How to choose a grout tile

At first glance, the choice of the mixture to fill the joints between the tiles is a simple and quick task. Manufacturers are doing everything to make the whole process seem easy, however, in any case, some steps will have to be carried out independently. Each surface, room, external conditions, color design - these are nuances about strength, moisture resistance, acceptable temperature conditions, external qualities and much more. Professional advice will help to decide on these issues. Before buying and making a mortar, the characteristics of the tile and the width of the seams are taken into account in order to select the material itself and calculate the required mass. The above tasks are best left to the master, but basic knowledge is enough for independent work. The result of the finish will personify the final appearance of the surfaces. Apply grout for facing facades, bathroom and kitchen walls, as well as industrial premises, pool walls.

Features: features and composition

Tiled grout is a composition for finishing seams. The multicomponent mixture includes mineral bases, pigments of natural origin and modifying substances. Among the regulators are additives to protect against low temperatures, increase plasticity, prevent cracking of the upper layer and other important qualities. The functional is divided into two components: protective and decorative. The functions of multi-purpose protection are waterproofing of the ends and protection from the adverse effects of the external environment, primarily temperature contrasts. Grout as a decorating element forms the aesthetic appearance of the composition, creates a complete picture. The composition is used to complement the color range of the tile or color contrast. As a result, there are several additional design solutions.

Types of grout

The main types are cement and epoxy aggregates, however, also:

  • polyurethane;
  • latex;
  • furan.

Cement mixtures perfectly manifested themselves in everyday life. Their properties are controlled with the help of sand - ready-made mixtures differ significantly in the use case. Solutions used for joints of small, medium and large widths. The color palette of cement mixtures is also diverse. However, the effect of water on the grout leads to the formation of browning, as well as mold and mildew. Epoxy mixtures are durable and resistant to adverse conditions such as pollution and high humidity. Extreme temperature material is bad. However, it guarantees absolute protection against the penetration and influence of water. Due to its nature, latex fugues are in demand on external surfaces exposed to increased mechanical loads. Furan grout provides high strength compound, but lack decorative properties.

Cement

In this case, besides the cement itself, sand is sometimes used. For resistance to moisture and frost use additional components. Cement grout is excellent for the role of a composite for 5 mm and narrower joints. For filling wide gaps, fugues with sandy additives are used. Cement grouting is easy to use, because it is easily divorced and does not have a harmful effect on the tile. The surface of the hardened material, in turn, is resistant to mechanical stress. A mixture based on cement is a good option for domestic use. In addition, the color palette is represented by a variety of options. The disadvantage of solutions is vulnerability to moisture. Therefore, treatment with antiseptics is needed. If you have any doubts when choosing a grout, it is better to stop on a gray or beige filler.

Epoxy

Such fillers appeared relatively recently. Epoxy grout withstands mechanical loads better than many other options. The distinctive features of the material are also absolute vapor and water resistance and chemical inertness. Recommended application environment - quickly polluted places - boiler rooms, garages. At the same time, grouting is no worse in the conditions of constant exposure to water and various biological factors - in laundries, showers, basins. There will be no mold or fungus. Epoxy mass prevents plaque and repainting, without loss of properties due to the influence of detergents, oils and ultraviolet radiation. All these advantages, however, will not protect against high and low temperatures. Grout of some brands maintain condition from -20 to +100 ° C.
Important! Epoxy grout is also used as glue.

Polyurethane

The grout on the basis of polyurethane is an aqueous resin dispersion. The material is designed to form hydrophobic seams. Some modifications are combined with natural stone, not only with tile or ceramic granite, but with a seam width of not more than 6 mm. Polyurethane material is used for places with a high level of vibration. The resulting seam is also resistant to minor deformations of the tile itself. The product is sold ready to use, and its residues are easily removed from the surfaces. The color of the grout remains unchanged. Variations of polyurethane fillers have such qualities as self-leveling, refractoriness, elasticity, fluidity, etc. The composition of the mixtures include polyurethane polymers and hardeners. The components of the polyurethane range irritate the human body.

