Mapei Ultracolor Plus Coloured Grout Terracotta 143

Product Information

In most circumstances, a reclaimed floor is laid on a modern screed but sometimes it may be necessary or desirable to lay reclaimed tiles or quarry tiles on a limecrete floor. If using a cement-based grout: Again, using the grout float, scrape away any excess grout by holding the float almost vertical to the tile and moving diagonally across the surface. Step 5: Clean tiles with a damp sponge

Dry application: Once the tiles are firmly secured and set, gently pre-wet the surface using a mist spray of water, avoid flooding the joint. This prevents the jointing staining the tiles. Open the brush in and pour the material along the joint, brushing it into the joint at the same time. As there is no water to wash the product into the joint, using this method with a pointing trowel and jointing iron will enable the material to be compressed into the joint. Top up the joint after compacting and repeat process till you achieve a suitable level.

Grouting Outdoor Floor Tiles: Step-By-Step Guide

As above, the sealer can be applied to the tiles before they are laid, or at least 12 hours before grouting the tiles. Ensure you shake the bottle well and apply the product in accordance with the instructions on the bottle. Remember if using a roller, brush or cloth they must be appropriately washed out with white spirit and then disposed of carefully. Do not leave them exposed to direct sunlight, as if linseed is allowed to dry on a roller, brush or cloth, it can become self-combustible. Sealers will break down after 2-3 years (depending on usage and cleaning products used) so for regular cleaning use a sealer friendly cleaning product such as Neutral Tile Cleaner which has been especially formulated for the regular cleaning of Sealed Stone and Tile surfaces keeping them fresh with a pleasant lemon scent. Efflorescence Wet application– When the tiles are fixed using permeable bedding materials, brush in grout can be applied using the “Wet Application”

If the grout joints are less wide than this, then unsanded grout is fine. The grout must also be rated for no efflorescence. This makes sure that white residue isn’t formed when moisture is lost. Weber Joint Premium indoor/outdoor Brush in grout For best results, the sealer should be applied after the tiles have been laid but prior to grouting. This means that not only are the tiles easier to grout but also the tile ceases to be porous and the grout will not penetrate the surface of the tile. Once the tiles are grouted, a second application should be made. The reasons for this are twofold: Clean the faces of the tiles without disturbing the grout joints. Clean as well as you can so that final cleanup will be minimal.

First of all, before we get into either type of grout, it is important to note that both must be rated for outdoor use. If you use grout that is not suitable for the outdoors, it will not last and may damage the tiles. Cement-based grout This type of clay is not made to a great standard and thus the porosity levels between each tile can vary greatly, this makes them hard to clean, hard to seal and generally harder to maintain. UK Tile Doctors have been trained to cope with these issues however it should be noted even with the right equipment, products and experience no guarantee can be made on a satisfactory outcome of what we at Tile Doctor and a customer would call a great finish given the low quality of this product. These tiles are generally made in a factory with some artizan involvement however the quality of the kiln is far better than Mexican and so are easier toclean, to seal and to maintain; naturally thisresults ina higher productioncost. Once the floor has been cleaned and dried apply Tile Doctor Seal & Go sealer with a paint-pad applicator and tray. terracotta tiles typically require between 6 and 8 coats of sealant, always allow to dry before applying the next coat. Maintenance Cleaning Once the grout has been applied and the floor is completely dry, then apply one final coat of Ironwax Satin/Gloss across the entire surface including the grout to provide the floor with a good level of protection. After 12 hours the floor can be walked on as normal.

After cleaning the pH level of the floor will be alkaline so its best to neutralise this by giving the floor an acid rinse using Grout Cleanup. Using this product has other benefits to, ie.: Again this only really applies to cement-based grout. Using a sponge, you can seal the grout using an outdoor-rated grout sealer. Final Thoughts It neutralises any alkaline salts inherent in the floor thus preventing the build-up of Efflorescence which can be a problem with older floors.Once grouting is complete, both types will need around 72 hours to start curing and up to a week to be fully cured.

Once a good seal is achieved leave the sealer to cure for a minimum of 12 hours to cure, before applying the Ironwax Satin/Gloss. When it comes to grouting outdoor tiles, the process is similar to indoor grouting, but with a couple of important differences. To start with, the grout being used has to be rated for outdoor use. Terracotta has been used for hundreds of years as floors in the UK. The Romans had the art of heating rooms through the use of warmed terracotta down to a fine art. Fashions come and go as do the associated production skills. Whether the Romans left Britain or the Britain’s moved away from Roman power is still debated, either way over the next hundred years the use of Terracotta disappeared. Your tiler will need to correctly prepare the tiling substrate to ensure it is flat, level solid and clean beforethey start laying the tiles. Wet application: When the tiles are fixed using permeable bedding materials, ProPave can be applied using the “Wet Application” method. Thoroughly wet the patio surface with copious amounts of water. Using a stiff broom, brush sand into joints ensuring they are filled to capacity. Ensure the paving surface and sand are kept wet throughout the operation with continued use of gentle water flow from a hosepipe. This water aids deep penetration and compaction of the jointing sand as it drains. Repeat process until all jointing is filled to full depth. Soak the area with water & top up any joints that require further material and wash off excess sand from the surface.Cement-based grout comes in powder form, which is added to water before being applied. The most common type of outdoor grout is sanded grout. This is used when grout joints are 1/8 inch or wider.