Serious grout problem!

lizziemurdoch · Post by **lizziemurdoch** » Fri May 08, 2009 9:54 am

A few months ago my kitchen floor was retiled by a professional tiler. The original floor is concrete. Over this he laid a plywood base to fix the tiles on. My problem is that the (flexible) grout he used just won't stay fixed. I have had to re-grout on numerous occasions since he left.
The grout quickly begins to crumble and in no time at all, it comes out in large chunks.
Is there anything I can do or use that will make it last as it should?

wine~o · Post by **wine~o** » Fri May 08, 2009 12:28 pm

I would get the original fitter back to sort the problem.

thescruff · Post by **thescruff** » Fri May 08, 2009 12:36 pm

Why did he lay a plywood base ?? Did the floor have to be built up or leveled.

Tryanything · Post by **Tryanything** » Fri May 08, 2009 1:28 pm

The problem is not with the grout or the tiles its what there fixed to
(or not fixed to) the movement in the plywood is breaking and loosening
the grout joint

Call the tiler back

Only-Me · Post by **Only-Me** » Fri May 08, 2009 1:38 pm

As above...........the ply is moving.

Why did he ply a concrete floor anyway?

If the floor was lumpy in the first place.......adding ply to it is going to leave voids, that will flex when walked on.

Would have been better to self level

lizziemurdoch · Post by **lizziemurdoch** » Fri May 08, 2009 1:51 pm

Thanks, everyone. He laid a ply base because part of the floor is an extension to the original kitchen and had to be brought up to the same level. I can't bear the thought of him coming back at taking it all up again....

m3 fitter · Post by **m3 fitter** » Fri May 08, 2009 3:57 pm

sounds like the screed was a floating floor, which is meant to always have movement, some inexperienced tilers don't recognise that floating floors cannot be tiled without uncoupling them with ditra mat, which is a uncoupling membrane, the adhesive and grout also have to be flexible, but in the main floating floors have always been a hit and miss operation and are to be avoided as regard to tiling, ask the original builder if the floor is floating, if it isn't, then the movement is being caused by the plywood not being screwed down properley, and the answer will be a strip, and re-tile

handyman · Post by **handyman** » Fri May 08, 2009 4:19 pm

lizziemurdoch wrote: I can't bear the thought of him coming back at taking it all up again....

no need to worry about that

lizziemurdoch · Post by **lizziemurdoch** » Mon May 11, 2009 1:20 pm

Thanks m3 fitter and handyman. I'll let you know what happens if I'm not dragged away screaming, soon!!

lizziemurdoch · Post by **lizziemurdoch** » Tue May 26, 2009 3:17 pm

Tiler has been back to repair the floor and over one week later, the grout is still looking perfect!!