Glass Tile Grouting Basics
Installing glass tile is one thing, grouting it is a completely different process. Learn the basics of glass tile grouting here.
Installing glass tile is a great way to enhance your kitchen, bathroom or pool remodeling project. With such a huge variety of colors, shapes and styles, these tile makes the perfect choice for an elegant solution to any designing theme. Add in the fact that glass tile is one of the most affordable tile products on the market today and it's hard not to see why it's such a popular element in home design.
Before beginning any tile grouting project, the affixed tiles must have been allowed to cure for 36-48 hours. Any debris should be removed using a brush or shop vacuum. Use a wet sponge to remove any exposed thinset that may have cured to the glass tiles.
Choosing the right grout color to match your glass tile is essential to preventing blemishes and imperfections from being easily spotted. Because of glass tiles reflective surfaces, grout can disrupt the refraction of light, easily catching the eye and revealing blemishes in the tiles. A suitable match is one that is similar in color to the tile color.
Mixing grout is as simple as making pancake batter. Use a paddle bit and a " drill to mix non-sanded grout into a five gallon bucket, stirring in water slowly. Once the mix has achieved the consistency of pancake batter, the grout will be mixed to perfection. Add more water or more grout as needed to thin or thicken the grout mix.
In situations where glass tile is exposed to extreme temperature differences, an elasticizing polymer is added to the mix, allowing the grout to stretch and flex, preventing breaks from occurring in the delicate glass tiles.
Using a grout float, scoop a manageable amount of grout onto the float. Start at the farthest or highest spot away from you and spread the grout in between the tiles diagonally across the pattern. Don't worry about getting grout all over the tiles. The grout must be firmly pressed into the grout lines with the grout float, covering all spaces and voids.
Once a 3x3' section of grout has been applied to the tile, use the small rubber edge of the grout float to remove about a third of the grout from between the tiles. The reason so much more grout is removed than when grouting conventional tile is because light refracts better through the glass tile when the sides of the tiles are exposed to the light. Work 3x3' spaces for abouthour or until the grout begins to dry, then sponge off the grout.
Bring several buckets of clean water and a sponge to the work area before you begin. Soak up some water into the sponge and gently wipe away the excess grout that is adhered to the tile. Smooth the grout lines with the sponge using one continuous swipe. Flip the sponge over and swipe more grout from the tiles until it becomes full of grout. Rinse the sponge in a clean bucket of water and repeat. Clean water is the key to finishing the job quickly and thoroughly.
Once the tiles have been cleaned, check for any voids or pits and fill them in as needed. Use the sponge and clean water to wipe away any remaining grout. Allow to dry for a few hours, and then use a dry cheese cloth to clean the remaining grout residue. After the project has dried for 48 hours, it's ready for use!
Installing glass tile is a great way to enhance your kitchen, bathroom or pool remodeling project. With such a huge variety of colors, shapes and styles, these tile makes the perfect choice for an elegant solution to any designing theme. Add in the fact that glass tile is one of the most affordable tile products on the market today and it's hard not to see why it's such a popular element in home design.
Before beginning any tile grouting project, the affixed tiles must have been allowed to cure for 36-48 hours. Any debris should be removed using a brush or shop vacuum. Use a wet sponge to remove any exposed thinset that may have cured to the glass tiles.
Choosing the right grout color to match your glass tile is essential to preventing blemishes and imperfections from being easily spotted. Because of glass tiles reflective surfaces, grout can disrupt the refraction of light, easily catching the eye and revealing blemishes in the tiles. A suitable match is one that is similar in color to the tile color.
Mixing grout is as simple as making pancake batter. Use a paddle bit and a " drill to mix non-sanded grout into a five gallon bucket, stirring in water slowly. Once the mix has achieved the consistency of pancake batter, the grout will be mixed to perfection. Add more water or more grout as needed to thin or thicken the grout mix.
In situations where glass tile is exposed to extreme temperature differences, an elasticizing polymer is added to the mix, allowing the grout to stretch and flex, preventing breaks from occurring in the delicate glass tiles.
Using a grout float, scoop a manageable amount of grout onto the float. Start at the farthest or highest spot away from you and spread the grout in between the tiles diagonally across the pattern. Don't worry about getting grout all over the tiles. The grout must be firmly pressed into the grout lines with the grout float, covering all spaces and voids.
Once a 3x3' section of grout has been applied to the tile, use the small rubber edge of the grout float to remove about a third of the grout from between the tiles. The reason so much more grout is removed than when grouting conventional tile is because light refracts better through the glass tile when the sides of the tiles are exposed to the light. Work 3x3' spaces for abouthour or until the grout begins to dry, then sponge off the grout.
Bring several buckets of clean water and a sponge to the work area before you begin. Soak up some water into the sponge and gently wipe away the excess grout that is adhered to the tile. Smooth the grout lines with the sponge using one continuous swipe. Flip the sponge over and swipe more grout from the tiles until it becomes full of grout. Rinse the sponge in a clean bucket of water and repeat. Clean water is the key to finishing the job quickly and thoroughly.
Once the tiles have been cleaned, check for any voids or pits and fill them in as needed. Use the sponge and clean water to wipe away any remaining grout. Allow to dry for a few hours, and then use a dry cheese cloth to clean the remaining grout residue. After the project has dried for 48 hours, it's ready for use!
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