Latex

Latex-divorced fugues are more elastic. Greater plasticity contributes to filling the entire seam, including microscopic indentations - no cracks or voids appear in the masonry. The structure of the latex mixture resists moisture. Compressive and flexural strength of such aggregates is higher than that of conventional cement. Due to these qualities, they are used to fill seams several centimeters wide. The portability of different temperature regimes allows you to apply the material on open balconies and a heated field. Fillers change color due to the impact of cleaning products, despite the fact that they retain it in principle for a long time. Latex is used between tiles and wood. The high adhesion rate makes it possible to use latex aggregates for facades. The components of the mixtures affect people to a lesser extent than polyurethane.

Furan

Furan resin groutings are mostly black in color, therefore they are used in retail, warehouse and industrial premises. The operational and chemical properties are similar to epoxy and cement aggregates, and occupy a middle position between them. Due to the extremely high adhesiveness, application to the surface is accompanied by difficulties. It is necessary to wipe the remaining traces as quickly as possible, and pre-process the tile itself with wax or another fat-containing substance. Furan aggregates are durable and inexpensive material, and the aforementioned adhesion allows high-quality interaction with any building materials. Furan seams are characterized by high strength, resistance to sunlight and acidic conditions. The main problems are limited color gamut and difficulties in decorating.

Grout selection options

The material is used on walls, floors, facades, in wet rooms and on various objects in open space. For each place of use, the companies have provided the optimum chemical composition. At home, two types of mixtures are mainly used: on a cement base and using epoxy resin. The first option is the most widely used and affordable, the second is needed in a chemically active environment and valuable for its design features qualities. Another important point - the gap between the elements of masonry. The wider it is, the more pronounced the adhesive ability is required, and the more coarse fractions. The tile structure also introduces its own limitations in the selection of the aggregate. Too active or inert solution is unacceptable for one or another tile. The tint of the grout is also important - the design of the room depends on it. The key value is assigned to the lightness / darkness parameter. Sales assistants at retail outlets will tell you how to choose a grout for a particular type of tile.
The correct choice of filler is associated with such additional nuances:

  1. On a small sample, the color looks brighter than in a large decorated room.
  2. Grout is often chosen under the lightest / darkest color of the tile, but at the same time it is lighter in half a tone.
  3. Tile buy as the color of the tile, and under the furniture.

Purpose

The study of the characteristics of the compositions will help to choose the ideal option for work. For relatively dry places like a kitchen apron, walls in the bathroom and toilet, and suitable simple cement aggregates. Greater resistance, for example, polyurethane and latex, are used in conditions of high humidity. Shower cabins and swimming pools need dirt-repellent fugues with mold resistance - epoxy and polyurethane. Take into account the characteristics of the lining. Vibrant or uneven coatings require resilient composites such as furan, polyurethane and latex. Grout with special properties are needed for unheated premises, outdoor finishes and hot floors. Options will be needed that can tolerate frequent temperature shocks and thermal expansion. In this case, aggregates with a rigid structure will not work.

Seam width

This indicator indicates on packages: minimum and maximum values. It remains only to compare the recommendations of different manufacturers. Mineral-free grouting is suitable for bottlenecks - 1-3 mm. Fine sand fractions are suitable for sealing seams as early as 6 mm. Large grooves up to 2 cm thick are overwritten with either elastic mixtures or plasticized cement compositions. More funds come with medium and coarse sand, but you need careful control over the proportion of water and dry mix. The thicker the composition is, the better. Part of the owners makes a mistake: allocate as little as possible to the seams. Because of this, high-quality filling of voids is not always possible. Such a result threatens the ingress of water inside and deterioration of the lining, perhaps even the destruction of the coating. If the seams are already made too narrow - you will need a sealant.

