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Epoxy Grout – The Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing

Due to popular demand from my readers, I have created this best epoxy grout buyer’s guide to help you with your epoxy grouting project. 

Like many tiling products, epoxy grout tends to be another product that’s plagued with misinformation being spread about it online – I aim to set the record straight with my experience using it in a professional capacity.

Learn about epoxy grout from a professional tile setter that uses it on a daily basis and do the project right the first time!   

This Epoxy Grout Guide Will:

• Explain What Epoxy Grout Is ✓

• Show The Best Epoxy Grout ✓

• Share Tips On How To Use Epoxy Grout ✓ 

Hello and welcome to Tilersplace.com

My name Carl and I’ve been working as a professional tile setter for over 25 years.

I’ve been working with epoxy for most of those years and have seen the product go from total nightmare to the well refined and workable product that it is today. I’ve also developed a number of tricks to make working with epoxy grout much easier. 

Today I want to share my experiences with you and help your next epoxy grouting job go easier. 

Best Epoxy Grout Introduction

When I choose an epoxy grout, there are two main things I look for that will deem the grout suitable for daily use in customer’s homes and businesses: 

• The Epoxy Grout’s Ease Of Use

• The Quality of the End Result 

I have been using epoxy grout since it first appeared on the market (or atleast my region) in the early 90’s. Back then it was like trying to paint with bubblegum and washing it off was like removing tar with tissue paper.  

Epoxy grout was an absolute nightmare to work with and sent grown men into fits of rage, despair and panic. Imagine setting $8,000 worth of tiles, only to realize the gunk you spread on the tiles ain’t coming off. Ever. 

And the only way to fix the problem is by tearing it all up and starting over. 

So Epoxy grout earned itself a reputation as a product to run away from and for good reason. Thankfully, constant improvements have made epoxy grout much easier to work with nowadays however,

Epoxy Grout Is Still Difficult To Use If You Don’t Know The Technique.

Don’t worry, I’ll share my top epoxy grouting tips and the best epoxy grout float to use in this article 🙂 

• Small Spiral Mixer – Attach this to a power drill to effectively mix the components of the epoxy grout. This ensures the epoxy grout is thoroughly mixed. I highly recommend this form of mixing the grout over anything else. Manual mixing with a margin trowel should be avoided as it can’t mix the individual components properly – leading to patchy results.

• Plain Bucket – One or two plain 5 gallon buckets are great for holding your clean water for washing up.

• Sponges – Two sponges for cleaning up the grout during wash up phase. Epoxy grout is very messy and the key to a haze free finish is removing as much of it during the washing phase.

• Microfiber Towels – These will be your secret weapon. Microfiber towels have been discovered by tilers to be extremely effective at cleaning off epoxy grout haze during the washing up stage. After it’s been wiped down, give the tiles a buff with the microfiber towel and it should remove the haze before it forms. For best results, use a couple and always have a dry one on hand.

• Laticrete Washing Up Kit – If you are worried about washing off the epoxy grout, Laticrete has the solution for you. It’s especially developed to help clean off epoxy and helps prevent the dreaded epoxy grout haze from forming on your tiles. It is a powder that you add to your washing up water and couldn’t make the job any be easier to you.
  
• Nitrile Gloves – These are an absolute must when working with epoxy grout! This stuff hardens like rock and sticks to skin like nothing you have ever experienced before – trust me. If you are going to take anything away from my epoxy grout guide, it should be this atleast. Wear strong nitrile gloves when working with this grout and avoid contact with the skin. Some people also find they are allergic to epoxy, so be safe, wrap some rubber round’ your hands and avoid the hardship I endured.

• Wash off any grout that gets onto other surfaces/tiles – once epoxy grout dries, nothing short of an angle grinder will get it off (No Joke). So make sure to wash off everything while it’s still wet!
• Use your sponge to form the grout – epoxy grout is stiff enough to allow it to be formed easily with the sponge during the washing up. Use the sponge to easily get your grout lines uniform and neat.
• Use your grout float to scrape off excess – it is much easier to use your epoxy grout float to scrape off the excess off the tiles instead of leaving it to the washing up phase. 

