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janesylvia

Is Bostik TruColor grout very good?

janesylvia
11 years ago

A salesman in a tile shop recommended Bostik TruColor grout to me, saying it never needs sealing, stain and chemical resistant, mold and mildew resistant, and never crack.

Is the Bostik TruColor grout easy to apply? What is its price compared to ordinary grout? My contractor never used it before. Also at the interface of plane change, does he still need to use silicon or caulking if he apply the TruColor grout?

Thank you very much.

Comments (29)

  • enduring
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Others may know more, but the Bostik TruColor grout is a urethan grout. Bostick is a high quality line of tile installation products I believe. I have used their thinset that is recommended for use with Ditra and is in fact called "Ditra-Set" I also used their modified thinset called Hydromet (if I remember). Both products were very nice to work with. They weren't cheap at around $35/bag. Contractors would get it for less though.

    It will need to cure without any water use for at least 7 days if I remember what I've read elsewhere. I have read over on the JB forum that there are several who really love it and will never use anything else. The only draw back I read is the curing time for use. The high end tile store near me sells both Laticrete and Bostick grouts to the trademen. This tile store uses the Bostick trucolor to grout their sample tiles that are on the floor in the show room because they can just put the lid back on and it is ready to go again for the next job. I have linked a the Bostik info on the product.

    Regarding caulking, there is no comment on the video that is shown on the site. So I would imagine that caulk between planes would be necessary. You could call their tech support to find out. I would think that this would be comparable in price to Laticrete expoxy. If/when I tile my second bathroom, I may try to use it.

    Here is a link that might be useful: bostik trucolor

  • jules8
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I used it on my shower and am very happy with it. It was used on the change of planes instead of caulk and I have not had any cracking in five years (knock wood). I didn't do the work myself, so I can't comment on the ease of use, but I think I remember my contractor saying that it was a little difficult to apply to the walls. It does need to cure for a week, so hopefully you have another bath that you can use.

    It is expensive, but it was worth it to me.

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  • janesylvia
    Original Author
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Enduring and jules, thank you so much for your information, which is very helpful.

    I called Bostik, tech support said the trucolor grout does not guarantee that it would not crack at change of plane. I could try no silicon or caulking at first. If crack happens in the future, apply silicon or caulking.

    He told me three things needs special attention. 1) work on a small area at a time before wiping it clean. 2) squeeze the sponge out of as much water as possible before cleaning. 3) cure time without any water for 7 days.

    I forgot to ask if it would be better to mix by hand than by a mixer.

  • enduring
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Watch the video on their product site that I linked to you. They go over the mixing as well as some things to consider.

  • janesylvia
    Original Author
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thank you very much, enduring. I went to buy the TruColor grout, but the salesman said it's very hard to apply TruColor grout to 1/16" tile spacing and strongly recommended Laticrete SpectraLock pro grout premium. He said Laticrete spectralock also never needs to be sealed and stain resistant, but is much easier to apply.

  • enduring
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    You know, I applied Laticrete Spectralock and it was somewhat hard to apply too. When I watched the video I thought it looked like my Spectralock, in the way that it was going into place. It gets crumbly and falls to the floor.

    I think either will be very good grout. Spectralock will need caulking at change of planes. They have a very nice caulking product that matches their grouts.

    When I grouted my bathroom with Spectralock, I put plastic draping underneath the area I was working. I taped it totally to the wall so when the grout fell it would only fall onto the plastic drape. It is easily picked up and stuck back in the tub for use.

    I was short 8 crown pieces so I had to grout those a month later after I got them up. I used plastic grocery bags taped to the wall under each grout area that needed grouting. Easy Peasy. I caught all the pieces as they crumbled off, put them back into the tub or just used my gloved hand to smear the pieces into place into the grout spaces.

    Last tip, if you use Spectralock, it is hard to get into 1/16" spaces too. At least I found that to be true. So, (off label) when you first mix up your batch, take about a 1/4cup of the grout and put it in a freezer bag, labeled with the color and date and immediately put it in the freezer, sealed tight. It will be workable for several days maybe up to a week when you break off pieces and defrost (takes a second to warm up). Use it the next day to fill in holes that didn't get filled originally. You break off a piece and just smear it into place, followed later by the 2 washes as instructed. You can use vinegar in water to make your rinse water if you don't have the powdered rinse product that came with the product. I took about 2 tablespoons of vinegar and put it into a quart yogurt tub filled with water and a small piece of sponge for the cleanup. Then, the second day you might even find some more holes that you missed the day before. That's what happened to me. So use the rest as needed. Eventually over the next day or 2 you'll find all the voids and get them filled. The defrosted frozen grout seemed to perfectly adhere to the grout already in place. I have not had any difficulty with doing this technique with my little voids on my 1/16" grout spaces that didn't fill the first time around. Again, this grout will only keep for a few days. I left some in the freezer for a couple of weeks to see what it was like and it wasn't usable - crumbly.

