How to avoid cracking the grout

1. Before applying the grout, make sure that the adhesive has sufficiently seized.

2. The coating area must be clean and dry, free from dust and grease stains.

3. Choose the type of grout that is most appropriate for your flooring. If using grout- based grout , for joints over 3-4 mm wide, use sand grout, as sand helps prevent grout narrowing in joints and cracking. If the trowel is   less than 3-4 mm wide, use only grout that does not contain sand, otherwise the joints will be filled with sand rather than cement.

4. When mixing the grout, try mixing the dry mix thoroughly with water. It is undesirable to mix the mixture with a high speed mechanical mixer because the resulting air bubbles cause the slurry to weaken. Instead, work at low speed.

5. After mixing, let the mortar sit (ie "rest") for 10 to 15 minutes. This will allow the mixture to completely hydrate.

6. Make sure your grout is not old, otherwise the seams will be soft. Most grouts have limited storage time before use.

7. If the tiles have an increased absorption capacity, moisten the joints before starting the grout. It is also recommended to coat the tiles with a sealer; However, it is necessary to choose the most appropriate sealant. The use of a modified latex grout is also useful in this situation.

8. If there is too much water in the grout and small cracks are formed during grouting, rub the grout into the joints to absorb excess water.

9. If the grout maker periodically advises to wet the Grout for tiling for a better hold, follow his advice and do it for the duration of the grout.

10. Do not put the grout in direct sunlight and do not use auxiliary aids such as a hair dryer to speed up the grinding process. This can lead to softening of the seams and their further destruction.

11. The best conditions for grouting are the same as in a cool, dry garage or basement. Tiles heated or too porous can suspend the process of hydration (gripping) and seams can be less strong.

12. Avoid making a trowel too wide. If necessary, use a latex additive to increase the strength of the mixture.

13. Do not add water or mix to the ready-to-use grout trowel started to grasp.

14. Avoid exposure to strong chemicals on dry grouting, as a result, it may collapse and crumble.

What if the new grout continues to crack?

If, despite the fact that you have changed the grout and done everything according to the instructions, it continues to crack, most often the problem in terms of operation. Either the base is not flat enough (as in wooden houses), or too heavy (flow of people, trucks, etc.) in shops, garages, warehouses, or grout is destroyed by acid (food production). prefer to make seams more than in the manufacturer's instructions. In this case, it is necessary to mix the slurry not with water, but with special polymeric additives completely excluding water (eg Fugoplastic). At the same time, try to keep your mix as dry as possible.

If that does not help, use silicone, preferably resistant to mold and fungi (otherwise, it will darken). It does not crack, but it must be carefully laid, smoothed. Poor silicone packaging can seriously damage the appearance of the room.