Tile Bathroom Surround

SHAWNPAINTS

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!!!

MattCoops

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?

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Matt with Cupan Custom Tile & Paint of Lowell, Massachusetts
Design and installation of ceramic tile and natural stone for floor, wall, and countertops
(978) 601-8774 | cupantile@gmail.com | view tile pictures and more

reveivl

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.

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From where does knowledge come? If you need to know what is in a box, you could ask someone (not reliable), you could pray, (not useful), you can consult with the scripture (not helpful) or you could open the box (science)

SHAWNPAINTS

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!!!

Mike Finley

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.

mickeyco

Do you know how to say that in Spanish, I can't seem to get it through to English.

SHAWNPAINTS

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.

Mike Finley

The grout will most likely crack in a corner, caulk will expand and contract.

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

I think it is "Yo quero taco bell".

SHAWNPAINTS

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

also, can the grout get on the caulk? do i caulk before or after i caulk? thank a million.

Gordo

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.

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Looks like some pros were here.

Gordo

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.