Tile Grout

Tile coatings are very convenient, practical, look luxurious, and even serve for a long time. But their styling is associated with solving various issues regarding consumables. For example, it will not be possible to create a truly beautiful and durable coating if the tile grout is improperly selected or completely absent. What is it and how to choose it - you will learn from this article.

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Why grout?

Before thinking about which grout to choose for a tile, you need to understand why it is needed at all. If you correctly define your goals and carefully consider the decorative design of the room with such a finish, you will not have any difficulties with the purchase.

So, first of all, grout for tile joints in the bathroom is needed in order to give the entire surface a complete and attractive look. You must admit that if between a few elements in a delicate shade and with an exquisite pattern a low-aesthetic cement glue is visible, you will not get the expected effect.

But the purpose of such material is not limited to this. In addition to the decorative function, grout for tiles gives the following result:

• prevents the development of fungi and mold, which is very important in conditions of constant humidity in the bathroom;
• enhances the moisture resistance of the entire coating, in particular, prevents water from entering the adhesive base and the entire finish lasts longer;
• helps protect individual elements from deformation;
• provides solidity and integrity of the surface, which is a good protection against debris, dust, dirt and makes it easier for you to care for the coating as a whole.

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How to choose a grout?

The assortment of materials of this type on the market is more than sufficient. Therefore, when choosing, you need to focus not only on the price category, but also on other important requirements.

The main criteria for choosing a grout are:

1. Destination
2. Type of mixture.
3. Basic basis and component composition.
4. Hue material.

Important! Special attention should be paid to the reliability of the brand. Not only the initial cost of the mixture, but also its technical characteristics, durability and consumption will depend on this.

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Types of grouting by composition

Building mixtures of this type are based on one of the 3 basic components - cement, epoxy resins or silicone. To understand which grout is suitable for your joints, you just need to know about the pros and cons of each option.

Important! The answer to the question, grout for tiles in the bathroom - which one to choose, it is necessary to take into account not only the type of decorative material itself, but also the features of the operating conditions, the spatial location of the surface.

Cement

Cement mortars are a classic option. Their application does not cause any difficulties, since the technology is feasible even for a home master with minimal skills to perform such work.

Structure

Modern grouting for tiles of this type includes not only the cement base itself, but also auxiliary substances:

• color pigments;
• plasticizers;
• additives for special purposes, for example hydrophobic or reinforcing.

Kinds

Tile grout in the bathroom is classified as follows:

• for wide joints, the size of which is from 5 mm;
• for narrow - up to 5 mm, respectively.

Important! The size of the seam usually depends on the size and method of laying the tile itself.To strengthen the wide seams, sand of varying degrees of fractionality is usually added to the composition of the mixture. This substance prevents cracking of the mixture after setting and allows it to firmly maintain the desired shape.

Another classification criterion is the plasticity of the solution. Here the options are as follows:

• Elastic mixture - used in a temperature differential, for example, for saunas or steam rooms or in rooms with heated floors. Features of the solution allow it to stretch and contract without destruction.
• Non-elastic - are used in standard conditions, where increased loads of various nature are not expected.

In the form of release, cement grout for tile joints in the bathroom can be in the form of:

• dry mix.
• ready solution.

Important! Dry mixes will cost you less, they are quite economical in consumption, and surpluses can be stored dry longer. But the finished solutions do not require additional manipulations to prepare the mixture and are very convenient to use, especially if there are no skills or special tools and you need to complete all the work as quickly as possible.

Pros:

1. Low price.
2. Ease of use.
3. A wide selection of shades.
4. Universality of application.
5. High strength.

Minuses:

1. It gets dirty faster.
2. May collapse earlier than expected with very high humidity and frequent temperature changes.
3. It does not always withstand the effects of aggressive household chemicals.

Epoxy

Epoxy grout for tiles will be more convenient if you need to finish the tiles on various surfaces - not only in the bathroom, but also in other rooms, as well as in open areas.

