After the tile in the bathroom is stuck you need to bring all the work to a logical ending. By removing the alignment crosses from the joints between the tiles, you can make the tile joints in the bathroom with your own hands. This does not require special skills. You only need to arm yourself with certain knowledge.
Mixtures for grouting tiles in the bathroom
Filling the gaps between the tiles with the trowel mixtures not only imparts a complete holistic view of the entire surface, but also has a purely unitary function. Grout does not allow penetration under the slab of dirt and prevents the appearance of mold. Therefore, the correct choice of the mixture affects not only the appearance, but also the sanitary and hygienic parameters of the room.
Which glue is better for tile? Varieties of adhesives. Criteria for selecting glue, counting material consumption, rules for fixing tiles and surface preparation.
Before you do the grouting of the tile in the bathroom with your own hands, you need to choose the right mixture. Regardless of the manufacturer, all mixtures can be divided into 5 groups:
- on a cement-sand basis. It consists of white cement with the addition of fine sand. This type of mixture is used in dry and warm rooms. It is clear that for grouting tiles in the bathroom, they will not work;
- cement with the addition of polymers. Consist of cement and sand, but they added some polymer. This gives the mixture water-repellent properties, which makes it possible to use them in damp areas, such as the bathroom;
- grouting using cement and epoxy resins. This type of mixture is not afraid of moisture. They can be used for both interior and exterior decorating. Due to the strength given by epoxy resins, such mixtures can be used even when grouting joints in pools;
- pure epoxy grout;
- polymer based grout. This is the most expensive option. Processing of joints with polymer grouting is carried out directly when laying tile. Most often, this option is used when stoneware is applied. The joints treated with this grout are polished, giving a monolithic look to the entire surface.
Any of the listed groups of mixes allows use of the painting additives. Dyes can be absolutely any color. When choosing a mix for grouting tiles in a bathroom, it is worth paying attention to it being suitable for wet rooms. In addition, often mixtures are designed for a specific width of the seams. All information with the characteristics of a particular material is available on the package, so it must be read before purchasing.
Helpful advice! When choosing a grout for a bathroom, you need to keep in mind its antifungal properties. A mixture that does not possess them is not suitable for use in the bathroom.
All construction and repair activities begin with the preparation of the surface and equipment. To grind tile joints in a bathroom with your own hands, you will need the following tools:
- A bucket or some kind of convenient container in which the mixture will be mixed.
- Pure water.
- Rubber and steel flat spatulas.
- Special gun that simplifies the process of applying the mixture in the seams.
- Sponge or clean rags.
Tools should not leave scratches or other marks on the tile. Before starting the main work you need to prepare the surface. To do this, remove the excess glue and dirt from the joints, wipe the entire surface with a damp cloth, so that the seams are wet.
Helpful advice! According to the instructions, work on grouting should be carried out no earlier than after a day after the laying of tiles. Experienced builders recommend doing this in 7 days. In this case, the seams will not be exactly affected by shrinkage due to the drying of the adhesive.
Diluting the tile grout in the bathroom is a crucial process. To do this, dry powder from the bag is poured into a container and diluted with water according to the instructions printed on the package. Then mix by hand or with a mixer until a homogeneous composition appears.
When this is done, you need to wait 5 minutes and mix the mixture again. Now it is usable. Mixtures sold in finished form, also need to mix. If you need colored grout, then add the required amount of dye to the mixture before mixing.
Filling of seams with solution is made by means of the steel pallet or the gun that is more convenient. Then the rubber spatula level the mixture flush with the plane of the tile surface. When filling the seams it is necessary to ensure that there are no gaps. After grouting all the seams need to wait until the whole mixture grabs. After this, with a soft and completely squeezed sponge, it is necessary to make circular movements on the surface, smoothing the seams.
Do not move the sponge along the joints, as this may lead to the erosion of the grout. If defects are found at this stage, they should be eliminated by adding a solution to problem areas. Having finished this work you need to wait again for drying. After that, dry and clean with a cloth polish the entire surface, bringing it to a consistent and complete look.
Helpful advice! The bathroom has a plumbing, which in the places of contact with the tile forms a gap. They need to be sealed with a sealant, plastic baseboard, self-adhesive tapes or a ceramic corner.
Although it is very easy to understand in words how trowel joints are made in a bathroom, the video of this process can tell a lot about some nuances.
Before you start work, you need to thoroughly examine this process. Best of all, video instructions will help in this, which remove and spread a large number of people for free access. You can find videos that explain and show in stages the entire process of work production. Moreover, they are removed for any type of troweling mixtures.
Do not be afraid to start grouting the tiles in the bathroom. You can watch a video of this process with detailed instructions below.