  • scotoo
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I am a kitchen and bath general contractor that was talked into using this product by a very insistent salesperson. I was troubled by the phrase "water resistant " instead of "waterproof" but decided to use it in the shower area in my own bath remodel. I did decide to call product support first and was given the instruction that if I was really bothered by this that I could go ahead and use a water based sealer product over the grout after waiting the prescribed curing period which I believe was 14 days. One of the products mentioned was Sealers Choice Gold from Aqua Mix. That is the product that I ended up using after a 21 day wait for the grout to cure. I applied the Sealers Choice per instructions making sure to get into all of the vulnerable areas using the recommendation for giving it a double coat. The next day I gave it a third coat. I was able to wait another week before our guests came and the shower was exposed to water for the first time. Incidentally, this installation was based on a Hardibacker substrate with a RedGuard waterproof membrane and large format glazed porcelain tiles and glass.
    The crack appeared at a change of plane shower niche about a month later. It was based on the wall swelling. "Change of plane" caulking instructions did not appear in any of the directions and it was my understanding that the elastomeric qualities of a urethane based grout would preclude the need for such measures, besides it messes up the clean look.

    Today I am going to remove the TruColor grout. Plan B does not involve Bostick.

    My impressions of this product :
    I felt it was more difficult than epoxy to install.
    There is a residue that is hard to remove and seems to show up after if it cured. It is difficult to remove at that point but apparently this tenacious quality doesn't extend to the grouts ability to adhere and seal out water.
    I havent checked to see how the remainder of the left over product (still in the bucket) is doing, but I won't be reusing it anyway.
    The comment made about the product being difficult to apply to the walls is a good one. It is like putting crumbly slightly damp sand on to the wall- messy and inefficient. This made me nervous, thinking that there wasn't enough resin to "cream" the effects of the crumbly mix and so I was remixing and whipping the bucket with my margin trowel periodically to be certain this wasn't the case.
    One interesting thing is that unlike regular grout, where you can tell when the grout is sealed by the way it looks when it gets wet. This grout doesn't do that. It always looks the same. In fact the water did not bead up on the grout like it does on regularly sealed grout. You were left with the impression that your expensive bottle of sealer had little effect on the grout performance.
    As I said, I do this for a living, this was my own bathroom and I had the motivation, time, budget, and experience to get this done right. To have to go back after a month and start over is a major fail for this product.

    I did attempt to contact Bostik to discuss this but they did not respond.

  • MikeS123456
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    In renovating our master bath we were persuaded by the tile store’s salesperson to use Bostik’s NeverSeal Urethane grout. While being an order of magnitude more expensive than traditional grout; the benefits of not having to seal, stain resistance, and resistance to cracking sounded like a good tradeoff. We specifically used 2.5 containers Bostik 9-lbs Delorean Gray Urethane Premixed Grout with 3”x6” polished carrera marble over Hardibacker backer board that was sealed with RedGuard waterproofing and crack membrane.

    The general contractor had limited experience with the product but was willing to try it at our request. He indicated that it was more difficult to install due it “chunky/sandy” consistency and was more difficult to remove the haze on the surface of the tile.

    3-4 months after installation we noticed water spots in the ceiling below the master bath. After exhaustive investigation by the general contractor (and a bath/tile expert I separately hire to investigate) was determined that: 1) the grout was not resisting water, 2) allowing it pool between the grout and RedGuard, then 3) flow to the lowest point - the ceiling below on one side and corner where floor and shower wall meet on the other. Attempts to seal the grout provided a short term solution, however the problem returns within 1-2 months. Additionally, the grout is heavily stained in some areas that repeated cleanings can not remove.

    Numerous attempts to contact Bostick have not responded to.

    The product appears to have some major failings, at least for my installation, and Bostick has been unresponsive in addressing. The contractor will be starting tear out of the tile and grout and replacement with a tradition grout shortly. It has been a very trying and expensive experience with NeverSeal Urethane grout. I cannot recommend this product or the company’s support.

  • StoneTech
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Current state-of-the-art (in my experience) has been CBP's "Fusion Pro." Stainproof, never need sealing and true to colour. No cheap at about fifty bucks a gallon from HD....but, no "callbacks" on it either. It's all I use.

    You STILL want to use 100% silicone on any change-of-plane areas. No grout will work long there......

