beckyg75, Your contractor will not want to hear it from you, but in a bathroom, you really want epoxy grout, Mapei Kerapoxy or Laticrete SpectraLock.

Epoxy grout becomes very permanent within a short period after it is mixed, and therefore best practice is to mix a small batch, apply it, clean up; mix another small batch, apply it, clean up; and so forth ... Also, because of the short working time, epoxy is much easier to apply with two workers than by one person working alone. For that reason, most contractors will either simply refuse to apply epoxy grout, or will move heaven and earth to talk you out of it.

However, epoxy grout lines are much less receptive as hosts to mold, and are easier to clean when what mold that can get a foothold appears, than cementious grout lines are. Once applied, epoxy grout is a small step removed from being maintenance-free. No one ever said that of cementious grout in a damp environment.

We used TEC XT "Bright White" grout with our white porcelain field tile (unsanded), our White Thassos mosaic tile (tile guys either used sanded or a mix of unsanded and sanded) and the White Thassos pieces lining our niches (unsanded). XT is supposed to be more stain and crack resistant and has mold/mildewicides built-in.

For sealer we used STT's SB sealer. Very easy to apply, with extrememly minimal odor.

Thanks for the replies. I'll ask my contractor. I am happy to pick up the cost of the grout itself, but am curious to see if he will tell me that due to increased labor there will be an upcharge. Not saying that isn't fair, just wondering what would be an appropriate amount?

I saw on an older thread that Bill V does charge extra per sq foot for using these grouts - is that pretty typical?

Thanks!

Oh, and cat_mom, thank you for the sealer recommendation!

There shouldn't be an upcharge to use the TEC XT. It is a portland cement based grout. Should be mixed up to a thick consistency (like reg TEC).

It requires a "dry" clean-up (sponges should be wrung out well according to the woman I'd spoken with at TEC), and a longer cure time before getting wet or cleaning-cleaning or sealing, which is not necessary, but had to seal the tile anyway, so did all the grout lines at the same time (XT cure time is 7-10 days). It's a bit stickier (grout haze removal might require a little more elbow grease--our floor tile has a "texture" so the tile guy used some sort of cleaner to remove any haze on that).

It's not like the epoxy grouts which our tile guy has said is more of a PITA to use, if that helps.

I called a guy from the John Bridge Forum to order the STT BTW (name is John Koessler).

"Your contractor will not want to hear it from you, but in a bathroom, you really want epoxy grout..."

We only got along for how many hundred years without epoxy grout?

It is overkill in a bathroom, and more suited to a kitchen.

"We only got along for how many hundred years without epoxy grout?"

We only got along for how many thousand years without indoor plumbing of any kind? Do you want to go back?

We only got along for how many million years without electricity? Do you want to go back?

In 2010, we have epoxy grout; the materials cost is commensurate with the materials cost for cementious grout, but epoxy grout does require more care to install than cementious grout does. In damp environments, epoxy grout is hands-down superior to cementious grout; it is much less hospitable to mold and mildew than cementious grout, and is easier than cementious grout to clean when mold or mildew does gain a foothold.

There are lazy tile installers who just want to get in and get out, to charge the customer to install the tile; but they do not want to be bothered to use superior materials that would make for a superior finished product if it requires more effort on their part. Those lazy contractors should not be encouraged or humored.

Well, I really appreciate all the input. I called the tile store where I bought most of my stuff and they recommended urethane grout, especially for some glass mosaics.

My contractor basically said there would be an extra charge for the materials, b/c it is so much more expensive than regular grout, but he is fine with my choice and they have used it before.

Grouting should begin soon; I will let people know how it goes (we won't be living there for a while, though, so it may be a month or more...)

No upcharge for the XT-- only for epoxy grouts.

As for the urethane grout, if this is for your shower, you make sure these surfaces, once cleaned, DO NOT GET WET for 7- 10 days. Quartzlock, as well as others, actually add disclaimers for their warranties because of this. For some reason, once the grout dries, if it gets wet again before it's fully cured, it'll resoften, and not set up again. For this reason, I prefer to stay away from urethane grouts in a bathroom, even though for any other area, they're a terrific (albeit expensive) choice.

Hi Bill,

Sorry for delay replying. Hope all had a Happy Thanksgiving!

We are not living at the job site so the urethane grout should not get wet. I'm looking forward now that we are back in town to going over tomorrow and seeing how much was done while we were away. They had grouted 1/2 bath before we left for the holiday, and it looked really good.

I saw in other posts, Bill, that you said there is no need to seal grout especially, and that epoxy and urethane grouts won't even absorb a sealer, but you do think stone should be sealed. So, if I have a marble mosaic set with urethane grout, what would you use? I already wrote down your recommended sealers:

Aquamix Sealers Choice Gold
Miracle 511 Impregnator
Stone Tech Impregnator Pro

and cat_mom's STT SB sealer recommendation, but my contractor has not bought any of these yet, so there is time to change.

If you think we should be using something else (b/c of mixing the stone and urethane grout) please let me know.

TIA!

Any of those should be fine.