Contractor Talk - Construction and Remodeling Site
CLICK HERE AND JOIN OUR COMMUNITY TODAY...IT'S FREE!
Go Back   Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum > Trade Talk > Flooring

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 12-30-2006, 08:13 AM   #1
Pure Vision
 
SHAWNPAINTS's Avatar
Trade: FLOORING PRO / PAINTING
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: new jersey
Posts: 79
Tile bathroom surround

I just finished the tile in my bathroom. It is around the bathtub surround. It looks pretty good for my first time. I just have some questions. I have to scrape some of the thinset out of the 1/8" spacers. How much of the thinset has to be out for me to start grouting? And when I start to grout, how long does it have to set before I can clean it? Do you just clean it with a sponge and warm water or do you add something to the water? Then, to add the sealer, do you have to wait like a day or so or can you put the sealer on once the grout is dry? Thanks for the help in advance. And any other pointers or tips some of the pros might have would be very helpful. Thanks again!!!

SHAWNPAINTS is offline   Reply With Quote
Warning: The topics covered on this site include activities in which there exists the potential for serious injury or death. ContractorTalk.com DOES NOT guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information contained on this site. Always use proper safety precaution and reference reliable outside sources before attempting any construction or remodeling task!

Join Contractor Talk

Join the #1 Contractor Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

ContractorTalk.com - Are you a Professional Contractor? If so we invite you to join our community and see what it has to offer. Our site is specifically designed for you and it's the leading place for contractors to meet online. No homeowners asking DIY questions. Just fellow tradesmen who enjoy talking about their business, their trade, and anything else that comes up. No matter what your trade is you'll find that ContractorTalk.com is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally free!

Join ContractorTalk.com - Click Here JOIN FOR FREE

Old 12-30-2006, 10:07 AM   #2
Catch what you'll eat.
 
MattCoops's Avatar
Trade: Tile & Paint
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 1,732
You should have cleaned out the thinset that pushed throught grout lines while it was still wet. It's a whole lot easier to clean out then.

But just take a utility knife and score out the dried up thinset. Get it ALL outta there. Get the edges and corners nice.
You'll eat up a few blades doing this. But its worth it. You don't want to grout and have clumps of dried thinset soaring your eyes.

Grout and let set for bout a half hour.
Clean with a big bucket of clean water and sponge.
Scrub in circular motions.
Then clean sponge.
Wipe one side. Wipe the other.
Clean out again.
Continue.

Wait 2-3 days before sealing.
Use a quality sealer like AquaMix. Or you can get TileLab at Home Depot.

DO NOT use that hairspray crap sealer. It will just wipe off. And it has actually been known to cause health hazards.

It's fun work right?
__________________
Matt; tile contractor in Charlotte, NC
704-605-0907
Tweeting @MattCupan | read my articles
MattCoops is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-30-2006, 01:30 PM   #3
Pro
 
reveivl's Avatar
Trade: Renovations
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: West Coast Canada
Posts: 1,673
You can get a grout saw at your tile dealer that will ease the pain of digging all that thinset out. The next time you do this you will clean out the grout lines wet, I bet.
__________________
"Too much is always better than not enough"--J.R. "Bob" Dobbs
reveivl is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 12-30-2006, 05:53 PM   #4
Pure Vision
 
SHAWNPAINTS's Avatar
Trade: FLOORING PRO / PAINTING
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: new jersey
Posts: 79
I have been using my dremel tool with the carbide tip for the past 2 hours trying to get this thinset out. This SUCKS. Can I get in the shower after I grout? How long should I wait? Can I put like curtains around the tub so it doesn't get wet? Thanks again!!!
SHAWNPAINTS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-30-2006, 08:22 PM   #5
Chief Toilet Mover
 
Mike Finley's Avatar
Trade: Bathroom Remodeling
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Littleton, Colorado
Posts: 11,758
OH MY!

You can have as much thinset in the spaces between the tile (grout lines) as you want as long as once you put in the grout you can't see any of the thinset showing through. You certainly don't need to get it all out of there, that's a huge job you have given yourself for no reason.

Use a utility knife and scrape any thinset that will be proud of your tile and show in the grout lines, then get a big sponge and some warm water, start scrubing the grout lines and just make sure you get the thinset off any of the edges of the tile so once again it doesn't show when your grout. That's really all you need to do.

You're using a sanded grout right? Grout a section, maybe 1/3 of the wall and start wiping and 'tooling' your grout lines with the sponge, then do another section, as the first section hazes over wipe it with clean water. Do a final wipe with clean water when you are done with it all. Sponge and same water temp you used to mix your grout, you don't need any chemicals. I don't like introducing anything different to the grout such as warm water, grout is finicky stuff sometimes as far as discoloring on you.