  • PRO
    Cabot & Rowe
    8 years ago

    The bostik grout is fine as long as you are well practiced installing it. There is a short, but steep learning curve. A test board is always advised. While we have used Bostik, the grout of preference for us is either Fusion Pro or Flexcolor CQ.

    We always use 100% silicone in our inside corners. You can get matching caulk from the grout manufacturer or our buds at ColorRite in Yukon OK

  • PRO
    By Any Design Ltd.
    8 years ago

    I avoid urethan grouts like the plaque. So should you.


    If it's pre-mixed either for setting or grouting tile - it's crap.

  • PRO
    S & D Home Improvements
    8 years ago

    I am and have been in the Home Improvement business for about 20 + years. I have used many grouts and none of them are perfect. I was introduced to Trucolor urethane grout about 5 years ago and will use nothing else. If you follow the manufactures directions it will be the finest grout you will ever install. In my opinion it supersedes, any other grout. DO NOT use a mixer, use a margin trowel when mixing. Apply for a short duration, no more than 4-5 minutes and clean. It will bead water and anything forever. Occasionally it does crack at directional changes, apply additional grout or caulk with no worries. I have had 0 issues with Trucolor Grout. "Blaze" by Trucolor will remove grout haze. I will say its not for the homeowners first grout job, but as a Professional I will use no other!!!

  • sagelee
    8 years ago

    S & D Home Improvements - Thanks for your post - Just got back from HD - they recommended unsanded TEC Power Grout 550 - Have you used this product? Please give your thoughts. Thanks!

  • happyallison
    8 years ago

    I've had recommendations on Laticrete Permacolor or FusionPro grout, my tile shop recommeded the Bostik. Here is one of my previous threads, it may help you. [https://www.houzz.com/discussions/grout-experts-fusion-pro-kerapoxy-spectralock-bostik-dsvw-vd~2831019[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/grout-experts-fusion-pro-kerapoxy-spectralock-bostik-dsvw-vd~2831019)

    I'm using travertine which I will have to seal anyway, I'm going the less expensive route with the Permacolor. Which sounds like it will be just as durable anyway. But if it isn't, I can risk it as I'll be sealing more often than someone with porcelain. I hope this helps. Grout has a lot more to it than you think, doesn't it? Makes it confusing.

  • 071108
    8 years ago

    My contractor used TruColor Grout. I was told by the salesperson in the store that I bought it that I would be able to clean iras easily as my porcelain tile. I find that that is not true. After six months of use, I find that the grout lines are showing dirt and it is very difficult to remove. I wash my floor very often. Does anyone have a clue as to how this can be cleaned?


  • elurie_ceramics
    8 years ago

    DO NOT INSTALL THIS GROUT. Cleaning is a huge issue. This was installed in a white shower after the previous tiling job had failed. A new system from Germany that first creates a waterproof rigid box inside the shower and then the Tru Color Grout was put in at great expense. No one told me that this grout was urethane and cannot be cleaned with any easily available cleaner. I was told not to use anything with acid,or enzymes. I called the manufacturer who was no help at all. The bathroom is now about 5 years old and it is clear that it is becoming porous and there is discoloration from mold. Bear in mind that not all mold is dark, some is yellowish or pinkish. I lived with regular cement grout all of my life and never had mold because I kept it clean and ventilated. I will have to replace this tile soon.

  • kitchengirl
    7 years ago

    I would like to renew this discussion, as we will be installing 3,800 sf of porcelain tile flooring + 5 baths with porcelain tile floors and marble or limestone tub surrounds. Two of the contractors we have met with plan to use Bostik Trucolor urethane grout.

    Are there any homeowners or pros who have used urethane grout, epoxy grout, acrylic grout, etc. who can discuss the differences and pros and cons of these options?

    I would LOVE to not have to SEAL the grout joints of the porcelain tile floors, but I would like to be able to keep the joints clean; 071108's comments (two posts up) make me concerned about urethane grout. Of course we will seal grout and surfaces of the natural stone tile in the tub/shower surrounds.

    Also, I would like to put the best grout in the master shower, as it sees 3-4 showers / day.

    Thank you!

  • PRO
    S & D Home Improvements
    7 years ago

    I use Bostik Trucolor only. I have not installed this product with any of the mentioned issues regarding staining. The only issues with this grout, if you consider it an issue, is grout haze. When installing you need to clean sooner than later. I usually install for 4 minutes and then clean and repeat. Grout haze, depending on tile can be a bit difficult to remove. however Blaze cleaner and occasionally Goof Off cleaner will remove the grout haze. Also cleaning the grout with goof off cleaner will bring welcome results. I have seen all grout stain or get dirty, including epoxy. Yes Bostik gets dirty depending on your habits as all grout does, but I haven't seen any Trucolor that couldn't be cleaned and I have had zero customer complaints. At times removing the grout haze or dirt will require some dwell time of the cleaner. Don't just spray it on and wipe it off. You will not have to seal the joints and they will bead water or whatever else you throw at it. There is no perfect product they all have an issue or 2. I feel that trucolor is the grout for me and my business.

