Mapei Ultracolor Plus Coloured Grout Sand 133

Product Information

So if you’re doing a project with joints that are smaller than 1/8 inch, you run the risk of having trouble installing your tiles correctly. In addition, you could be leaving behind, pinholes that tell customers that you used the wrong grouting material– neither of which is ideal. Understand The Difference Between Sanded Vs. Unsanded Grout – And Make Your Next Contract A Success

Mapei Keracolor U, technical sheet | Mapei

Choosing the right colour for your grout lines has never been easier thanks to the Mapei Grouts app. Create a preview of your ceramic wall or floor covering: However, instead of being using the reaction between cement and water, these grouting options use advanced chemical compounds, consisting of a base and an activator. When you add the activator to the base, the grout begins to cure in a non-reversible chemical reaction that results in an extremely strong hold. When cement-based, unsanded grout dries, it shrinks – and it can pull away from tiles. Adding sand to the grouting mix ensures that the material doesn’t shrink as much. This is because the ratio of aggregate material to cement is much higher. For pure durability, sanded grout always wins in the contest between sanded vs. unsanded grout.So, to help you take a side in the sanded vs. unsanded grout debate, we’ve put together this guide. Whether your next project is a residential shower tile installation, an outdoor patio, or a kitchen renovation, you’re sure to benefit from the knowledge you’ll gain from our guide. Another consideration when choosing between sanded vs. unsanded grout is the tile material that you’re working with. The harsh aggregate material present in sanded grout can damage delicate materials such as granite, marble, limestone, and other soft stones. Sanded grout can work a lot like sandpaper. The materials used to create the sand are often much harder than soft stones. Spreading sanded grout over soft tiles can cause damage, especially on soft limestones and marbles. This is a huge determining factor when choosing between sanded vs. unsanded grout. From what we’re understanding of your comment, it sounds like the tiles themselves are too gritty for your tastes. If you don’t like the appearance of the tiles themselves, unfortunately the only solution is a new tile installation. You can tile directly over the old tiles if you want to, but the better rout by far is to take the old ones off and then replace them.

Keracolor U Unsanded Grout, technical sheet | Mapei Keracolor U Unsanded Grout, technical sheet | Mapei

Now, you probably already know most of what we went over above – you’re a professional, after all – but it’s always good to expand your knowledge as a contractor.Regarding the levelness of the tiles, if you can’t see visually (not by touching them) that the tiles are not perfectly level, then it’s probably not worth redoing parts of the installation, which is what you’d have to do to change this. Do you know if your contractor used a leveling system? If he did, than it’s definitely not worth it to reinstall sections of the tile because he’s done what’s possible to keep the tiles as level as they can be. It’s a bad idea to use sanded grout for precision joints that are smaller than 1/8 of an inch. For precision work, unsanded grout is almost always a better choice.

Mapei Ultracolor Plus FA, technical sheet | Mapei

A final note is that you won’t be able to use just any sanded grout if you’re working on extremely large tile joints. For projects with a 3/8 of an inch or larger tile joint, you’ll need what’s known as “wide-joint mixture” grout, which is readily available at most flooring and hardware stores. Wide-joint mixture has a higher volume of large aggregate material to further reduce shrinkage issues. This makes it perfect for tile projects with large grout joints. 2. Unsanded Grout Provides A Better Hold On Vertical Surfacessuch factors as job conditions and application methods. Please note that we have added 10% in overage