We always seal the next day.

Make sure you caulk the corners, don't grout them. Caulk the gap between the tile and the tub too. We always use a color matched latex caulk.
Mike Finley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-31-2006, 12:49 AM   #6
Pro
 
mickeyco's Avatar
Trade: Squirrel Handler
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Chicago
Posts: 3,438
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Finley View Post
Make sure you caulk the corners, don't grout them. Caulk the gap between the tile and the tub too. We always use a color matched latex caulk.
Do you know how to say that in Spanish, I can't seem to get it through to English.
mickeyco is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-31-2006, 09:41 AM   #7
Pure Vision
 
SHAWNPAINTS's Avatar
Trade: FLOORING PRO / PAINTING
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: new jersey
Posts: 79
so mike finley, i should caulk the corners of the bath tub surround instead of grouting them? why is that? just asking. so after i lay the grout, can i put shower curtains around the bathroom tile and take a shower? i have non sanded grout. it almost the same color as the thinset. snow white is the color. thanks again.
SHAWNPAINTS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-31-2006, 11:55 AM   #8
Chief Toilet Mover
 
Mike Finley's Avatar
Trade: Bathroom Remodeling
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Littleton, Colorado
Posts: 11,758
Quote:
Originally Posted by SHAWNPAINTS View Post
so mike finley, i should caulk the corners of the bath tub surround instead of grouting them? why is that?
The grout will most likely crack in a corner, caulk will expand and contract.

Quote:
Originally Posted by SHAWNPAINTS View Post
so after i lay the grout, can i put shower curtains around the bathroom tile and take a shower?
I'm not sure exactly what you are asking, the purpose of the shower is to take a shower in it, when you're done with what you are doing, why couldn't you use the shower?
Mike Finley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-31-2006, 11:56 AM   #9
Chief Toilet Mover
 
Mike Finley's Avatar
Trade: Bathroom Remodeling
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Littleton, Colorado
Posts: 11,758
Quote:
Originally Posted by mickeyco View Post
Do you know how to say that in Spanish, I can't seem to get it through to English.

I think it is "Yo quero taco bell".
Mike Finley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-31-2006, 02:11 PM   #10
Pure Vision
 
SHAWNPAINTS's Avatar
Trade: FLOORING PRO / PAINTING
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: new jersey
Posts: 79
how long do i have to wait to use the shower after i grout? is there a certain time limit i have to wait before the tile and grout can get wet? thanks again.
SHAWNPAINTS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-31-2006, 02:12 PM   #11
Pure Vision
 
SHAWNPAINTS's Avatar
Trade: FLOORING PRO / PAINTING
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: new jersey
Posts: 79
also, can the grout get on the caulk? do i caulk before or after i caulk? thank a million.
SHAWNPAINTS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-31-2006, 02:58 PM   #12
Class A Contractor "BLD"
 
Gordo's Avatar
Trade: Remodeling and home improvements
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Virginia Beach, Va.
Posts: 1,288
Quote:
Originally Posted by SHAWNPAINTS View Post
how long do i have to wait to use the shower after i grout? is there a certain time limit i have to wait before the tile and grout can get wet? thanks again.
Read the instructions on the bags of grout and thinset.

Grout can be 'misted' with a spray bottle 1-2 after you float it. This helps the mortar in the grout to develop a harder finish.
__________________
Looks like some pros were here.
Gordo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-31-2006, 03:00 PM   #13
Class A Contractor "BLD"
 
Gordo's Avatar
Trade: Remodeling and home improvements
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Virginia Beach, Va.
Posts: 1,288
Quote:
Originally Posted by SHAWNPAINTS View Post
also, can the grout get on the caulk? do i caulk before or after i caulk? thank a million.

Grout...clean up......let dry........then caulk corners. Use a big sponge to tool the corners of the grout......washing sponge in big bucket of agua frequently.
__________________
Looks like some pros were here.
Gordo is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Learning to install Floor and Wall Tile!! TurnkeyConst Flooring 25 01-17-2008 08:01 PM
Heres our latest bathroom with curved walls and tile TurnkeyConst Remodeling Picture Post 14 10-03-2007 11:20 AM
Bathroom Tile Shower Remodel, 12" travertine with 4" alternating border MattCoops Flooring Picture Post 2 04-29-2007 09:12 PM
Tile Removal Questions DecksEtc Ceramic & Stone Tile 11 06-06-2006 11:56 PM
Got some design ideas for tile wainscoting? Mike Finley Ceramic & Stone Tile 2 05-09-2006 09:05 AM




Top of Page | View New Posts


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:15 PM.


Contractor Talk™ © 2003 - 2009 The Building Network LLC