One of the most popular and attractive flooring characteristics is undoubtedly ceramic tile. It is suitable both for rooms where the humidity level remains constantly high, and for other places - with high traffic or an ordinary city apartment.
An incredibly wide range of ceramic tiles is provided on the modern market, which allows everyone to choose the material they like. But the important role is how the coating will be laid and processed. The final step is grouting. What you need to know in order to prevent annoying mistakes?
Why overwrite the seams on the tiled floor
As you know, tiles are laid in such a way that the same distance remains between each element. This is done for many reasons, which may differ from each other. For example, in some cases, so that the coating does not crack over time due to movement of the base, and sometimes solely for a more pleasant visual effect from the floor.
Why do you need to overwrite these seams? The reason is simple: if this is not done, dirt will constantly accumulate between the tiles. This contributes not only to the deterioration of the appearance of the coating, but also to the spread of various microbes and bacteria. If the tile is laid in a bathroom or other room where it is constantly exposed to moisture, then in addition to dirt, mold will also appear.
It is in order to avoid such problems that it is necessary to use a special grout for joints, which can be purchased at a specialized store.
What are grouting for tiles, their characteristics
Let us consider in more detail the types of grouts, their key features and purpose. Another name for this composition, fugue, is often used by professionals, so do not be surprised if you hear it from the seller in the store.
IMPORTANT! Please note that not every composition is suitable for any room. Most often, only highly specialized grouts are produced, which must not only be correctly used, but also correctly selected.
The base of the fugue can be cement, epoxy or both of these elements joined together. The first option is the most budgetary and is only suitable for use in places where the humidity level is very low. In addition, this is a bad choice for rooms with high traffic - floors have to be washed there quite often, so there will be no benefit from grouting.
Resin fugues, on the contrary, are recognized as the highest quality, but this also affects their price. Therefore, it makes sense to pay attention to mixed options. They are considered universal both in quality and in cost.
Grout selection
What else should you look for when choosing a mixture?
First read the information on the packaging. Different fugues are designed for joints of different sizes - using the wrong grout can cause the coating to look sloppy and ugly. There are universal options - they will fit most modern tiles.
Then choose the right color for the substance. It’s best to pick one that looks most like a tile or pattern on it. You can also choose a shade opposite to the coating - for example, white for black tiles, but in this case you need to be as sure as possible about the result. If something goes wrong and the coating falls unevenly, then such a grout will only aggravate the situation. You will have to either buy a new one or completely redo everything all over again.
How to grout the seams on the tiles with your own hands
Before starting work, you need to not only wait a day after laying the tiles, but also carefully study all the stages of the process. Without this, a beginner can hardly do everything right.
First of all, prepare everything you need: a breeding tank, the puffer itself and other improvised means. Then thoroughly rinse the surface from any dirt and moisten it with water. After that, dilute the dry mixture and prepare a rubber spatula.
When everything is ready, you can begin to work and carefully fill all the seams with the prepared composition. Then the treated area will need to be cleaned - first of all, remove all excess with a spatula, and then moisten with a wet sponge.
IMPORTANT! Make sure that no dried material remains on the tile - in the future it will be very difficult to remove it. But various stains on ceramics are not terrible - they can be removed the very next day during the finishing correction of the coating.
If necessary, after about a day you need to grind the surface so that there is no excess fugue left on it. After that, wash the tile from any stains and dirt and once again wet the finished seams. This is where the work ends and you can enjoy the beautiful ceramic floor!
Now you know why you need to grout the seams on the porcelain tile, how to choose the right grout and what difficulties beginners may have during this process. It’s not at all necessary to turn to specialists, because you can do the work yourself and get the same high-quality and aesthetically pleasing result.
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