HRH Hack.

 

royals !!!

 

Sorry to jump on an old thread, was wondering about this myself.

I don't think this question is bogus. Did you try it? What was the result?

Acrylic and Latex are both polymer type products, correct? So wouldn't mixing them into a sanded grout essentially just make the grout polymer modified. Most of the more expensive water proofing systems currently available are a mixture of grout and latex or acrylic type polymers, no?

As for the warranty being voided, basically sneezing while applying a product seems to void its warranty. So if it waterproofing failure you are concerned about, make sure you have that taken care of in your underlayment. If it is a cracking issue, it seems that adding a polymer to your grout would help prevent it. If it is color fading you are worried about, only time will tell. It seems that people are redoing their bathrooms more frequently than the full lifespan of a product anyhow.

 

Sorry to jump on an old thread, was wondering about this myself.

I don't think this question is bogus. Did you try it? What was the result?

It's bogus because it's rooted in ignorance. Just because they have a product base that uses the same term doesn't mean they are the same.

Acrylic and Latex are both polymer type products, correct? What is polymer? What types of polymers exist? So wouldn't mixing them into a sanded grout essentially just make the grout polymer modified. No, chemically they are not the same, and that is what matters. What in paint would negatively react with the grout?Most of the more expensive water proofing systems currently available are a mixture of grout and latex or acrylic type polymers, no? No. No waterproofer has grout in it. Grout broken down is simply cement and colorant. Why would you think that grout is in waterproofing?

As for the warranty being voided, basically sneezing while applying a product seems to void its warranty. How so? What is your experience with warranties (specifically)? I know for a fact that Ardex, Wedi, Schluter, Mapei will all stand behind their warranties and usually go about and beyond.So if it waterproofing failure you are concerned about, make sure you have that taken care of in your underlayment. If it is a cracking issue, it seems that adding a polymer to your grout would help prevent it. Polymers help in some instances, but cracking is caused by movement. Elliminating the movement is the answer, not a different product (in most cases) If it is color fading you are worried about, only time will tell. It seems that people are redoing their bathrooms more frequently than the full lifespan of a product anyhow.

Most redo their bathroom every 15-25 years. Most of my clients are at the 20-25 year mark, so I disagree with that as well.

 

I don't think this question is bogus either, and I came here having thought of it for a small job I am DIYing. I am a polymer chemist and a semi-pro DIYer, and simply wondered whether I could do this because I haven't found the right grout colorant. I know to a certainty that in reasonable quantities paint added to concrete is a winner, not only adding color but adding a bit of flexibility as well, not unlike adding short fibers. Grout chemistry and concrete chemistry are effectively the same. Adding latex or acrylic paint is more or less like going from unmodified to modified thinset. So the issue isn't fundamental compatibility, it is whether, in the amounts needed to produce the color, the other additives in paint (binders, surfactants, viscosity modifiers) would pose a problem. It would be 'better' to use the colorants from the paint store. It would also be likely better to use supercheap paint to get the color package without all the sophisticated additives that make higher-end latexes self-level and flow correctly off the brush. So if I were to do this, I'd get the most highly colored paint in the correct color family of the cheapest paint so I could uses the least amount possible. However, having said ALL of that, why couldn't you used white thinset in lieu of white grout? Because the thinset is an adhesive and the grout is not. In a tiny repair job, it is likely fine. But on a larger scale it would respond to thermal and mechanical stress differently than straight grout and likely fail the tile with enough stress. So the science question here is what does adding paint do to grout flexibility, binding, coefficients of expansion, breathing etc. Manufacturers would never endorse a hack without testing it. They have no motivation to test it and their liability lawyers would tell you that you are 'off the page'. But that is them CYAing, not being chemists/formulators. A small amount of paint is quite likely to make the grout sticker, more water resistant and less likely to crack. Too much and it may interfere with the hydration process of the cement by encapsulation and reduce the integrity/strength. So the answer may be 'it depends'. Harsh words aside, it SHOULD work in small amounts based upon the science, and none of the pros here would endorse it for the same reasons the mfg'ers won't. No call-backs, no premature failures, no hacks that could result in thousands of dollars in liability that their insurance companies would disallow the claims for, because they made stuff up.

 

Youmighttryinsertingacoupleofparagraphbreaksinyourpost, itmakesforeasierreading.

 

Agreedididntrealizebeforeitpostedsorry

 

This is one helluva zombie post....it just keeps getting brought back from the dead.

Add whatever you want to whatever you want... just don't try to pass it off as acceptable professional practice.

When things go wrong, AND THEY DO, I want a supply house, outside rep and manufacturer to help ease the pain of fixing it. My clients, reputation and money are too important to risk with folksy down on the farm shade tree huckster snake oil my daddy did it this way grout formula BS.

Some people have 20 years of experience... others have 1 year, 20 times.

 

its been proven adding the correct raito of acrylic to cementious material makes it stronger n more water resistant.

 

Do you have a link for this proof that is 10 years old?

 

You'll never hear from the that piece of AI again.

 

I'm not a contractor, but a descendent of enough tradies that I could build my own house if I wanted to (and have a tool collection that makes many a contractor jealous). I am a DIYer...do with that info what you will (cue trolls...and the couple of guys on here who have a massive grout trowel wedged up their drain pipes).
I added latex paint to get a custom color to white, sanded grout for my kitchen backsplashes over 4years ago and it's doing FINE. It looks great, matches the accent wall/decor, and I have had ZERO complications...behind the sink (water), near the toaster oven (heat), and around door/windows (movement (hello CA earthquakes) and temperature changes)...all is good.
If we waited for manufacturers to test every single additive then we'd be waiting forever...besides, it's not in their best interest to give us a hack when they can create new products to upcharge us for (and for those who say use their colors...the ones that I want don't exist).
For the contractors, as long as you are clear with your clients that you cannot guarantee the outcome then it's on them...they are paying you to create their vision, so ultimately if they want hot pink grout then they get hot pink grout.