How to Finish Ceramic Bathroom Tile
So you've tiled your bathroom wall in ceramic, leaving the proper spacing between the tiles and around the border, and the tile has set. Now it's just a matter of slapping some grout on there, right? Actually, finishing the tile is one of the more complicated parts of the job. The grout has to be mixed and applied properly in the lines, but you don't want to grout where one plane of tile meets a different wall or floor (those joints should be caulked). Grout sealer is crucial for a bathroom, but not until the grout has fully cured. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Grout mix
- Bucket
- Wide putty knife
- Grout float (flat rubber trowel)
- Sponge
- Caulk
- Grout sealer
- Small brush
Instructions
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1
Combine grout mix and water in a bucket, a little at a time, stirring with a wide putty knife. Continue adding and mixing until you have between 1/2 and 1 gallon of grout that's the consistency of thick mud. Let it sit in the bucket for 10 minutes. Remix it with the putty knife.
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2
Scoop up the grout with your grout float and press it directly to the tiles, starting at the top of the wall and proceeding downward. Working in sections as big as you can easily reach from one position, spread the grout across the tile face, running the edge of the float along the surface of the tiles to force the grout into the open lines. Note: Don't grout the border spaces where the edges of the tiles meet the adjacent walls, or the floor or ceiling, but leave those spaces open.
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3
Let the grout in each section sit in the lines for 10 minutes, then wipe off the excess with a damp sponge. Let the grout dry overnight.
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4
Run beads of caulk along the outer borders of the wall, where you didn't grout, in the joints where the wall tiles meet the floor, ceiling and adjacent walls.
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5
Let the grout cure for a week. Apply grout sealer over the grout lines, using a small brush. Don't put sealer over the caulk lines at the borders of the tile.
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Tips & Warnings
Wear a dust mask when mixing your grout.
