trav is a nightmare!...

[Mr Tiler]

had the task of grouting up a wet room floor today it was trav mosaic roughly 4 m2 took me ages! even though I was scraping at the floor with a float the residue was tremendous but it didn't even look like there was any there until I washed off with the sponge it was agonizing lol one wipe on each side and then rinse! think a wash boy will be a god tool for that job.

 

[Chalker]

Did you seal them before grouting Ash?

 

[Mr Tiler]

Did you seal them before grouting Ash?

nah it was done afterwards mate not by me though

 

[CJ]

Sounds like no sealant?

 

[Dougs Third Go]

what finish trav?, I love trav, esp silver.

 

[Dougs Third Go]

Did you seal them before grouting Ash?

I don't seal trav before grouting, (unless it's honed), to my mind I prefer the grout to fill the pits without a sealer acting as a barrier, if that makes sense.

 

[Chalker]

Seal the top of the trav before grouting, makes it soooooo much easier.

 

[Mr Tiler]

what finish trav?, I love trav, esp silver.

I did too until today doug! it was pre filled wasnt the grey one it was a cream colour same as the grout used. looked lovely when it was finished, shame though cuz it was fixed on wed, turned up on site yesterday to find that some bugger had gone in just after it was fixed and walked all over it... had to rip up half of the floor and re-tank and fix it.

 

[Chalker]

I don't seal trav before grouting, (unless it's honed), to my mind I prefer the grout to fill the pits without a sealer acting as a barrier, if that makes sense.

Should have said honed!

 

[Mr Tiler]

Seal the top of the trav before grouting, makes it soooooo much easier.

I was just told what to do lol, it may well of been sealed beforehand I don't know I was too busy downstairs grouting the 20+ m2 of polished porcelain lol

 

[jonnyc]

I have never sealed any travertine before grouting.
the only reason being that I know that you will not get picture framing .
i would never seal any stone /travertine /marble before grouting if I wasn't worried about grout moisture ingress,
point being that if a natural material won't stain unsealed you have a better chance of getting a flush joint without having to double grout.
the older marble fixers on here will tell you that 2o -25 years ago no one sealed marble before grouting because there just wasn't many marble sealers about.
and to add to that marble didn't really stain unsealed like more porous limestones will do unsealed.

 

[Chalker]

I have never sealed any travertine before grouting.
the only reason being that I know that you will not get picture framing .
i would never seal any stone /travertine /marble before grouting if I wasn't worried about grout moisture ingress,
point being that if a natural material won't stain unsealed you have a better chance of getting a flush joint without having to double grout.
the older marble fixers on here will tell you that 2o -25 years ago no one sealed marble before grouting because there just wasn't many marble sealers about.
and to add to that marble didn't really stain unsealed like more porous limestones will do unsealed.

Tbh I've never grouted trav without sealing, I can see your point jonny, next time I will try without.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

The point I'd make is Mr T should have checked if it had been sealed or otherwise before grouting as some stone could be ruined if grouted unprotected.

 

[beanz]

Hard work eh Ash? Damn site harder graft than grouting polished porcelain.. Was the Trav filled, or unfilled?

I have never sealed any travertine before grouting.
the only reason being that I know that you will not get picture framing .
i would never seal any stone /travertine /marble before grouting if I wasn't worried about grout moisture ingress,
point being that if a natural material won't stain unsealed you have a better chance of getting a flush joint without having to double grout.
the older marble fixers on here will tell you that 2o -25 years ago no one sealed marble before grouting because there just wasn't many marble sealers about.
and to add to that marble didn't really stain unsealed like more porous limestones will do unsealed.

Interesting read Jonny. I usually seal all stone before grouting, unless its unfilled Trav. I only do it this way because this is how I was taught to do it... I've never had the picture framing, but have read about it a couple of times now. How noticeable is it!?!

 

[Mr Tiler]

The point I'd make is Mr T should have checked if it had been sealed or otherwise before grouting as some stone could be ruined if grouted unprotected.

I don't have to worry about all that atm mate I just do as im told lol... fixing on mon though that will be fun the pace these guys go at il still be going at 9:00 on the night to catch up lmao.

 

[Mr Tiler]

yeh beanz very hard lol it was just the act that it took about 5 mins to wash off each m2 lol

 

[beanz]

If you go down the wash boy route, be warned, it's very easy to over wet the grout, and end up with a patchy mess. 😉

 

[Old Mod]

had the task of grouting up a wet room floor today it was trav mosaic roughly 4 m2 took me ages! even though I was scraping at the floor with a float the residue was tremendous but it didn't even look like there was any there until I washed off with the sponge it was agonizing lol one wipe on each side and then rinse! think a wash boy will be a god tool for that job.

you're in too much of a hurry Ash. Slow down man. Just get it right. Don't chase experienced fixers for god sake, u'll screw up!

