Blog

What's best for your shower?

Want to ensure success in your bathroom renovation? These helpful tips will help you make confident, informed decisions and properly prepare to renovate your bathroom.

How To Seal Tile To Tubs, Showers, And Other Surfaces

5 Tips For Curbless Showers

For thousands of years, tile setters have used grout as an essential part of any successful installation. Using the sand strata method, tiles would be laid on a bed of tamped sand, with a bond coat of wet mortar. This wet mortar also served to fill the joint between the tiles. As methods and products evolved, grout became a separate product with a different composition from setting mortars or thin-sets. The main difference being that mortar has lime in it and grout does not. Grout is composed of water, cement, and sand. The most common type of grout on the market today is cement based grout. This type is used in most residential installations. This has been the standard for decades, and will continue to be. Cement based grout is sold in "sanded" and "unsanded" varieties. Sanded grout has more course aggregates, meant for wider joints, while unsanded has a fine aggregate meant for thin joints. While it gets the job done, there are some drawbacks. Cement based grouts are porous and require sealing to prevent staining. Efflorescence (visible mineral salts on the surface of the grout) is a common issue with any cement based product. Mixing powdered grout releases chemicals into the air that are then breathed in by the installer, and potentially anyone else in the work area. When mixing, the installer needs to take great care to ensure the mixture is correct, and consistent throughout the entire installation. An incorrect ratio of water to grout can cause excess efflorescence, inconsistent colour, pin holes, and other issues. Most contractors leave the grout installation to their unskilled help, which does not turn out well. Advancements in composition mean cement based grouts can offer very solid performance over the life of the installation. The key is choosing the correct one for the type of installation you are planning, and carefully following the manufacturers instructions. We use and recommend Laticrete's Permacolor Select when choosing cement based grout for your project. Colours can be matched, customized or selected from the range of 40 available colours. Sealing is not required and it is eligible for lifetime warranty coverage.

Have a small drywall repair to do? Check out our guide to make sure everything goes smoothly.