grouting floor tiles - below level of tiles?

[bizgen]

Same elderly lady asking! I have had ceramic floor tiles in previous house, now, in this house, we are having a fairly large area done.

The builder has laid the tiles in the kitchen and hall, and they look fine, except I am rather worried that, when he grouted them, he runs his thumb along to finish the grout and it leaves a shallow depression, as opposed to flush.

I can understand this with quarry tiles, but is this correct for highly glazed ceramic tiles that are being laid over underfloor heating? I'm asking really, because the major part of the tiling is still to be done in the reception rooms and conservatory, and when I visit showrooms, the grout appears to be flush with the top surface of the tiles. It's the same out in Spain as well, I just don't remember ever seeing a depression between ceramic tiles before. I can see problems with dust lying in the grooves as well.

I don't want to be picky, but could you experts give me some guidance on this?

 

[gcol]

A builder will use his finger when grouting, a tiler will use a marshaltown grout float to apply the grout and then a washboy to remove the excess. You don't end up with depression doing this. Tell your buider to keep his fingers out of the grout or it'll play havoc with his skin.
It's not the end of the world though - you'll end up wearing the grout down when you mop it anyway. This will take years though. My grout on my downstairs tiles could do with redoing after 8 years of mopping - tiles still look like new though.

 

[bizgen]

Do you think it looks better smooth? Rather than indented? The marshaltown grout flout is only about £16 but the washboy costs quite a lot. The kitchen and hall are already done, but the major living areas open from these areas open plan,
The builder says he isn't using his thumb, but some sort of float that appears to have a sponge edge. Then he sponges away the excess.
I'm getting cold feet over it, I want it to be easy to clean, and I can just imagine all the dust and debris collecting in these quite deep runnels between the tiles.
Do you think there is any point in telling the builder to gradually ease off as he goes through the other rooms, so that it becomes flatter away from the hall and kitchen?
Is the way quarry tiles are grouted different from the way highly glazed ceramic tiles are grouted?

 

[gcol]

A marshaltown grout float shouls cost no more than a tenner.
I'm not suggesting you buy this equipment - I'm saying that you should have this sort of gear if you do tiling for a living. Sounds like he is using a washboy sponge anyway.
Like I said, the grout will wear down with time anyway. My wife vacuums our tiles, then mops.
From the sound of it I wouldn't be worried, but if you are, post a pic and we'll have a look.

 

[bizgen]

You are so kind and helpful - thank you for taking the trouble to reply, I really appreciate it.

 

[gcol]

You are so kind and helpful....

You missed out devilishly handsome.