Anyone who lay tiles for a living know that grout is an essential ingredient to laying them. The grout is a mortar mixture which is combined with water to fill in between joints when laying tile to a surface. This helps to keep water from going below the tile and protects the edges from cracks. The grout bag is used like a pastry bag to store the grout after it is mixed to transport it to be used in the different areas. The grout bag is especially good when you are doing jobs in small areas where you have to move around and you don’t want to create a lot of mess. Follow the instructions provided here to use your grout bag.
Things you will need
- Trowel
- Grout bag
- Grout
- Water
- Container
- Sponge
Instructions
- Purchase the grout along with a grout bag. These can be found at a department or hardware store. Make sure you buy the amount you need as well as the type of grout bag you need. Generally grout bags are made with cloth, PVC or plastic which is normally made to be disposable.
- Pour out your grout, along with the right amount of water or latex additive as instructed by the package into the container and mix them together. Using Latex additive makes the mixture stronger and less permeable. When you have done mixing make sure it is not too thick or thin but rather has a smooth toothpaste finish.
- Then use a small amount of grout to fill the grout bag at a time, about 1/3 of what the bag is able to hold is good. Then shake the mixture so that it goes down to the bottom of the bag and twist the top or place a tip on top to close it to prevent the grout from getting out.
- When you are ready to use the grout, squeeze the grout out of the bag so it comes out smoothly. Use the grout to fill the full length of the tiles instead of just around individual tiles and make sure all the cracks, holes and gaps are completely filled, then wipe of the excess grout with the trowel.
- Take the sponge and dampen it with water and clean off the extra grout from the tile or whatever surface you are using it on. And allow the grout to dry and set for whatever required time period.
Do’s and Don’ts
- When buying grout it is normally suggested that you buy a little more than what is needed. You may never know when you may need more for this and other upcoming tiling projects.
- Make sure you wear all the right clothing when using the grout, using it can sometimes become messy. So to avoid having to do a lot of cleaning up afterwards, wear the right cloth such as gloves and shoes.
- Do not apply the grout into the joints, until the adhesive which is used to attach it to the ground is set. This process normally takes about 24 hours.
- Before you start using the grout, make sure that all the surfaces have been tiled already, so you can go through with the grout one time.
