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.