  • kitchengirl
    6 years ago

    S&D,

    Thank you for your comments -- very helpful. We finished floors a month ago and are now moving on to tub/shower surrounds. 3 of them are 12" polished marble tile, one is reclaimed 2' quartz tile, and the master is 2x4' porcelain tile.


    Our tile installer has always used Permacolor grout for natural stone tile, but he is willing to try the Bostik Trucolor for the showers at my request. We will sample it first. His concern is whether the grout may scratch the polished surface when troweling or wiping. Have you used the Trucolor on polished stone before?

    Thanks!

  • Janice Martorano
    6 years ago

    I had 700 sq ft of kitchen tile replaced and used Tru-color grout because it was supposed to be easy to clean. Not true. You have to use a non-ionic cleaner and do not use a no rinse formula. Areas of my grey grout are now brown from foot traffic. The manufacturer recommended soft scrub, but don't leave it on too long. My tile store said a Mr. Clean sponge. Mr. Clean came through like a champ, but it would help if it came on a stick so I don't have to get on my knees.


  • kitchengirl
    6 years ago

    Thanks very much, Janice. I use a steam mop and distilled water to clean floors... already wishing we had gone a shade darker for the kitchen, mudroom and laundry. But at least it is in the beige-brown family. And I will make sure we rinse shower tile and grout, as I have one kind that is no rinse and another that requires rinsing.

    I understood that urethane grout/Bostik Trucolor is stain-resistant and doesn't require sealing, not necessarily that it was easier to clean.

  • PRO
    Cabot & Rowe
    6 years ago

    When choosing a color, we commonly suggest the color be the same as the dirt in the back yard.

  • kitchengirl
    6 years ago

    Ha hah! (I do try to go darker, rather than lighter) when I choose grout shades for that reason.

  • Janice Martorano
    6 years ago

    I contacted two local tile stores regarding trucolor grout cleaning. the two recommendations were soft scrub and Mr Clean sponges. I was also told that the dirt is on the surface. If that is the case, why doesn't it wash away? Having worked in the chemical industry, non-ionic cleaners do not work very well. If anyone has suggestions, let me know

  • Janice Martorano
    6 years ago

    I finally found a solution to dirty Bostik Tru color grout. I have 700 sq ft of grout and 50% is dirty. I finally called Bostik Technical Support and got an answer. Make a 1 part clorox/5 parts water solution. I put it in a spray bottle and sprayed the grout lines. He told me to wait 5-10 minutes. I waited 10 minutes and scrubed with a grout brush (on a long handle, of course). I rinsed it with water (required) and I couldn't believe my eyes. I have light grey grout again. Hope this helps.

    Janice

  • sjzellap
    3 years ago

    I realize this is an old thread but wanted to add my voice here. I am a general contractor and specialize in bathroom and kitchen remodels. I use bostik trucolor on every single project and it works great. It’s not miraculous though. Anyone who wants grout that won’t get dirty is dreaming and needs to use a different floor choice. ALL grout gets dirty the difference is that the urethane won’t soak through the pores. I’ve used a lot of different grout and find this the easiest to apply that’s urethane. Plan on using bostik blaze afterward to get the grout haze you may have missed. It literally melts it away no issues. Way easier than your Home Depot special grout cleaner. As far as change of planes goes you should never put any grout in an area that is a change of plane. That’s what color match caulking is for. They even make a sanded version if you really hate the silicone look. This grout is great if applied correctly. Hope this helps!

  • kitchengirl
    3 years ago

    I used Bostik Trucolor on all floors (2800 sq feet of tile on the main level + downstairs floors) and shower/tub surrounds + bath floors in a new home (except one limestone floor in our primary bath). We just spilled red wine on the grout, and I will try a couple of solutions here and report back.


    I DO have a lot of residual grout haze on a Quartz tile tub surround in one guest bath, that one year later, I haven't removed. I will need to try some of the Blaze cleaner by Bostik.


    As HappyAllison said above, grout is a lot more important than it seems: it is one of the apparently little details that can become a big PITA if not carefully considered on the front end!

  • salmon1an
    3 years ago

    My tile guy used this product on our shower and bathroom floor. Seven years later it looks great. No deterioration of ANY kind and my wife would notice if there was...