5 Common Questions About Grout Answered
It is not every day that you get to have your ceramic tiles applied with grout sealer or epoxy grout in Singapore. More often than not, only homeowners who recently got renovations or have their dream house built who ask about things about grouting your tiles. Well, you must know that once in a while, you should re-apply or install new grout sealers in between the tiles of your floor to keep them intact. Cleaning is also a crucial part of maintaining the elegance and strength of your tiles. However, every opportunity is wasted if you let your embarrassment overwhelm you when you do not know your home’s grouting or its problems.
In this article, you will learn more about the things you should know about grout. Instead of going to different websites that would take up most of your time only to know about epoxy grout, you could rely on this article alone. By answering all the common questions that could embarrass you when you ask a grout service provider or cleaner, you will gain more confidence in having a bit or more than enough knowledge about these things.
What is grout?
The word grout may sound dirty or unclean, but it plays a big role in maintaining cleanliness in your bathroom tiles. Without it, you would be cleaning a lot more than you should because you would need to scoop up the collected dirt and moisture in between your tiles to prevent odour and the growth of germs. Grout is used as a filler for those spaces or joints between the tiles. IT is a mix of cement, lime, colour pigment, and sometimes sand. Once it has been set, you would not have to worry about rigorous cleaning since it helps prevent the collection of dirt in between your tiles, leaving it stable and germ-free!
Grout sealers you find in Singapore stores are a different subject. Thus, you must not confuse those two. A grout sealer is used to fully protect a grout application. It adds another layer so that it is water-resistant and repels the moisture and germs that could decrease the quality of your grout.
What type of grout should I get?
There is a lot of available grout that you could choose from, but it will all depend on where you will use it and the grout joint. Grout joint is a term used to know the space or distance between each tile. Considering these two factors, you could choose from four types of grout, specifically:
- Unsanded grout
These are often used for wall tiles where the grout joint is less than a one-eighth inch wide. Generally, it is ideal for small grout joints since it is finer and thinner than sanded grout. It would be easier to apply to a narrow joint because it does not have sand, resulting in a smoother texture!
- Sanded grout
True to its name, sanded grout has a mixture of fine particles of sand. When sand is used in grouting in Singapore homes, tiles have increased stability, better resistance to cracking, and less grout shrinkage. It is more budget-friendly than unsanded, and ideal for tile joints that are one-eighth to one half inch wide.
- Quarry-type grout
Almost the same as sanded grout for ceramic, but it uses a coarser grade of sand. Usually, it is used for tile joints that are ⅜” to one half inches wide. You would hear that this type of grout is associated with Saltillo tiles because it could help create a much stable installation with it.
- Epoxy grout
It consists of an epoxy resin and hardener. It is a type of grout that gives your tile high resistance to stains and chemicals. With its tremendous bonding strength, you could observe that epoxy grout is used in Singapore stores and homes’ countertops, outdoor patios, pool deck, and waterline pool tiles.
What colour of grout should I choose?
Grout colours are as important as choosing the type of grout to use. It determines the aesthetics of the ceramic cladding. Other than ensuring that the gaps between your tiles are secured, grouts also play a decorative role. Choosing the right colour will depend on the visual effect that you want to accomplish. For instance, if you want to emphasise the shape or format of your tiles, then an expert would suggest that you choose a contrasting colour. One thing to remember is that the colours should remain consistent with the other elements of decor for a harmonious effect!
What should be the width of the joints?
By this point you must be getting ready for the grouting application, so you must know that the width of your tile joints is not only an aesthetic matter. It will also predict the issues that you might face in the physics of your ceramics in the future. When you have rectified tiles of a standard size, a minimum of 2 mm tile joint could be used. With underfloor heating or in any place that has direct contact with external zones, then the width should be larger.
How will I effectively clean the grout?
You could watch all the methods of grout cleaning on the internet, but nothing will come close to the results of a professional grout cleaning service. If you want to keep the dirt and prevent your grout from being a breeding ground for bacteria, then you must only trust the cleaning experts do it for you. They have effective methods using organic chemicals to help maintain the colour of your grout.
Grouting Services from Grout Pro Tech
Grouting is a vital process that a homeowner must respect the considerably long process. Since it impacts aesthetics and utility, then you must trust grout specialists and service providers. One of those is Grout Pro Tech! They have grouting and cleaning services in Singapore that would help you in the process of making the right choice!
Learn more about their grout sealers and other grouting services on their website.