So, you’ve chosen your tiles, planned your design, and have ensured you’ve got all the right tools required for a successful installation. But there’s one left to consider; grout. It’s all very well having an idea of how your finished project will look but are you sure about which type of grout and sealants you should use for a particular installation? If not, read on to our grout guide and top grout and adhesives manufacturers Mapei will tell you…
Grout for Wall & Floor Installations
Mapei Ultracolor; is a versatile wall & floor grout that will fill a joint width of between 2mm- 20mm. Water and mould resistant. It has a working time of 25mins once mixed – general areas including showers are safe for use after 24 hours, but you must wait for 48 hours if used for swimming pools. In terms of coverage, using a 300x300x10mm tile with a 5mm grout joint coverage is approx 0.5KG per m2. Ultracolour is available in several colours, meaning that matching to your tiles and creating a seamless aesthetic has never been easier!
Kerapoxy Design; a polymer-based resin epoxy grout that dries like plastic and can be used with most types of wall or floor tiles/mosaics to create a highly functional, decorative effect. Mapei Kerapoxy is a premium-grade, water-cleanable, 100%-solids, high-strength epoxy mortar and chemical-resistant non-sagging grout. Available in six colours for grouting, Kerapoxy is excellent for countertops, high-traffic areas, and areas needing stain and chemical resistance. Use for joints between 3-7mm with ceramic tiles and natural stone and enhance even further if you so wish by adding Mapei MapeGlitter to make your grout lines sparkle like the night sky.
Silicone & Sealants
UK building regulations advise that best practice is to use silicone sealant in all vertical and horizontal internal corners where movement between two surfaces is expected. Here at Tile Mountain, we stock a huge range of colour-matched silicone sealants for all Mapei grouts, so you can maintain colour consistency throughout your project without compromising the quality of installation.
Mapesil AC; is a highly elastic waterproof and mould resistant silicone sealant, for use with ceramic, porcelain, glass etc. Suitable for sealing glass, ceramic and anodised aluminium, this sealant is ideal for sealing joints in wall and floor coverings of ceramic and cement, (provided they are not subject to heavy abrasion), joints between sinks or sanitary ware, and ceramic tiles in kitchens, bathrooms and showers.
Easily colour-matched to Mapei Ultracolour grout, Mapesil AC sealant enables you to create a uniform aesthetic between walls and floors without the need for unsightly grout and sealant lines. Providing that a bonding enhancer such as Mapei Primer FD has been applied, Mapesil can also be used on concrete, wood, metal, painted surfaces, plastic and rubber. Coverage using a 5-10mm bead is 6 linear metres per cartridge. Mapesil AC has a curing time of 24-48 hours.
Below is a table with several examples of grout requirements needed for specific sizes of tile and widths of grout joints:
That little lot should have demystified the murky world of grout for you but if you’re still in need of a few pointers or some installation advice, be sure to give our über-friendly customer services guys a call on 01782 223820 who’ll be happy to help.
Here at Tile Mountain, we not only have a huge range of tiles to suit every purpose, we also have a wealth of tiling knowledge gained from over 30 years in the tile industry, (which we’ll do or best to share with you across these very pages).
Whether you’re looking for the perfect tiles for your next home improvement project, are searching for some style inspiration, or simply need a bit of help and advice, you’re in the right place.