Best grout for high traffic area.

[Chuckanut]

I am having ceramic tile put into an entryway of my home. It is a high traffic area with lots of dirt tracked in from outside.

I've picked a [-]ceramic[/-] porcelain tile whose color should help disguise the dirt between cleanings. And the grout is a darker shade that matches the tiles.

Now I a, wondering what would be the best type of grout to use. I want a grout that will stand up to frequent cleanings plus the wear and tear of a high traffic area. I would appreciate people sharing their experience with grouts and keeping them clean.

Your suggestions are most welcome.

 

[utrecht]

I dont any advice for you but I'd like to add a related question. Whats the best way to clean grout after its dirty? I'm in the middle of a tile fixing/grout cleaning project myself. The dirty grout is going to look even dirtier when I fix these tiles and put down a little bit of new grout.

 

[ERD50]

Since you already have a color, I think the key is a silicone seal, after the grout cures.

I've had some success cleaning grout with a paste of baking soda and water. Buy a grout brush from the hardware store, they have the right taper and stiffness for the job. Let the paste sit a while, brush it thoroughly, let that dry (helps if you can do it during a dry season, not a humid summer day), and brush that out. Might take two passes, or just some dry baking soda and brushing for the second pass.

-ERD50

 

[calmloki]

From Lowes (or HD - don't remember) the tile guys used Red Max Pro and a 1" wide grout brush that accepted a screw-in extension handle. That allowed them to mostly clean standing up. This was for Saltillo tiles and 3/4" cream colored grout (a horrible choice by the builder). That is what we have used since the cleaning we had done when we moved in - figured the pros used what worked the quickest/easiest/cheapest/best.

 

[Mango1956]

Not sure if you've bought your tile yet, but porcelain tile might be a better choice. It's very durable and comes in a dizzying array of styles, colors, etc. And yes, seal your grout after it cures. Good luck!

 

[aja8888]

From Lowes (or HD - don't remember) the tile guys used Red Max Pro and a 1" wide grout brush that accepted a screw-in extension handle. That allowed them to mostly clean standing up. This was for Saltillo tiles and 3/4" cream colored grout (a horrible choice by the builder). That is what we have used since the cleaning we had done when we moved in - figured the pros used what worked the quickest/easiest/cheapest/best.

Red Max pro is no longer available from what I can see. ZEP is the replacement.

 

[Chuckanut]

Not sure if you've bought your tile yet, but porcelain tile might be a better choice. It's very durable and comes in a dizzying array of styles, colors, etc. And yes, seal your grout after it cures. Good luck!

My mistake it is porcelain tile.

Thanks for alerting me.

 

[Chuckanut]

The grouts I am picking from have five types

Expoxy Grout
Single component Grout
SureColor Grout
Sanbed Grout
Non-Sanded Grout
100% Silicon caulk.

 

[zinger1457]

Whats the best way to clean grout after its dirty? I'm in the middle of a tile fixing/grout cleaning project myself. The dirty grout is going to look even dirtier when I fix these tiles and put down a little bit of new grout.

The best thing I've found for cleaning really dirty grout is Easy-Off oven cleaner, it works real well but you do need to use the stuff that is 'not' fume free. Just spray it on the grout line and after a couple minutes rub it with a small stiff brush, it doesn't take a lot of effort and cleans it right up. Should use rubber gloves and a well ventilated area (the fumes are bad), best to work small areas at a time.

 

[aja8888]

The best thing I've found for cleaning really dirty grout is Easy-Off oven cleaner, it works real well but you do need to use the stuff that is 'not' fume free. Just spray it on the grout line and after a couple minutes rub it with a small stiff brush, it doesn't take a lot of effort and cleans it right up. Should use rubber gloves and a well ventilated area (the fumes are bad), best to work small areas at a time.

The above contains this solvent: Diethylene Glycol Monobutyl Ether, and sodium hydroxide, a caustic. So be very careful, it can burn your skin.

