Small cracks appearing in grout, new shower. Should I be concerned?
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
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- 6 years ago
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Cracking grout on pebble shower floor
Comments (9)I think you need to know what sealer was used initially, I don't think you put water based sealer over solvent based, but I will leave that to the tile experts to weigh in on. Our tile guy told us to flood the floor with sealer, give it 15 minutes to absorb, then wipe up excess, allow that to dry and repeat until the tile and grout will not absorb any more sealer. But, I'm not sure lack of sealer will make grout crack, sounds like it was mixed too dry- did you call the tile installer or the GC and ask them?...See Morecracks in grout/concerned about mold
Comments (1)Get the builder in and express your concerns to him ASAP. Let him know this is NOT due to settling, that being that the shower pan is only connected to the structure at the drain, there should be no movement in it sufficient enough to cause grout to crack and especially not to come out. Ask him if he knows for CERTAIN that the bench was waterproofed, and how. Does the pan membrane come across the front of the bench, or does it go under? One way or the other, something is happening there that shouldn't be, and it needs to be fixed, and not next month....See MoreNew floor grout cracking - need advice/opinions
Comments (15)Grout shmears over already full grout lines generally don't work with fully cured grout. Open and partially used bags of anything portland cement based, like your grout? While sitting in that basement, the powder is being exposed to atmospheric moisture. It can start to hydrate in the bag. Any hydration prior to being used reduces the strength of the final product. Since you have the bag? Call the manufacturer's tech department. The number should be in the fine print on the bag, if not, you can find it on the manufacturer's website. This is exactly what they are there for, don't at all be intimidated by the idea of calling. Have the photos ready, often times I'll have them attached to an email, and while talking to tech, I'll get his email addy and email them while we talk. Instead of describing the issue, the tech can see the issue with his own eyes while you are on the phone. See what the tech say. Instead of a schmear that will likely flake off over time...and likely be horrifically blotchy in color, they may recommend a grout cleaning, and then the application of a grout colorant. You can get a head start on that discussion by looking at grout colorants by the manufacturer of your grout. Is the colorant a semi-transparent dye that penetrates the grout, like staining wood? If so, because the colorant is somewhat transparent, there may still be shading and color differential in those blotchy areas. Is the colorant a topical film, an opaque epoxy-based colorant? While epoxy-based colorants will be perfectly uniform in color, the result can sometimes result in somewhat shiny plastic-looking grout lines. Epoxy colorants can be tedious to install. Any sort of colorant usually requires a grout cleaning before the installation of the colorant. Have the tech write you what is needed, or refer you to a website. Print out those instructions, along with the emails from the tech, and present those when you have your discussion with the GC. The other alternative, and this one can open up a host of other problems, is removing the grout and reapplying new grout. Because the prep work has to be somewhat meticulous...the cleaned out joints have to be even in depth, and the chance of the tiles being damaged during grout removal, and the chance that they may bugger up the new installation as well? Sometimes the application of a topical grout colorant is the easier path. Regardless of the path you choose, I recommend you discuss your expectations for remediation with the GC ahead of time. Get them in writing. You both know what you have going in. Make sure you're both expecting the same outcome. Lastly, "Should we be buying a new bag of grout for this touch up work?" You should not be buying anything. Here's why. You provide the grout. It fails. Might not be because of the grout, it might be because of poor prep, or the choice to do a thin schmear, and the schmear was doomed from the start. Regardless, the installer blames you for providing old grout. Or for not providing a grout cleaner. Or the wrong grout. Or...(pick your poison). when they do the work and they provide the materials? They own responsibility for the entire chain of materials and labor. Good luck!...See MoreTile shower curb grout cracked, hollow inside. What are my options?
Comments (8)The problem is that they used grout at all, especially on a surface that's got some flex. You should always use sanded caulk when you've got a change in plane like that. Check the tile section of your local box store-- they'll have many colors and you'll probably find a close match. Check online for reviews of the color you're thinking of buying before you go to get a sense of the true color-- the labels aren't very informative. They should also have colored silicone in the same section which would work too and will probably last longer, especially if that curb gets a lot of water. Silicone is a little harder to work with though, and doesn't have the sand in it to replicate the look of grout....See MoreRelated Professionals
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