Tile features

The grout is combined not only with the peculiarities of the surface and external conditions, but also with the structure of the tile. For the reason that the placeholder will actively interact with the ends of the tile. Products with a porous structure or an expressive texture are not made to be overwritten with highly fluid solutions - otherwise they will leave in an excess amount. Yes, and cleaning the tile then take longer. Cement-sand options are optimal in this case. Glass tiles and mosaics are designed for mashing with decorative epoxy compounds. Mortars with abrasives like sand can not be used for tiles with a glazed glossy surface or expensive decor. Suitable polyurethane grout, latex and mixtures with fine cement. Practically any type of fugues are suitable for tile boar, but for external work, as a rule, coarse grains are chosen.

Colour

A good choice of color is important for the interior. Beautiful grout diversifies even monotonous masonry. Manufacturers make the usual mixtures, and options with rich color and decorative effects. You should know the basic nuances of using a grout shade. For example, light colors combine pictures on different blocks into one composition. Dark colors emphasize the placeholder and vividly express the texture. Color contrast will highlight each tile as a separate "brick". Monochromatic tiles are decorated with deep-colored grout and decorative inserts of the same properties, and preferably in one tone. Fugue under the "chameleon" is ideally combined with multi-colored panels. Metallic color is used in a luxurious interior. The brightness of the finish will enhance the contrast grout. As for the gaps on the floor, it is better to close them with dark filler, because any decorating effect will be spoiled by dirt.

Options for using color grout in the interior

It is not easy to imagine exactly how the grout and tile will look together. Samples at retail outlets facilitate this task. It is also advisable to inspect interior options on images on the Internet and in catalogs. For example, in the case of a non-matching color finish, a fugue looks normal in several shades. Similar tones for uniform seams and coatings create beautiful transitions, soften the atmosphere. Such an atmosphere will allow you to calm down and relax, which is important for the bathroom. Grout in one tone with masonry will allow you to arrange the composition laid during finishing into one. White grout on the same surface - ideal for cramped rooms. Combining more saturated colors will make the room warmer. The contrast of the filler and tiled coating emphasizes the various features of the space. Similar techniques are used to express classic design solutions.

The use of different color grout

There are 2 directions for the realization of such a combination:

  1. Several color options for both grouting and tile.
  2. The color is different, not necessarily with a sharp contrast.

If you put a tile of several shades with pictures, then it will not be so easy to combine the lines: both with a single-color grout and with several variants. We need accurate weighted decisions. This kind of "ensemble" has another drawback: the lack of a feeling of a single plane. However, the very diversity of the scale is worth a similar experiment. More often used a combination of red and white. They add patterned, striped and painted "inclusion". Registration of the room will be in the spirit of color harmony. If we select a multicolored version of a more regular pattern, then using the grout you can achieve enhanced color perception. Different shades of fugues and tiles in a monotonous design - an option for lovers of minimalism and unity of space. A good solution for bathrooms of any size. In addition, the repair will be saved a lot of time.

Grout, similar in tone to the tile

Several shades of color in one place - a guarantee of comfort and tranquility. It is better to choose shades of blue or green from the colors, because these palettes are filled with beautiful soft tones. Green compose with light green, turquoise, mint and herbal flowers. To the blue add sky blue, indigo, light purple. Smoothly iridescent color - a stylish reception in modern design. A bathroom, among other things, is not a place to express expression. It uses mainly wet colors associated with nature and vegetation. It is necessary to rub tile with a light-colored composition with a darker tile. The discrepancy in brightness in the opposite direction is a complicated idea. It will be easiest to make a mistake then. As for the tiles, the best option is a patterned floor, emphasizing the fabrication material.