 

[Winemaker]

After my wife (the warden) spent an arm and a leg to steam clean and recolor my 22 year old grout in my foyer, kitchen and breakfast room, the cleaners told us to use a vinegar solution on a weekly basis. We really didn't obsess over the grout since we bought the house, the grout was really not in that bad of shape (no matter what the warden says), she just wanted a change. Also, there were a couple of cracked tiles where she dropped a can good or two. Cleaning the tile is now on Wed.'s " to do list", so I don't lose another arm and leg in twenty years.

 

[pb4uski]

Talk with the tile experts at the store you are using but I recall that we were told that epoxy grout was the way to go for our bathroom and that we would never have to regrout if we went with epoxy grout. The initial cost is more though.

 

[omni550]

I have had little success with cleaning floor grout.

A google search brought up this site.. How To Make Old Discolored Grout Look Like New | Young House Love

And although it's a one-time painstaking job, it seems as though the product they used, Grout Renew by Polyblend (about $12/bottle, comes in various colors), seems to have done the trick. Good news, one bottle covers a very large area and the Grout Renew doesn't need to be sealed and contains a mold/mildewcide.

Reading through comments/reviews on several sites indicates that the grout needs to be cleaned and then using a child's toothbrush (with the side bristles trimmed) is a good applicator. Others have used 2 strips of blue painter's tape to serve as guides for producing straight grout lines.

omni

 

[savory]

Since you already have a color, I think the key is a silicone seal, after the grout cures.

I've had some success cleaning grout with a paste of baking soda and water. Buy a grout brush from the hardware store, they have the right taper and stiffness for the job. Let the paste sit a while, brush it thoroughly, let that dry (helps if you can do it during a dry season, not a humid summer day), and brush that out. Might take two passes, or just some dry baking soda and brushing for the second pass.

-ERD50

+1 this approach, especially silicon seal. - A good cleaner/greaser like Fantastic, Simple Green, etc should work well to clean. Key however is to let the product work for you for a while and than use a brush. Most people do not let the product sit long enough. 2 or 3 minutes should be good.

 

[mtheulen]

sanded or non sanded grout is determined by the width of the grout.In essence grout is grout.Find the best sealer you can buy, clean and seal every 6 months

 

[Hermit]

Talk with the tile experts at the store you are using but I recall that we were told that epoxy grout was the way to go for our bathroom and that we would never have to regrout if we went with epoxy grout. The initial cost is more though.

We had a problem with water leaking behind grout in a tiled shower. Had it regrouted with epoxy grout and never had a problem for the 5 years we owned the house. This was probably about 17 years ago. The people that did the job had to wear a complete hazard suit while they grouted. They said they used the stuff in industrial applications where the grout/tile was steam cleaned regularly. If I recall correctly, we never had a problem with mold or mildew on that grout either. It is very strong and the tile will crack before the grout.

 

[Rick_Head]

I've used epoxy on floors and urethane on walls. They aren't as cheap or convenient as cement based grouts but if installed properly won't crack or stain. They will still get dirty.

 

[davemartin88]

We have epoxy grout on a floor area and it has held up well- it doesn't stain but can get dirty so needs a good washing once in a wall but it's very durable when installed correctly.

 

[utrecht]

The best thing I've found for cleaning really dirty grout is Easy-Off oven cleaner, it works real well but you do need to use the stuff that is 'not' fume free. Just spray it on the grout line and after a couple minutes rub it with a small stiff brush, it doesn't take a lot of effort and cleans it right up. Should use rubber gloves and a well ventilated area (the fumes are bad), best to work small areas at a time.

Will this discolor the tile at all?

 

[Chuckanut]

Thanks for all the advice. After talking with the installers we have settle on a grout type and color that should work.

 

[pb4uski]

What grout type and color did you decide on?

 

[Chuckanut]

I decided on the regular sandy grout, in a medium brownish color that should hide most dirt. It's supposed to have a polymer in it that makes it more dirt resistant and somewhat easier to clean. Still, I will have to run the Roomba over it several times a week.
There's no substitute for a frequent cleaning.

 

[zinger1457]

Will this discolor the tile at all?

Not on my dark brown porcelain tiles.