What grout around shower - And thanks

[damage]

Hi all,
Firstly I want to say thankyou for all the advice you guys post on these foums. I have found it a great help and have so far managed to tile my bathrom floor and walls using the help offered on other threads.

Im now at the grouting stage! I have grouted the floor and most of the walls but I now need a little advice....

My shower is in the bath and directly behind the shower (the wall it is attached to) the mr's instisted on having small tiles 4" x 4" about 116 altogether! Anyway, I am in a little dilema as to what grout to use.

So far I have used BAL products throughout and have grouted most of the walls using Ball Microflex (ivory). However, I am a little concerned about what grout to use with the little 4" x 4" tiles. I am worried that the BAL Microflex will not provide sufficient protection against the water from the shower.

I have purchased a tub of BAL Easypoxy (ivory) to the small tiles but after reading all the horror stories about using this stuff Iam not sure

So my question is, do I use Easypoxy or stick with the Bal Microflex around the small tiles?

Also, will the Easypoxy & Micorflex Ivory actually be the same colour?


Thanks


Damage

 

[gcol]

If you've used 100mm x 100mm for a shower I'd say tanking is a must. If you didn't tank the walls then an epoxy grout will protect the wall from water damage. The epoxy grout will keep clean much longer than a regular grout too - and as you have a lot of grout lines this wouldn't be a bad idea.
If you do neither and just use regular grout, keep your fingers crossed tightly.
Small tiles around showers are not a good idea in my opinion.

 

[damage]

Thanks for the info. Looks like I will be using the epoxy grout then!

Any tips on the best way to use it?

 

[alpcon]

Dont mix up too much as it goes hard very quickly so do small areas at a time with a little mixed up for the job. The tiling boys can help you better with this than I can coz im just a humble builder

 

[flyingcat]

hi, gcol, i have a similar question.

first report my progrress: I have already plastered the wall to which the shower attached. Next step is tanking it.

But not sure which grout I should use, bought microflex (white) because the Toppstiles staff said the water-proof one is very difficult to use, will maka a lot of mess. I am not sure if microflex is enough for shower area. my tiles are 25cm*40cm.

thanks.

 

[gcol]

Microflex is absolutely fine for shower areas.
If you can go with a grout colour other than white then I recommend you do so. White grout looks ok for about a fortnight then looks grubby. An off-white colour doesn't show up dirt as much.

 

[damage]

Dont mix up too much as it goes hard very quickly so do small areas at a time with a little mixed up for the job. The tiling boys can help you better with this than I can coz im just a humble builder

Well I did it! I used Bal's Easypoxy grout last night and it was fine! It took me the best part of two hours to grout around 116 4" x 4" tiles.

I fount the grout was more like putty than grout and it took a little bit of work to get it into the gaps betwwen the tiles and wasn't too messy. I just mixed up a little easypoxy at a time (did it in about four mixes) and as soon as I had used the mix I cleaned the tiles with a wet sponge - the rough ones that Topps sell) and then just went over with a regular sponge.

What I did find though is that if I used too much water on the tiles the grout on the tiles at the bottom of the wall started to go a bit mushy. But checked them this morning and the grout was as hard as rock!

So I would say to anyone worried about using Epoxy grout, don't be. Jut take your time and clean up as you go. The Bal stuff seemed to stay managable for about 30 - 45 mins, plenty of time to clean the excess off the tiles.

I will post a pic or two of my tiling / grouting adventure when I get chance. And considering I have never tiled or grouted before in my life I think I have done quite a good job


Damage

 

[gcol]

Well done damage. First tiling job and used epoxy! Respect.

 

[flyingcat]

thanks for sharing your adventure, damage. it encourages me a lot to use the Easyproxy.

and i will have to return the microflex to the shop as the one i got is "white" not "ivory". i would follow gcol's advice to get ivory to avoid any problem in the future.

 

[flyingcat]

also a question, do you think the 2mm space between tiles will make the job more difficult than using bigger space?

 

[damage]

also a question, do you think the 2mm space between tiles will make the job more difficult than using bigger space?

I used 1.7mm spacers, a funny size I know but I could not find any 2mm. I found the gap left by the spacers I used was fine, so 2mm will be Ok I guess. But I did have little 4" x 4" tiles!

I borrowed a neighbours (who is a tiler / plaster) grout float, looked like this:

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?i...&tbnid=SRi1XONu_ELiaM:&tbnh=58&tbnw=116&prev=

The crapy grout aplicator I bought from Scre***x was rubbish!

 

[flyingcat]

thanks! i know there is one grout float in my local Toppstiles store reduced to 10.99 from 12.99. I might get that one when i pick up my tiles tomorrow.

wait to see the pics of your new bathroom.

 

[damage]

thanks! i know there is one grout float in my local Toppstiles store reduced to 10.99 from 12.99. I might get that one when i pick up my tiles tomorrow.

wait to see the pics of your new bathroom.

My Epoxy grouting aroung the little tiles! Just waiting for the plumber tocome and fix the shower now!!

And then it all gotta be sealed!

 

[flyingcat]

well done! looks beautiful. btw, i am going to use Eproxy as well because the "boss" at home think the tanking kit is too expensive and decline my planning.

 

[Spr0cket]

Tanking kit less than 30 quid too expensive ...
Not compared to having to remove tiles, replaster or repanel and then retile if not done right.

I'd prefer tanking first, it allows flex in joints between the walls as well as wall to shower tray or cabinets etc which epxoy resin will struggle to match.

Couple that with application that's a doddle - I say spend the 30 quid and don't tell her