 

[jonnyc]

Hard work eh Ash? Damn site harder graft than grouting polished porcelain.. Was the Trav filled, or unfilled?




Interesting read Jonny. I usually seal all stone before grouting, unless its unfilled Trav. I only do it this way because this is how I was taught to do it... I've never had the picture framing, but have read about it a couple of times now. How noticeable is it!?!

picture framing can look really bad and i have had many calls over the years about floors that are seemingly ruined by this look.but in reality i have managed to get rid of this picture framing without fail.
it takes a while to explain this as every stone is different .
i fix alot of ultra porous english limestone and these stones can take three to four weeks to dry .

 

[jonnyc]

if there is an interest in this subject i am quite happy to set out how i go about sealing /grouting/sealing/waxing/top coat seals.
this would only be my own guide not a guaranteed method that would be upheld by any tile federation.
it would only be general rule because each stone needs to be considered individually.
i think that darren freeze is probably the only member that i know on this site or any other who will have experienced similar to me as our fields of work are similar

 

[Mr Tiler]

you're in too much of a hurry Ash. Slow down man. Just get it right. Don't chase experienced fixers for god sake, u'll screw up!

I know mate not really trying to keep up and no chance would I lol. im getting on great with this and can see it is what I want to do just got to get used to all the aching as its the hardest bit of graft ive done for ages!

 

[Mr Tiler]

If you go down the wash boy route, be warned, it's very easy to over wet the grout, and end up with a patchy mess. 😉

there was a wash boy in the van but chose not to use it as I want to watch it being used a few times beforehand for that specific reason... I know what im doing with the hand sponge lol

 

[Dougs Third Go]

I did too until today doug! it was pre filled wasnt the grey one it was a cream colour same as the grout used. looked lovely when it was finished, shame though cuz it was fixed on wed, turned up on site yesterday to find that some bugger had gone in just after it was fixed and walked all over it... had to rip up half of the floor and re-tank and fix it.

why???

 

[Mr Tiler]

because someone had walked all over it just after we had fixed it mate.. but we had left site so didn't see it until we returned the next day to grout up.

 

[Dougs Third Go]

I did too until today doug! it was pre filled wasnt the grey one it was a cream colour same as the grout used. looked lovely when it was finished, shame though cuz it was fixed on wed, turned up on site yesterday to find that some bugger had gone in just after it was fixed and walked all over it... had to rip up half of the floor and re-tank and fix it.

how many trav jobs have you done then Ash??

 

[Mr Tiler]

how many trav jobs have you done then Ash??

none doug, I meant I actually like the stone itself, didn't realise it was such a bugger to grout! lol maybe it was also because it was a mosaic floor too.

 

[Old Mod]

yeh beanz very hard lol it was just the act that it took about 5 mins to wash off each m2 lol

FIVE MINUTES FOR A METRE A LONG TIME!
D'u know Ash, got the greatest respect for u for what u've achieved, truly!!
However, write from experience mate, not from what u've read, pls!
I've just spent the best part of THREE days grouting 16m2 of mosaic with resin, now THATS a long time!

 

[Dougs Third Go]

none doug, I meant I actually like the stone itself, didn't realise it was such a bugger to grout! lol maybe it was also because it was a mosaic floor too.

same as with any mosaic job then, over-wetting it too early.

 

[jonnyc]

ash.
travertine is the easiest tile you will ever grout.
much easier than rectified porcelain.
or if you really want more of a challenge try the bisazza grout free fall been using.
all these are a doddle against theold epoxy we had to us on worktop tiles and commercIAL 25 years ago!!

 

[charlie1]

Ash, Doug just touched on potential pitfall of inexperienced grouting. When you apply the grout, how long are you leaving before you profile with your wash boy? Here is what I tend to do in standard bathroom, grout wall 1 then 2, profile wall 1 grout 3, profile 2 , grout 4 then profile 3 and 4, change water then wipe all 4 walls, change again and wipe again (optional)

 

[Dougs Third Go]

ash.
travertine is the easiest tile you will ever grout.
much easier than rectified porcelain.
or if you really want more of a challenge try the bisazza grout free fall been using.

like trying to grout snot!