www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk

have just laid ceramic tiles 450 x 450 and approx 32m2 with 5mm spacers, can someone recommend a good grout to use, I'm looking for grey or charcoal and my only concern is that if its powdered that is recommended instead of ready mixed I am worried about doing it all in one go-not as quick as the pros- and not getting the same colour after mixing the grout in batches??? or should i be able to mix up enough to do the whole area in one hit as really its a big area but only grout?? please help, plus how much will i need

bal wide joint grout, and its okay for doing a bit at a time!

As per marc1106...............also Nicobond are good and you can buy there grouts at Nichols and Clarke.

Word of warning..........stay away from Mapei grout in this colour.

royaloakcarpentry wrote: Word of warning..........stay away from Mapei grout in this colour.

why is that ROC, is it because of the colour change? I did mine in Anthracite and it came out well but only used 2 bags though

It is the grey which is a problem. Dries patchy even if you use the whole bag and shake it before mixing, then mix as per instructions in exact amount of water. The only Mapei colour I have had a problem with is the grey.

Google mapei grey flexible grout has dried patchy or similar search and see the amount of problems that even pro 20 year plus tilers can encounter with it.

Did you use a paddle mixer ROC? that is where most go wrong with mapei coloured grout, by mixing it by hand, it says mix with a paddle mixer and is an important step IMO, the other is using too much water at the clean off stage

That is the only colour of Mapei that has ever given me a problem. I was mortified and did research into it. Doesn't matter if you use a mixer or do it manually there are examples on the net of pros having trouble with it whether they mix a whole bag part bag, measure the water or guess it, mix and let stand and then mix again or just mix and spread. I was amazed at the amount of problems blokes were having and a lot of them were tilers rather than bathroom bashers.

I raked it out and did it again.............same problem. So next step was to get one of the tilers in to have a look. he walked into the bathroom, turned to the client and had a go at him for supplying the mapei in the first place. He sorted it in about 15 minutes. Haven't a clue what he did but he didn't rake any out. Was something that he didn't want to share over 20 years of knowledge anyway lol. All he would say was that it wasn't my fault, after he quizzed me about how I mixed etc. His experience told him to keep away from that one and he only uses BAL if it is being done in grey.

There were two or three patches which had dried slightly lighter than the rest. Not big patches just about 10-15mm long.

thanks guys, BAL it is then

I forgot, does anybody have an idea how much grout i need

Ask at the shop. 9/10 times, they'll tell you how much you need!