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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 next grouting project. Whether you’ll be using it for glass tile or wanting to know the advantages vs cement grout, this guide is here to answer your questions.

Like many tiling products, tile 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 everything you need to know from a professional tile setter that uses it on a daily basis and do the project right the first time!   

This Guide Will:

• Explain What Epoxy Grout Is ✓
• Show The Best Epoxy Grout ✓
• Share Tips On How To Use Epoxy Grout ✓
• Show The Advantages Over Regular 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 these products 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 it much easier. 

Today I want to share my experiences with you and help your next home improvement task go easier. 

Introduction

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

• Ease Of Use

• The Quality of the End Result 

I have been using an epoxy grout since it first appeared on the market (or atleast my area of the United States) 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.  

It was an absolute nightmare to work with and sent grown men into fits of rage, despair and panic and no cleaning products could wash it off. 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 it earned itself a reputation in the United States and the world as a product to run away from and for good reason. Home improvement stores rarely sold it as well and was considering a highly specialist product. Thankfully, they’re much better now and constant improvements have made these products 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 grouting tips and the best grout float to use in this article 🙂 

Now that you have your grout, it’s time to take a look at what are the best tools to use with epoxy grout. This is the same set of tools that I use and get consistent results with a beautiful grout joint.

• Small Spiral Mixer – Attach this to a power drill to effectively mix all the components. This ensures the 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. You don’t need to be picky too picky with which kind you select, any kind of sturdy bucket will do.

• Grout Sponge – Two grout sponges for cleaning up the grout during wash up phase. Epoxy grouts are very messy and the key to a haze free finish is removing as much of it during the washing phase. Make sure to properly rinse your grout sponge during the washing up phase.

• Microfiber Towels – These will be your secret weapon. Microfiber towels have been discovered by tilers to be extremely effective at cleaning off epoxy haze during the washing up stage. After it’s been wiped down, make sure to 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 up, Laticrete has the solution for you. It’s especially developed to help clean off epoxy and helps prevent the dreaded epoxy 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! Epoxy grouts harden like rock and stick to skin like nothing you have ever experienced before – trust me. If you are going to take anything away from my guide, it should be this at least. 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 grout 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. 

Epoxy grout provides a whole raft of benefits over regular grout.                                                     

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 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 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 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 in the United States and designed for situations where hard to remove stains need to be cleaned from the surface of a tile installation. 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, filler powder 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 as it is less likely to stain and grow bacteria on it. This is because it is less porous than cementitious regular grout and will not harbor any microscopic life-forms.

In homes, epoxy 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 as it won’t absorb cooking oil and related stains from food preparation. 

Also, since its very smooth, its a common grout to use with glass tile and fancy mosaics where the finished look has to be perfect. Gritty or porous regular 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” and really set off the glass tile. 

Question: What are the minimum and maximum width grout joints for Spectralock® epoxy grouts?

Answer: The range of Spectralock^® epoxy grouts can accommodate grout joints from 1/16″ (1.5mm) all the way up to 1/2″ (12.7mm) wide. Please note that since these grouts contain sand, narrower grout lines like 1/16 may appear coarser when compared to unsanded grouts. 

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 does not allow anything to penetrate it, since it’s waterproof. This means that nothing can grow inside of it or on it’s surface. 

However, a layer of dirt and debris can form and sit on top 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 tile installation looking like new for years to come.

Pro Tip: I have found that darker shades of epoxy are less prone to staining or having their color effected over lighter colors like light grey. Light grey grout shows the dirt sitting on it much easier. For those with pets, a medium or dark grey epoxy grout is reccomended as it won’t show the yellow urine stains like a light grey would. 

 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, tips on using an epoxy grout and typical epoxy grouting techniques. 

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.