Some Benefits Include: 

• Easier Maintenance of Grout
• Longer Lasting Color
• Higher Degree of Waterproofing
• Higher Level Of Hygiene

In case your question has not been answered, please leave a comment below! I’ll try answer it to the best of my knowledge and your question might be featured in an updated version of this Epoxy Grout Buyer’s Guide.

Question: is epoxy grout good for showers?

Answer: Epoxy grout is good for showers, in fact it’s the best grout to use in showers. Showers are a very wet area and result in high levels of humidity. An epoxy grout used in the shower can help make the entire installation more waterproof and also prevent mold and mildew from growing on it.  

Do note that regular cleaning will still required as a layer of soap scum and bodily matter can form on top of the grout, creating a layer for mold to grow on. A wipe with a shower cleaner should be sufficient.

Question: Can I Grout Natural Stone With Epoxy Grout? 

Answer: Generally, the answer is no. All natural stone tiles are created/treated differently and have various degrees of porosity. Highly porous stone can absorb the epoxy grout resin through the edges of the stone tile, leaving a picture frame effect where the outer edges are darker. This color change is irremediable and will stay there for the life of the tile. If you want to use epoxy grout on natural stone, it is highly recommended you apply a quality tile sealer to all sides of the tile before installation and test it first before proceeding. Without prior testing, you may end up with a multi-thousand dollar tile installation that is ruined forever.

Question: how to remove epoxy grout haze

Answer: Epoxy grout haze can be removed from tile using an epoxy grout haze remover. Stonetech Epoxy Grout Haze Remover is made for situations where hard to remove stains like epoxy haze need to be cleaned from the surface of a tile. It is suitable for use with natural stone tiles, porcelain/ceramic tiles and masonry.

Question: What Is Epoxy Grout?

Answer: Epoxy grout is a product consisting of multiple parts, mixed together to create it. Epoxy is made from multiple resins and a hardener. If the resins do not have a color, a colored powder can be added to the mix to create a colored epoxy grout.  

Question: where is epoxy grout used?

Answer: Epoxy grout is used in high traffic and areas required high standards of hygiene. In the commercial world, places like hospitals and commercial kitchens greatly benefit from epoxy grout as it is less likely to stain and grow bacteria on it. This is because it is less porous than cementitious grout and will not harbor any microscopic life-forms.

In homes, epoxy grout is commonly used in showers and bathrooms as it grants the homeowner easy maintenance and a look that looks “like new” for years. Kitchen back splashes also benefit from epoxy grout, as it won’t absorb cooking oil and related stains from food preparation. 

Also, since epoxy grout is very smooth, it is a common grout to use with glass tiles and fancy mosaics where the finished look has to be perfect. Gritty or porous grout would detract from the overall look, so epoxy is the best option. Dazzle effects like glitter can also be added to the epoxy to maximize the “wow factor”. 

Question: Does Epoxy Grout NEed CLeaning?

Answer: Epoxy grout does still require cleaning. Contrary to popular belief, epoxy grout is not a self cleaning miracle product and still requires some love and care in order for it to remain looking it’s best.

The misconception stems from the fact that epoxy grout does not allow anything to penetrate it, since it’s not porous and waterproof. This means that nothing can grow in side of it or on it’s surface. 

However, a layer of dirt and debris can form and sit on top of the epoxy and mold can grow on that. In order to prevent this happening, a quick wipe once a week with a cleaning agent and a rag can wash away any build-up and keep your epoxy looking like new for years to come.

 Best Grout Sealer Conclusion

In this best epoxy grout buyer’s guide, we took a look at one of the best epoxy grouts to use for commercial and domestic applications.

Spectralock Pro Epoxy Grout by Laticrete is a professional grout suited to most types of tiles and has earned a solid reputation from professional tile setters and DIY enthusiasts.