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Please assist with some Tile/Grout finishing questions.

Shane
7 years ago

Sorry for the long winded post.

I may not be asking the proper questions so please correct me if I have not asked/stated the right questions/comments.

Precursor to my question: I have just fired the company I hired to do my tile because the installers were not versed on how to install the Schluter system products and I was told by my salesman that "yes they did know how to install it and that if installers did not know how they would not be in business". :/

Well that has not turned out as I expected. They did not leave space between the profiles and the tile for grout. When I questioned them about this they said that caulk will fix this. Well I may not have done much of this higher end tile installation but I do know that if you want it to look symmetrical, that the grout joints should be the same and not "Fixed" with caulking and I believe in shower corners caulk would be even worse especially from a maintenance perspective. (If I am wrong here please correct me)

My question is for the Epoxy grout experts. I want to use the epoxy in my new bathroom and shower. I am not worried about the cost, I am more worried about performance, cleanup, ease of maintenance 5 years down the road. Also I am curious if the epoxy performs better so that caulking is not necessary in the vertical corners in the shower. I am using a porcelain 9X18 in the shower with Schluter stainless profiles. The grout color will be a tan'ish color called Linen (or whatever comes close to that from Spectralok if I use epoxy). The previous contractor provided me with a product called Prism from CBP and I am not sure if this is even good stuff.

I have to finish grinding grout joints between the profiles and tile on the shower wall so that it looks good. I have ordered some new 1/16" kerf diamond blades for my Fein Multimaster as well as a depth stop foot to make this unpleasant job more doable. If I went the route of removal I would be tearing out about $1500 of Schluter Kerdi-board, Profiles, shower pan, linear drain and all of the time I spent installing it not to mention about $500 in tile and no one to pay for it but me. So I figure I should at least try to salvage it before going the full R and R path.

Last question, is it advisable to use something other than epoxy outside of the shower for ease of installation? My floor tile is a 3/8" very hard porcelain 6X24 matte finish tile on top of the Ditra heat platform.


I did read through this post http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2831019/grout-experts-fusion-pro-kerapoxy-spectralock-bostik and it was very informative.

Please do not hesitate to correct me about anything I have stated.

Thanks for any information to help me salvage my misery. :(

Shane

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