Grouting wet room floor

[CompleteNovice]

Hi all,

I'm wondering if anyone could recommend the best type/brand of grout to use, as I'm re-grouting the section under my shower in our wet room?

We bought the house a little while ago and noticed that there was an issue with water seeping up through the grout, clearly getting trapped under the tiles. If we left it for a few days it would dry out and there are no signs of it leaking into the room below.

Just to give you a clear picture: our wet room is in the attic conversion and the section under the shower appears to have a basin under the tiles.

We employed someone to re-grout the effected area but it ended up worse than before. So now we've de-grouted it ourselves. We also noticed that whoever fitted it left the tile spacers in. They also left a tub of grout behind which is cement based. So I'm planning on removing the tile spacers and I think that an epoxy grout, possibly coupled with a sealant (as suggested on another forum to someone else) might be the way to go.

Any thoughts or insights would be gratefully recieved.

 

[Qwerty]

Cement based grout is fine to use in a wet room. Do you know how the tray (former) was put in & tanked? Any photos? Sounds to me as if it could be an install issue with the former or the tiles (spot or dot & dab fixing rather than solid bed fix)

 

[gamma38]

I agree with above, install issue, movement etc. Do you have any idea what make of dec was used and the tile size, adhesive etc

 

[CompleteNovice]

I agree with above, install issue, movement etc. Do you have any idea what make of dec was used and the tile size, adhesive etc

thank you both for your replies. I've no idea how it's been tanked, the adhesive used or anything like that I'm afraid. We bought the place, everything seemed fine and after a few weeks it became apparent that there was an issue. I've attached a photo of the area - as I said we've de-grouted it now. I'm not sure what would be best. I thought that if we try re-grouting with an epoxy grout then the seepage might stop. One of the issues is the power of the water because it does seem to erode the grout. I was also wondering if the tile spacers having been left in might have caused a bit of a problem?

 

[Qwerty]

It all sounds (and definitely looks) like poor installation and incorrect materials to me. If it were my home (or I had been called by a customer) then I would rip out & start afresh. The only way to be certain Im afraid as the install methods or materials aren't known

 

[High Peak Tiling]

The quality of the installation is poor from a glance at the photo, I wouldn't go re-grouting it if water is coming through.. it will be getting it in somewhere and staying around lower areas, the floor may be tanked which may explain as to why it isn't showing below.

As Plan Tec said ' I would rip out & start a fresh'

 

[AliGage]

Can't see lie photo as im on mobile. But have you tried lifting a tile out?

 

[CompleteNovice]

Thank you all again - it looks like we should be looking to employ someone to have a proper look. I haven't tried lifting a tile out - bit concerned that I could damage it and then would have to think about adhesive and somehow putting it back (I really am a complete novice)... But I guess if we're now thinking that we should get all the tiles lifted and the job kinda re-done the it can't really harm to have a look.

Does anyone have any advice on what this kind of job might cost? A ball park figure would be really helpful as a baseline comparison for any quotes we get in now.

 

[Ian]

We don't discuss pricing in the open forums I'm afraid. If anyone wants to discuss pricing with you, it can be done via private message.

 

[High Peak Tiling]

Thank you all again - it looks like we should be looking to employ someone to have a proper look. I haven't tried lifting a tile out - bit concerned that I could damage it and then would have to think about adhesive and somehow putting it back (I really am a complete novice)... But I guess if we're now thinking that we should get all the tiles lifted and the job kinda re-done the it can't really harm to have a look.

Does anyone have any advice on what this kind of job might cost? A ball park figure would be really helpful as a baseline comparison for any quotes we get in now.

As Bri said, we don't discuss pricing in the open forum. But if you have a scout around on here you shall find a professional tiler around your area.
Good luck & hope you get it sorted

 

[John Benton]

After looking at the photo it's clear to start with that the tiles are not cut to follow the falls on the tray. If you don't know whether/how/where it was tanked it's difficult to ascertain where water could be going to and coming from, but I would think that if you say water is coming back up through the grout then there is standing water underneath the tiles.

Is the water coming through the grout around the drain?

Leaving the spacers in certainly won't help matters as the grout is not waterproof and therefore makes the depth of the grout far less than it should be and the water has less distance to travel until it's potentially underneath the tiles.

If you want to PM me I'm in-between Leeds/Wakefield and could maybe pop in and have a look at it for you

 

[CompleteNovice]

We don't discuss pricing in the open forums I'm afraid. If anyone wants to discuss pricing with you, it can be done via private message.

Thank you and sorry for the faux pas!

 

[Qwerty]

Top man John

 

[CompleteNovice]

After looking at the photo it's clear to start with that the tiles are not cut to follow the falls on the tray. If you don't know whether/how/where it was tanked it's difficult to ascertain where water could be going to and coming from, but I would think that if you say water is coming back up through the grout then there is standing water underneath the tiles.

Is the water coming through the grout around the drain?

Leaving the spacers in certainly won't help matters as the grout is not waterproof and therefore makes the depth of the grout far less than it should be and the water has less distance to travel until it's potentially underneath the tiles.

If you want to PM me I'm in-between Leeds/Wakefield and could maybe pop in and have a look at it for you

Thanks John - that's a really detailed reply and very helpful. I'll probably PM you today after I've had a chance to chat with my other half. To answer your question the water has come through the grout around the drain as well as elsewehere.

 

[rj1884]

Hello. Sorry to hijack this thread but stupid question time. I'm tiling a bathroom floor which has got a phlexicare shower former from N&C fixed in the wet room area. Does the former have to be tanked or does it already have protection on it. It's blue in colour. Also should I prime it prior to tiling. Thanks in advance.

 

[White Room]

You allready have a thread started on this subject http://www.tilersforums.com/tiling-forum/68952-porcelain-tiles-600x600.html

Please keep it to that one.