Tile and grout same color

The maximum possible color similarity provides several advantages. The design then becomes concise, the space is voluminous and unobtrusive. In this case, the decorative function is shifted to small patterns, drawings on separate squares and a panel - to white color, for example, there is a strip with flowers. A bright room will visually increase the space, and with a bright frieze it can be rounded, softened. Other vertical surfaces do not have to be matched in color with the walls, and in any case the flooring is made darker. Any joints of different colors close up lighter grout. The room can be dark - the grout is then picked up to several tones lighter. The contrast will not be noticeable even close. Dark interior is intended for specific purposes - expressing style or following fashion trends.

The grout color must be appropriately different if a tile of two colors is used for the top and bottom of the room.

Contrast grout

Options for contrasting design (the first color is dominant, the second - grout):

  • black and white;
  • blue and white;
  • brown and white.

Contrast is justified by using deep colors. It is desirable that the seams be narrow, and the tile is large or vice versa - the intervals are the same when the tile is small. Contrast basically implies a predominance of a darker color, simultaneously with the presence of light objects in the interior. Since the appliances in the bathroom are mostly light - a white bath and a washbasin, there is almost always room for the implementation of a contrasting lining. The most traditional example of contrast is black plus white. The palette must be supplemented with the details inherent for luxurious execution: expensive lamps, moldings, silk. If the black tone spoils the mood - you may have to taste a different color set. It goes well with white saturated blue color. With him realize a lot of different topics. Классическим оформлением является также пара из коричневого и белого цветов.

Принцип расчета количества затирки

Первым делом учитываем габариты изделий. На примере плитки одинакового размера - это ширина, длина и толщина. Определяем идеальную ширину межплиточного шва - на усмотрение. Учитываем параметры для площади 1 кв. метр. The indicators can be put in one formula for subsequent multiplication by the standard grouting density - 1.8 kg / dm³. The last parameter is changed, as needed, in any of the sides (the optimal value depends, among other things, on the seam width). In theory, there are several regularities: less tile area - more grouting, more tile thickness - more grouting, a relief form of tile - more, a wider seam - again, more. The consumption indicated by manufacturers is calculated for standard tile sizes. In practice, the calculation must be done independently. In the formula itself, indicators of the complexity of the surface to be processed, cuttings to the pipes, corners, and unevenness of the tiles are missed.

The best manufacturers of tile grouts - which company to choose

These include:

  • Ceresit;
  • Mapei;
  • Kiilto;
  • Atlas;
  • Litocol.

The first brand, Ceresit is one of the world market leaders. Henkel's Ceresit blend company has a policy of affordable prices and manufactures products for any kind of traditional ceramic tile. In this case, the color palette has about 60 shades. Another manufacturer of grout is Mapei - the Italian brand of household and construction chemicals. The company produces raw materials in different price categories, including finishing materials for designer interiors / exteriors. Mapei grout for places with high humidity quickly come to readiness, and within two days after surface treatment, you can start up water. The compositions of the Finnish manufacturer Kiilto are suitable for independent work without the participation of the master. Mixtures can be prepared and applied without any difficulty. Polish Atlas aggregates correspond to the main goal of the manufacturer - to manufacture universal products. The company Litocol from Italy, in turn, focuses on the decorative properties of solutions in combination with high quality.

Conclusion

Facing the walls have always paid a lot of attention. This is one of the components of the interior, in addition to furniture. Grouting on the walls is part of the overall design, so it’s worth thoroughly preparing for the selection, preparation and application of the mortar. Even before laying the tile, study the parameters - to calculate the amount of grout. In addition to mass, the volume of the solution is also important - the result of the work is related to the correctly chosen density of the material. Manufacturers make mixtures for different occasions - design of unremarkable utility rooms, kitchens and bathrooms, luxurious interiors, facades, in any price category. Proper purchase is possible after taking into account the factors of moisture resistance, tolerance of different temperatures and aesthetics. It is necessary to determine the optimal shade of the grout - the tile is ideally darker than the gaps. After all calculations, prepare a solution. The work will need a spatula and a porous sponge. At the end of each tile carefully cleaned.

Watch the video: Choosing the Right Grout for Your Tile Installation (March 2024).

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