Cracking Grout
#1
04-05-05, 07:23 PM
Cracking Grout
I recently put ceramic tile around my bathtub. I used a 3/16" space between tiles. The tiles are 9" by 12" glazed tiles. A local contractor advised me to use non-sanded grout since he said the sanded grout would scratch the glazed tile. The problem is that there are cracks in some of the grout. A few areas had cracks that were just below the surface. Other cracks I'm not sure about.
How can I solve this problem? Should I have used Sanded grout since the space is 3/16"? Will sanded grout scratch the glazed tile? If I was starting over I woul have only left a 1/8" space, but the tile are all up already.
Thanks for any advice.
How can I solve this problem? Should I have used Sanded grout since the space is 3/16"? Will sanded grout scratch the glazed tile? If I was starting over I woul have only left a 1/8" space, but the tile are all up already.
Thanks for any advice.
#2
04-06-05, 04:23 PM
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ocean Grove, NJ
Posts: 909
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
Sanded grout may scratch the surface of some polished marble or granite tiles but a glazed ceramic tile would not scratch at all. The rule of thumb is to use unsanded grout when the joint is 1/8" or less. If bigger, use sanded. In certain applications i mix the two together to get the desired result. The cracks you have are from shrinkage of the unsanded grout. The proper remedy would be to dig out the unsanded at least 2/3 of the way into the grout line and replace with sanded.
#3
06-30-05, 08:21 AM
Let Me Get This Straight Tileguybob
BOB
Your reply to the CRACKING GROUT was: " . . . i mix the two grouts together to get the desired results?
I don't understand that BOB. Straighten me out.
Why then do they have two different types of grout then ?
(SANDED & UNSANDE )
I have a tile space more than 1/4in. wide.
To what advantage will I gain to MIX two different grouts together?
THANKS TILEGUYBOB
RAYRAY
Your reply to the CRACKING GROUT was: " . . . i mix the two grouts together to get the desired results?
I don't understand that BOB. Straighten me out.
Why then do they have two different types of grout then ?
(SANDED & UNSANDE )
I have a tile space more than 1/4in. wide.
To what advantage will I gain to MIX two different grouts together?
THANKS TILEGUYBOB
RAYRAY
#4
06-30-05, 03:46 PM
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ocean Grove, NJ
Posts: 909
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
Ray
You want to use the sanded grout. I use the mix in certain situations on a case by case basis, not as a standard rule of thumb. In your situation the unsanded which packs very tightly, shrunk in the 3/16" gap as it dried. That gap is too big for unsanded and those cracks will show up almost every time if only unsanded grout is used there, The sanded being coarser will not shrink as much so cracks are not as evident. The amount of water used in rinsing the tile may play into the cracking a little but the main culprit here was the use of unsanded only in a 3/16" joint.
You want to use the sanded grout. I use the mix in certain situations on a case by case basis, not as a standard rule of thumb. In your situation the unsanded which packs very tightly, shrunk in the 3/16" gap as it dried. That gap is too big for unsanded and those cracks will show up almost every time if only unsanded grout is used there, The sanded being coarser will not shrink as much so cracks are not as evident. The amount of water used in rinsing the tile may play into the cracking a little but the main culprit here was the use of unsanded only in a 3/16" joint.
