If you are a contractor- you know that one of your biggest nightmares (besides substrate preparation) is GROUT!! A zillion years ago, many tile contractors would put their best guys on the prep and install portion of a project, then throw the apprentice on the grout. Certainly a short-sighted strategy.
If you have been in our industry for any length of time you know that grout can make or break an installation. And, sadly, it has probably broken more installations than it has saved.
Fast-forward to the super-duper new "permanent" color grouts that every grout company worth their weight in sand has finally developed. Yes, color is one of the chief issues when it comes to grout failure. That's mainly because grout is cement. How much color can you actually get out of a cement colorant?? But additionally- to aid in a speedy and easy application many installers (or their apprentices) would add tons of water, thereby bringing all the colorant to the top of the grout joint- just to see it get washed away during the first clean-up.
Now with these hi-tech permanent color grouts (some even boast the inclusion of kevlar) a number of issues have cropped up based on new ingredients that alter the way this type of grout interfaces with the surface of tiles.
BIG NEWS!!- for all of us who manufacture art tiles! So if you are someone who manufactures, sells, specifies, buys or installs art tiles- please read up on this new grout and their details. This will go a long way in keeping art tiles beautiful during the installation process and beyond. This is important- so if you haven't already found out the hard way- give your local grout rep or call and get educated quick!
For just a couple of quick tips- remind your installer that permanent colored grouts have two key issues right off the bat-
- They dry faster. This means you could be tormented by the installation-killer - GROUT FILM.
- They are thicker. This means that you have to work them into the joints, which puts a lot more stress on the surface of your tiles, i.e. patina's, gloss finishes, glass, etc-
So- please enjoy this latest and greatest new innovation to our tile installation world. Permanent color grouts are a big improvement, to the old-fashioned grouts. But also, BEWARE! Anything new, takes some getting used to.