Structure

The basis of such material is necessarily present:

• epoxy resin composition;
• hardener.

Important! Depending on the brand and series of the product, such grout for joints can include silica particles and various additives. In the finished form, the mixture is quite viscous, and to obtain it you need to mix the ingredients yourself. And this is an additional effort and a waste of time.

Pros:

1. Long-term operation period - up to 50 years.
2. Absolute resistance to moisture, aggressive chemistry.
3. High mechanical strength.
4. Durability of the original color.
5. Excluded the development of fungus and mold.

Minuses:

1. High price.
2. The complexity of the application.

Important! In addition, it should be noted that such solutions after mixing are quite caustic. Therefore, they must be used exclusively in personal protective equipment - a respirator, gloves.

Silicone

Silicone today is a universal material for various construction and repair work. Interesting in this regard and grout for joints. Such a sealant cannot completely replace decorative grout, therefore it is better to use it as an auxiliary material to achieve a better result.

Pros:

1. A wide palette of shades.
2. Antibacterial properties and reliable protection against fungus.
3. Elasticity and ease of use.
4. High threshold of resistance to moisture.

Minuses:

1. Lower mechanical strength than cement and epoxy.
2. The risk of color fading over time.
3. The cost-price ratio is not in favor of silicone.
4. Do not use on surfaces near which food or drinking water is stored.

Important! In addition to the component composition, specific recommendations for the purpose will be marked on the package. Pay attention to this inscription, since different mixtures are suitable for finishing floors, walls, facades or interior surfaces, including special solutions for a bath or a certain type of tile (artificial stone, porcelain tile).

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How to choose a grout for a tile by color?

It will be easy for you to choose the right shade of grout for tiles in the bathroom, if you take into account such advice from builders and designers:

1. The main tone of the tile and grout should match.
2. To make the surface look interesting, but not boring, shade the dark tiles with putty 1 tone darker, and light - 1 tone lighter.
3. To create a photo collage, a panel or a mosaic, give preference to a colorless fugue.
4. If you need to visually make the coating more holistic, take a light grout, if on the contrary, separate the elements, choose a dark one.
5. For a floor tile, use a mixture of a darker color, otherwise - the seams will become dirty quite quickly.
6. If you create an original decorative coating from tiles of different colors, grout for the seams should be the tone that prevails in the interior of the room.

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Popular manufacturers

The number of manufacturers of building mixtures today is huge and inexperienced is quite difficult to understand which brand should be trusted and which is not in demand. To ease your task and the grout for the tiles was really high quality, select the products of one of the following brands:

1. Litokol (Italy) is one of the leaders in the world-class construction market. It rightfully occupies a solid sales niche, has a wide range of goods for various purposes.
2. Ceresit (Henkel, Germany) is the most popular manufacturer of building mixtures for any purpose. It is these products that are most often chosen by knowledgeable home craftsmen and professional builders.
3. Knauf (Germany-Russia) is another brand that has no doubts about the quality of its products. On the market you can find goods of both Russian and German production, but the quality does not change from this, since the production takes place according to a single technology.
4. Kiilto (Finland) - an unambiguous plus of construction solutions of this brand is its high environmental cleanliness. The company pays a lot of attention to the implementation of high-tech solutions without changing the pricing policy of its products.
5. Mapei (Italy) - its construction mixes have been popular for over 100 years, which causes a certain level of trust. Prices are available for both wholesale customers and the general consumer.
6. Unis (Russia) is one of the most persistent Russian brands, whose products are in stable demand in all countries in the CIS.
7. Atlas (Poland) is one of the 3 leaders in the European market for building mixtures. When purchasing such material from the manufacturer, you will receive not only high-quality goods, but also free consultations on the implementation of construction work in various directions.

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Stock footage

We hope that you have now figured out which grout for tile joints in the bathroom or other rooms you choose. Use it in accordance with the technology proposed by the manufacturer and the tile coating will delight you with its attractiveness many years later.