How to grout, STEP by STEP

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How to grout, no matter what the tile may be or whether it is a floor, or a wall. You will need a rubber float, a couple of buckets, a margin trowel a cordless drill and a mixing paddle for the drill., and some rubber gloves. Today there are many options ad different types of grout. Modern grouts are much better than the standard Cementitious grouts that are Portland Cement based, which were prone to staining and difficult to keep clean. Modern Satin resistant grouts provide a much denser and very stain resistant finish. Mix your grout according to the direction of the grout you are using. This is very important for these modern grouts, small discrepancies in the amount of water can impact the color of the grout. Once the grout is ready, I find the best way to grout, is to spread the grout with the rubber float while holding it at a very low angle to the floor and pushing the grout into the lines while applying a good amount of pressure. Once you have filled the lines go over the same area with the float at a very high angle in order to remove all the excess grout and leave the grout lines filled with the proper amount of grout. Let stand until there is no transfer to your finger when you touch the grout. Then with a grout sponge and a bucket of clean cool water, work the grout lines with the sponge. The sponge should have as little water as possible not dripping or soaked. At this point the goal is to shape the grout lines, not clean the tile. Once this is accomplished, the next step is to clean the tile. Again, with a damp sponge and clean water, place the sponge on the tile, with even pressure pull the sponge in one direction only, lift the sponge flip to the other side repeat, rinse and repeat until the grouted section is clean. Once the tile is grouted and cleaned in this fashion, wait until the area dries to a haze, most times you can wipe it down with a clean dry cloth to remove the haze. If needed, a second rinse with clean water can be done to remove the haze, and then follow with a cloth if any haze remains.
All tile installed by Sal DiBlasi, Elite-tile Company, in the Boston North Shore area. This video contains affiliate links, which means I will receive a small commission if you click on the product link.
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[mattb]

I just grouted today, with help from your earlier video! Came out great, and am doing the final clean in a little bit.

[arte]

You make it look easy.
I did a floor and it came out well.
I guestimated the amount of grout I needed and divided the water by how many pounds of grout needed.
Worked well but seemed to set up rather quickly and it was only an 8 x 8 room with 12"x 24" tiles.

[javierc.salazar]

Thank you brother Sal, take care and stay safe.

[MaMa-qhdy]

DANG!!!! I wish Sal was my neighbor. Another GREAT

[chriserhard]

Nice video. One thing that makes this here DIY guy feel better us your pants end up looking just like mine!!! Lol

[ericastier]

Sal, i want to thank you for the tutorials. What do you do with the joint space between the bottom of the door frame molding and the tiles (that was sawed to the tiles height). Do you put silicon under there ? it's in a bathroom. I have grout alabaster color matched sillicon and white sillicon. The door frame are painted white. Which sillicon should i use there ?

[petergrupp]

Sal, I'm curious after a day of work especially laying floor tile. Does your back or knees hurt? Does a body get used to this work if u do it everyday? I tile maybe 2 to 3 floors a year and I feel it at the end of the day.

[williamdell]

Hi Sal, love your videos.
Could you tell me your go-to Grout for outdoor terrace floor tiles? Size of grout is 5mm.
Many thanks!

[sakutervonen]

Sal, Great vids.
Im a fellow craftsman from finland and enjoy your vids.

May i suggest a video for you, would be about tools surrounding demolition, proper dust control around jobsite etc.

Would like to see you do a demo work on a project :)

[CarlosDiabos]

Great work like always Sal 👏 just wondering why you mixed a full bag of grout for such big area all at once considering you have to clean as you go considering its a fast setting grout, by the end is the grout still workable?

[patrickcowan]

My mapei ultra color fa say's mix 4 to 5 minutes no slaking time use right away. Last job i used it on i ended up with the grout being four shades darker, looks wet at one end of the backsplash, dry mixed the bag thoroughly since i only needed a little over half a bag but 2/3rds were consistent last third is dark, I've used this product many times and Ardex, poly blend etc.have never experienced something like this. Any clues out there, talked to the tile rep and she's never seen it either.

[eundaddy]

Should you grout first then silicone the corners?

[rdytrvl]

Great video as always. Maybe this is a topic for another video, but I'm sure you're sealing the grout - are you? Any preferred sealants?

[jeffdeluca]

Hey Sal - nice work as always! Quick question... so I came to realize the there's a difference in rectified and non rectified tiles. As I was attempting to play with the spacing using a tile lippage system I realized these tiles are not rectified. Thus I cannot get the tight 1/16" joint as the back of the tiles flare a bit - is this just life in the tile world?

[DCODD]

Please share this grout color. Thank you in advance.

[jimmysotack]

I like to mix my grout by hand..just a personal preference.Batteries cost money

[AndyDiMartino]

How did your grout stay workable for that length of time? I find it starts setting up in the bucket and then it doesn't float into the joints very well.

[TheGonzo]

Hey Sal, did you like that grout cleaning system? The one with the rollers and flat sponge?

[evanbland]

You mention that you caulk the corners. So no grout in the corners at all? If so, do you try to use a caulk color that would match the grout?
Thanks

[williamsauder]

Here's how to grout....get a helper then show him how. Then go make money setting tile😂😅😁