Thanks . What’s the best way to apply to get smooth defined grout lines ? How long fonyounwait to remove excess and then wipe with the sponge ?
I edited the post above but generally if you've got a contrasting grout the way to get defined lines is to make sure there aren't any bumps in the grout that spill out sideways on the rounded edge of the tiles. Wipe diagonally for the most part so you're going across the grout line at an angle, but if you notice any humpy spots either strike them out with a scraper that has a slightly rounded corner, carefully use a fingernail, or focus your sponge rubbing a bit more in line with the grout line but not so hard that you dig the adjacent lower spots out
As noted you can't really give a minutes and seconds wait time as it depends on a lot of factors but it's a bit like trying to clean melted chocolate off a fabric; if you rub it with a sponge the surface starts coming off but you just keep gently polishing at it to diminish it. The texture of the grout is a bit like soft chocolate when you're starting to do the sponging, and you don't want a wringing wet sponge but do clean it frequently
Being diligent with your rubber grout float in making sure there aren't any massive lumps will help, and metro tiles are a bit more of a nuisance because of the edge profile/chamfer but a careful run over with the float and a rounded corner will help ensure there isn't a huge mound of it somewhere while not digging out between the lines much
If you've fitted your spacers so the plus shape is touching four tiles (ie you're thinking of grouting it in, maybe take some time remove it ; an oscillating multi tool works great for this
Re the Mapei grouts o don't usually have a problem with them being grainy, and though one of my bathrooms at home that was done by someone else does occasionally have a bit of a lump. I don't know what happened with it cos the rest of his tiling is spot on, maybe not quite clean bucket, but it's slight and I've got bigger things on the list! One day I'll rake it out and do it again.
