Bal Micromax grout

[ttt tiling]

Hi all ' I'm having problems using these new polymer grouts
Been associated to Fired Earth for best part of 30 years and almost exclusively used their adhesive and grouts
They are generally using Norcross stuff at the moment and even though the grout can be a bit sticky sometimes,
it at least dries consistently
Doing at lot more private jobs now and am having problems with grout drying patchy , even bal micromax!

As they recommend , I let the grout settle for 3 minutes and then remix
I do find it starts to stick to the tile quickly , so wash of sooner than I'd like ,I do seem to be
forever bedding up , so am getting varying grout depths , but hey that's the real world!

Why is the grout drying patchy , what am I doing wrong HELP!!!:mad2:

 

[Sean Kelly]

This topic is discussed here every week! I personally have stopped using Micromax and Mapei grouts. I only use Weber (although some tiles hate that too).

The last time I used Mapei I weighed out the water and the powder and mixed. Waited.........and mixed again. It still turned out patchy.

A couple of months ago I used an epoxy grout. I mixed it up and it was really really thick. I grouted and all turned out fine.

I now mix my grouts thick and I never get problems with patchiness.

Another thing I have done in the last few months is to sack my washboy. I could never get the float dry enough. I now use sponges. So I grout, wipe off once with sponge and clean water, then polish/dry with microfibre cloth. I now look forward to grouting!

 

[ttt tiling]

Thanks Sean , its just nice to know I'm not the only one !
I've started using (where possible ) non flexible grout , you can leave it for ages and wash it off when YOU want to


Tony

 

[On one]

Sorry,can't help you......never had grout dry patchy on me,even with UCP or MM or MM2.
I'm similar to you as well Sean, I've binned the washboy sponges,but only on walls.

 

[Andy Allen]

I use bal ordinary non flex grout and add gt1 admix when needed. .

 

[ttt tiling]

Hi Andy , does the gt1 make the grout sticky and does it dry consistently , I used to use BIS admix years ago ,but did both the above! Well as in drying patchy and being sticky as hell

 

[Dash J]

If epoxy wasn't such a nightmare I would use it on all my jobs
only two grouts I have never had problem with are bal white and bal super flex grey
the rest are pony

 

[Rich Midge]

Have a look at Tilemaster's grout 3000. A rare beast that's not only polymer modified but also user friendly! If it's Norcros 4 into 1 you've been using you have nothing but my sympathy.