Help! Pebble Tile & Grout Problems
Cheryl Bush
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
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Comments (13)
MongoCT
7 years agoRelated Discussions
pebble tile bathroom instructional video - what grout to use?
Comments (4)Grout comes already colored. Most grout is already modified as well, so there's no nee dto do anything but add water...the proper amount...mix well...for the proper amount of time, which no one ever seems to do...let it rest for a bit...then remix and apply. Common grout killers are too much water in the initial mix, and when cleaning up, using too wet a sponge, which can force additional water in the surface layer of grout. That additional water can result in a blotchy final color, or weak grout that can flake. There are "stronger grouts" than portland cement based grouts, they are epoxy or epoxy derivatives. A common one mentioned here is "Spectralok". You do need to be careful with epoxies in terms of application and cleanup. They are less forgiving to the ignorant and apathetic installer. Mongo...See MorePlease help I beg of you tile grout problems
Comments (10)Well, I'm going to do something that I've been told over and over not to do ... make an example out of someone... Gibby I share your frustration with installer standards, but the reason it happens is the same reason that you see it happening in this thread. Recap: Poster-1 says that they see a problem with a certain execution in situation A. Expert gives the technical advice he has regularly given and that he has made popular here re: the what-to-dos vs. the what-not-to-dos re: exec of situation-A. At which time, poster-2 says that they are having the exact same problem with the exact same execution in situation-A also and what could be going on? (Er ...). More discourse about why idiot-installers persist with the behaviour that causes problem with situations-A. Poster-2 pops back up saying that they will repeat the behaviour that caused their and other's problem execution in situation-A. Well, if the person(s) most impacted by a poor execution or common executor problem - viz. the homeowner - won't learn, what would motivate the executor to learn???? THEY don't have to live with the problem and if the HO (poster-2) can't be bothered, why should they trouble themselves to be so? Bill, you were remarkably patient in that last response. When I read the previous post, *my* verbal response had a whole load of *F*s in it - from sheer incredulity....See MoreGrouting/Sealing Mini Pebble Tile (Bill)?
Comments (3)Also, I just saw the second part of your question re: grouting. Again, I'd defer to Bill V., but I know that there's sometimes problems with grouting the pebbles because a grout float won't really work, bc the pebbles aren't flat. If that's the case, then you can: 1)spread the grout in the gaps by hand (fun!)and remove the excess with your fingers; or 2) put the grout in a gallon-size ziploc bag, seal the bag and snip off a tiny corner, and use the grout like icing and the bag like a cake decorating bag, and squeeze the grout through the bag corner into the deep gaps, then wipe off the excess, again with your hands, or whatever implement works. You just want to get the grout deep into the cracks, because you won't have the pressure of the grout float to drive the grout in. And it might help to mix the grout a little looser (not runny, but not stiff either). Good luck!...See MorePebble Tile Accent Grouting?
Comments (2)Pebble tile always looks great when you're envisioning in your mind how they will look installed. Way too often though, reality does not meet expectations. The problem is that any time you have a heavy contrast between stone and grout it's going to accentuate what you have. The high contrast will emphasize good design and workmanship, or it'll make a less-than-stellar installation look even less than less-than-stellar. The spacing of your individual stones is substantial. Enough to the point where grout doesn't just become an accent to the pebble, it has become a feature of the design alongside the pebble. They have near equal visual weight. With the pebbles being so defined by the surrounding light grout, the shape of each individual stone is accentuated instead of the field of stone as a whole being part of the design Your eyes stop and focus on each...individual...stone. And because your eyes stop on each...individual...stone? Your brain picks up on each...and...every...flaw. Regarding your contractor, on the plus side, you had conversations with your installer. You agree to the installation. The end result just didn't look as you'd hoped. You had more conversations, agreed to adjustments, but again the result wasn't as you'd hoped. Going forward? I think you understand that adding even more grout will simply bury the pebbles even more. You can change the grout color without adding more grout to the installation by using a grout colorant. There are different types of colorants, some are penetrating stains, some are topical epoxies. I'd almost recommend using a charcoal colorant. Dark. You can start with a lighter gray and fo progressively darker is need be. If you go forward with your current contractor and redo the installation, I'd recommend you find online photos of pebble installations that show what you wan the end result to be. It doesn't have to be an exact match color-wise. You're simply trying to share a visual of what you thought your pebbles and grout would look like. You may or may not like this pebble floor, is there too much grout? Too much contrast? Or does it appeal to you? Or is this pebble design more to your liking? It still has a lot of grout, but the color of the grout doesn't contrast as much with the pebble as in the previous photo. The there is this pebble floor with less grout and less contrast. It shows off the stone more than the grout. Take those three photos, or search the internet to find ones specific to you, and tell your installer what you like and dislike about each one. That's the best way to home in on what you want. You can simply tell your installer to "Make it look like this. I like this pebble spacing, I like this color, I like this amount of contrast between the pebble and the grout. I really dislike this photo here because..." Your "easiest" next step is to try a grout colorant. Give the new look time to settle in and adjust as required. If that doesn't bring you satisfaction, I'd start over and hand set each pebble. I'd set the stone closer together to go for more pebble and less grout. But that's an expense that might not be in your budget. Good luck!...See MoreCheryl Bush
7 years agoUser
7 years agoAvanti Tile & Stone / Stonetech
7 years agoAnnette Holbrook(z7a)
7 years agoTERSO MR®
6 years agoCheryl Bush
5 years agochristaiga
4 years agoBrian Bergeron
3 years agoDragonfly Tile & Stone Works, Inc.
3 years agoBrian Bergeron
3 years agolfilly
last year
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