My tile guy told me, and I don't remember the explanation exactly but it made sense at the time, that you should use unsanded grout for walls, where you typically have narrowere seams, and sanded grout is better for floors, and when the grout lines are thicker.

depends on the tile - if it's really soft stone like Onyx,
sanded joint filler will scratch the polish - I had to
go and make an inspection on a ceramic tile job where the
knuckleheaded installers (they were NOT Pro's in my opinion)
scratched the gold leafing on $150.00 A PIECE ceramic tile liners when they used SANDED JOINT FILLER... it scratched the Gold leaf right off the tile and they ate an $18,000 dollar tile order that had to be replaced at their expense.
That was NOT a happy day at their office!!!!

Joints that are 1/16" or tighter in most cases will be fine with dry grout (non-sanded). As the joint width gets wider,
the dry grout (non-sanded) will shrink too much and develope
tiny hairline cracks in the joints... not cool.

sanded joint filler is used in joints 1/8" and wider - the sand helps eliminate the cracking, plus it's a slightly
different type of blend of cements and dyes to help eliminate
the hairl;ine cracks too...

what is the natural stone you are grouting? this will have
some bearing on which type of joint filler I would suggest you use......

kevin

Kevin M. Padden MIA SFA
Fabricator, Trainer & Consultant to the Natural Stone Industry
www.azschoolofrock.com

Hi azstoneconsulting,
I am using tumbled marble(bottocino) in 3x6 and 1x1's. Thanks for your help.

The ONLY thing it depends on is the size of the grout joint. Joints less than 1/8" should use unsanded grout. Joints 1/8" and more, use sanded.

Grouts are usually sanded. The portland cement in the grout is actually there to hold the grains of sand together. However, with smaller grout joints, the sand can't get into the joints without really trying to work it in. Therefore, unsanded grout is used. It can NOT, however be used for joints larger than what I stated, though, because the cement will tend to shrink into the joint, as well as crack due to said shrinkage.

Rockrisley-- short answer for you is use sanded grout. :-)

I was just thinking....WHERE is Bill??

Thanks Bill. You have your answer.

Ivette

Thank You so much for your help.

I concur with my Brother Bill - sanded should be just fine
for your application. Color is entirely dependant upon your
own personal taste, but, I have always had good results
with "Light Smoke" - as it's the natural color of dirt, and
helps to hide real dirt and stuff like that... in 30 years
of doing this, I have never had a customer unhappy with that
color....

my .02 cents

kevin

Kevin M. Padden MIA SFA
Fabricator, Trainer & Consultant to the Natural Stone Industry
www.azschoolofrock.com