Steam Room Issues!!

[Supersy]

Evening,

This is my first time on here so hello!

My problem:
I work at a leisure club in a hotel and along with other things we have a steam room.

Im my 8 months here so far we have had the steamroom re-grouted twice because after as little as 2/3 weeks it discolours and the gouting slowly disapears after every scrub down (Nightly)

Even when gently rubbing my finger along the grout it comes off!

This looks makes the room look dirty and un-attractive.

Solution?

The company that do the grouting (And all our pool maintenance/servicing) appear to just use grout that i'd use in my bathroom - is this a ploy to get a big cheque every few months to re-grout?

Is there a soloution that will last longer or for a few years?

Help and advice would be much appreciated

Healthy Regards

Sy

 

[david campbell]

you are not supposed to use a shower for up to 4 weeks with most grouts,as this would be the total curing time,so if you have the sauna in use within days then the moisture penetrating the grout would be similar to using a shower(prob worse due to the heat and consistancy that it is used at)would recommend not using the steam room for several weeks after grouting!

would also look at a grout sealer and would apply it on a regular basis!

 

[grumpygrouter]

Maybe and epoxy grout would be the solution to your problem.

 

[DHTiling]

Should deffo be epoxy grout....

The old needs raking out entirely and then epoxy used.

This will then last a life time...

 

[Supersy]

Should deffo be epoxy grout....

The old needs raking out entirely and then epoxy used.

This will then last a life time...

Cheers guys,

As arough guide what are the price diffrences between normal grout and Epoxy?

How long would the steam room be out of action before it could be used?

Cheers again,

Sy

 

[DHTiling]

How long would the steam room be out of action before it could be used?

Hello Sy..

BS 5385....Part 4/1992.....sections 6.3[F] and 6.4[H] state that grouting should be left 2 weeks before resuming normal conditions...

This might be the main reason the steam room has had the problems it has at present.

But epoxy grout will last a life time over standard flexi or none flexi grouts..

 

[Supersy]

Hello Sy..

BS 5385....Part 4/1992.....sections 6.3[F] and 6.4[H] state that grouting should be left 2 weeks before resuming normal conditions...

This might be the main reason the steam room has had the problems it has at present.

But epoxy grout will last a life time over standard flexi or none flexi grouts..

So.... Get them to do it with Epoxy and leave it for two weeks and its as good as gold???

Cheers, Sy

 

[Supersy]

So.... Get them to do it with Epoxy and leave it for two weeks and its as good as gold???

Cheers, Sy

Anyone?

Cheers,
Sy

 

[DHTiling]

Sorry sy..yes thats it...

 

[Supersy]

Sorry sy..yes thats it...

Cheers Dave - Much appreciated!

Sy

 

[Supersy]

Hello again!,

I just recived the follow e-mail regarding using expoxy grout in our steam room, Can anyone confirm/deny that the information is correct?
-------------------------------------------------------
Steam Room

I note your comments about using epoxy grout to re-grout the Steam Room and you have spent the time to research and speak to various people about this and I totally agree that epoxy grout requires a 3-week drying time for this. Can you also confirm what feedback you received from people about bodyheat build up on your Steam Room. If it’s not cleaned correctly we have come across this in the past and once it has happened, no cleaning product will clean this. At least with cement based grout this can be acid-washed.

I’ve gone back into our files and the original job was carried out in September last year based on a PO No.***** for a sum of £248.00 and to be honest with you buying the epoxy grout would cost nearly this figure. I have checked with Sean and he confirms that at that time, the Hotel wanted to get as many works as possible done and as a gesture of goodwill by ***** we carried out the works to the Steam Room at such a loss, but it would seem that we have caused so much heartache by this.
To apply epoxy grout to your Steam Room would entail the following works as detailed below
Ensure Steam Room switched off.
Carry out a thorough de-grease of the internal surfaces of the Steam Room.
Mechanically rake out the joints of the tiles
Apply epoxy grout to tiles and thoroughly clean off surface of tiles
Polish on completion
Leave to cure for 3 weeks.
I am sure that you can appreciate these works would cost more than £248.00. I would envisage nearer £1,000, therefore you can see the reasons for using cement based grout and a skim over. I would also add that we have carried out these works on numerous occasions at other sites and no issues have been reported.
-----------------------------------------------------------

Thanks guys, Sy

 

[Supersy]

Anyone?

Sy

 

[sWe]

Tiling installations in steamrooms are prone to trouble, partly because of the temperature-variations, steam, etc, but mostly because the contractors often do not have good enough knowledge of the technical requirements for a lasting steamroom installation, or the humility to admit it. As such, they often screw up when it comes to chosing materials (most often, they just use what they always use), and when something fails, they blame the materials (which they chose to begin with), the cleaning staff, or whatever.

Steam rooms are NOT simple wetrooms, and you cannot treat them as such. They are essentially microclimates, which demand alot from the materials used; not just the adhesive grout, but the insulation and the substrate, and the way it is all built.

You absolutely need a suitable waterproofing AND vaporproofing system, and suitable, dimensionally stable substrates. You cannot cut corners anywhere, or the will be trouble, and it will be costly.


You can use cement based grouts in steam rooms, but not run of the mill ones; Regular tile grouts absorb too much water (obviously that's bad, especially when considering the heat and the dirt) and aren't abrasion resistant enough (the cleaning of steamrooms isn't exactly gentle).
You need high-strength/industrial strength ones. To use Mapei as an example, they recommend "Kerapoxy" and "Ultracolor". Kerapoxy is, as the name implies, and epoxy resin grout, where as Ultracolor is a modern, high-tech, highly resistant cementious grout, which doesn't discolour easily if applied correctly and allowed to cure correctly.

A rule of thumb for contractors dealing with jobs that aren't "regular", or which could be considered "sensitive", or "demanding", such as steam rooms, pools, out doors installations, and so on, should be to contact the manufacturer of the materials they want to use. They will know what to use, and how. Small variations in material combinations, climatic conditions, build site conditions, time restraints, etc, can have profound effects on the end result, and therefore, it's absolutely necessary to have suitable materials and to use suitable methods.

This is the contractor's responsibility, and only theirs.

It is imperative that the manufacturer of the grout says it's ok to use in a steam room. If everything else is done right, this, and that the grout is treated correctly, is what matters.

Good luck

 

[Supersy]

Thank you so much for your reply, its greatly appreciated.

Sy