Alan.P]

Great advice there Miss Tiler, yep, the 5kg tubs are waaaaay to big, we split them beteewn the two of us, especially in summer lol, there's a few pics of a job my Brother and myself did a few years ago in my albums, Chiswick, floor, walls and ceiling :yikes: all done in poxy epoxy ( see what i did there lol ) 5mm joints on the lot, middle of summer, 3 meters up a scaffold in full paper suits, masks etc

Oh it was a nice job, thanks Ali ( turnip )

 

[MTiler]

Great advice there Miss Tiler, yep, the 5kg tubs are waaaaay to big, we split them beteewn the two of us, especially in summer lol, there's a few pics of a job my Brother and myself did a few years ago in my albums, Chiswick, floor, walls and ceiling :yikes: all done in poxy epoxy ( see what i did there lol ) 5mm joints on the lot, middle of summer, 3 meters up a scaffold in full paper suits, masks etc


Oh it was a nice job, thanks Ali ( turnip )

rather you than me. I dont enjoy doing the ceilings of the steam rooms, gravity is a pain I hate the stuff and it hates me lol

 

[turnip]

Alan, I still owe you a decent job to make up for that one. I wonder if that tiled ceiling is still there? must bee 2 tons hanging of that!

 

[Alan.P]

Alan, I still owe you a decent job to make up for that one. I wonder if that tiled ceiling is still there? must bee 2 tons hanging of that!

Oh it's still there, trust me, sorry I couldn't fit the job in this week mate

As for owing me, we got paid, punctually, job was all good,nough said.

Cheers Ali, Merry Christams to you and your family, and here's to a prosperous New Year

And who gives a damn if I'm a bit early :merrychristmas::merrychristmas::merrychristmas: