Cement-based or epoxy grout? Start with the job

The colour is chosen and the grout is the last thing left to order. Before comparing pack prices, write down three facts about this job: the measured joint width, the name of the product the surface will be cleaned with, and what “ready” should mean on handover day. Any one of them can change the choice.

CTEF discusses the Grout Selection Guide in the TCNA Handbook and NTCA Reference Manual, relating the choice to the tile and its service conditions. We draw on that discussion without transferring US requirements to a Polish job. CTEF.

Below, those three facts become three checks for two specific products, not for whole grout families. The values in the examples are illustrative. They do not describe a completed job, a test or a price comparison.

Three checks before buying grout. A blank field is a fact to verify, not a result.

1. Joint width

Sources: ATLAS (PL), pp. 1 and 4, CE 89 (PL), p. 1.

Illustrative 18 mm: ATLAS within range, CE 89 outside it. Illustrative 3 mm: both within range. This checks width only.

Measure the actual joint and check the current sheets. A matching width does not yet settle tile compatibility, exposure or application method. If the width changes, come back to this check.

2. Cleaning and exposure

Imagine a back-of-house kitchen area whose brief says only “frequent cleaning with a professional product”. The product name and conditions of use are missing. This is an example of an unresolved question, not an account of a completed job or a product recommendation.

The CE 89 chemical table distinguishes concentration and continuous or short-term contact. “Epoxy” alone settles nothing.

Source: CE 89 (PL), p. 3.

Add those facts to the brief, together with the cleaner’s name and the tile finish. With them, find the matching row in the current CE 89 sheet and ask ATLAS, the manufacturer, about the same use. Until then, both products remain undecided.

3. Handover and timing

The client says “ready tomorrow”. Establish whether that means walking on the floor, normal use or the first cleaning, and what the temperature and humidity on site will be.

The ATLAS sheet lists separately, among others, light foot traffic, full mechanical load and full scrub resistance, at about 23°C and 55% humidity. CE 89 residues are removed while fresh.

Sources: ATLAS (PL), pp. 4–5, CE 89 (PL), p. 2.

These are different planning questions, not a speed ranking. For the chosen product, find the stage in its current instructions that matches the agreed event. If CE 89 is still a candidate, plan how residues will be removed as well. Do not transfer ATLAS timings to CE 89. Offer next-day handover only if the chosen product’s current sheet gives that timing for the agreed event and the site conditions match those the timing is stated for.

Appearance and cost — after the three checks

In his reply to Larry Munsee in the CTEF article, Scott Carothers says the expected joint finish should have been agreed using a grouted mock-up. Record the sample decision; it does not establish the product’s technical suitability. CTEF.

Only once a candidate has passed all three checks, compare the agreed appearance, work organisation and whole-job cost. If you are considering a more expensive option, name the benefit you intend to pay for. The grout family alone is not that justification.

What is still open

A candidate moves to a purchase decision only when every question for this job has an answer. If even one is missing, write down:

• the question that is still open;
• the source or person who can settle it: the current sheet, the manufacturer, the installer or the client;
• the date by which you need the answer.

Then you know whether you are buying or still asking.

Still planning the layout? Read Tile Cuts at the Wall: Plan Your Layout First.