From the Floor Up, a Blog for the Flooring Professional
Hardwood Floors News : NWFA Recognizes Members for Excellence at Awards Luncheon
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
River rock, also known as pebble stone, tile installations can be difficult and requires special grouting techniques depending on the river rock material selected. The challenge is the grout joints in river rock applications often fall outside the widths/depths recommended for many types of grout, including Urethane Grout. Failure to recognize and account for this fact can lead to grout failure if proper installation techniques and the appropriate precautions are not taken.Urethane Grouting Tips—
Before spreading grout: Stir each bucket from the bottom up just enough to mix in the skim of urethane that may be on top (by hand – preferred; drill mixer – low speed for 30 seconds; no drill mixer for glass filled grout). Do not add anything to the bucket. Stir grout periodically during installation.
Remember to seal and/or enhance any natural stone depending on your requirement. Some kind of sealing is required prior to grouting. Be sure to follow the sealer manufacturer’s cure time instructions before grouting. A good rule of thumb is to wait at least 24 hours after sealing before grouting.
While spreading grout:
• Use a sponge and clean water to lightly dampen 3-5 square feet of River Rock Tile (generally not necessary on vertical surfaces).
• Float grout in using a softer-edged stone float, ensuring that all joints and spaces are tightly filled. Do not overfill as this may make grout cleanup very difficult. Grout joints must be 1/16” - 1/2” in width and at least 1/8” in depth. Joints that are deeper than 3/8” will require more cure time than typically recommended. Spread only in an area that you can reach (3-5 square foot sections typically for River Rock tile) to apply and clean urethane grout. Remove excess grout from the tile surface.
• Use a whisk broom or a block brush to knock grout from the face of the tile/stone and to smooth the areas between the stones.
• For best results, remove grout haze as you work, particularly in warm or dry climates. If working alone, only grout as far as you can reach (arm’s length) before initial cleaning. If working as a team, one person should grout, with the other(s) cleaning immediately behind the first person.
Rinse sponge in water and wring out completely. Since urethane grout requires very little water during cleanup, make sure that the sponge is wrung nearly dry. Wipe lightly, leaving sponge flat on the tile surface to prevent grout removal from joints. Excessive water during cleanup can dilute the urethane binder and cause curing issues that may lead to grout failure. Change rinse water every 100 square feet or less.
After installation:
Allow cleaned tile areas to dry, then inspect the surface. If additional haze removal is necessary, we recommend the use of Bostik® Blaze™ Urethane Grout Haze and General Purpose Cleaner. Wait 3 hours in low humidity/warm temperature (< 50% RH and > 70°F) environments and 6 hours in high humidity environments/cool temperature (> 50%RH and < 70°F) environments before using Bostik Blaze. Make sure the grout is cured enough to withstand light
finger pressure without losing form. Spray Bostik Blaze on a scrub pad designed for delicate surfaces such as the 3M™ Doodlebug™ white cleaning pad. Rub the cleaning pad lightly over the urethane haze on the tile being careful not to touch the grout joints. Note that excessive haze may require direct spray on surface, more dwell time or repeated cleaning. Do not flood the surface with cleaner. Allow Bostik Blaze to rest on the tile/stone surface for at least 60 seconds to ensure sufficient penetration. Use a damp sponge and clean water to remove the film and cleaner. Finish by drying the tile surface with a clean towel or cloth. Allow urethane grout products to cure sufficiently as follows: Light foot traffic – 24 hours; heavy foot traffic and normal cleaning – 3 days; wet areas such as showers – 7 days.
Remember:
1. Use an approved waterproofing membrane such as Bostik® GoldPlus™ for mud bed applications. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for membrane installation. Apply to within 1” of any drains to prevent weep hole blockage. The use of pre-sloped, waterproof trays (instead of mud beds) is highly recommended.
2. Do not use urethane grout to re-grout commercial and wet areas such as showers, steam showers, and outdoor applications. On traditional shower floors apply a waterproof membrane such as Bostik GoldPlus over sand/mud bed to keep hydration from slowing or stopping full grout cure.
3. Protect outdoor applications by tenting the grouted area at least 1 foot above surface for 7 days.
4. It is not recommended to grout or clean tile if the tile surface temperature is above 90°F (32°C). If this is the case, wait for the tile surface to cool prior to grouting or cleaning. You may accelerate the tile cooling process by wiping with a damp sponge. Be careful not to add excessive water during the tile cooling process.
Need more help? Contact our Technical Service group at 1-800-7/BOSTIK.
Well, it is hard to believe another y
ear has come and gone, but the 2011 National Hardware Show (http://www.nationalhardwareshow.com) is just around the corner - May 10-12, 2011 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.I am very excited that we will be exhibiting at the show again this year since there will be more than 18,000 buyers and retailers attending. We will be showing off our entire line up of consumer products, including hardwood adhesives and accessories and urethane grout. A major focus will be on our new woodworking lubricant products GlideCote™ and BladeCote™. These two innovative products, which have primarily been used exclusively among professional woodworkers, is now available to the consumer with the following features and benefits:
GlideCote™
• Eliminates “hang-ups” on sliding surfaces.
• Protects all tools and equipment from rust.
• Contains no silicone or petroleum oil. Will not stain wood or interfere with glues or finishes.
• Perfect for table saw beds, drill presses, lathes, planers, band saws, miters, panel saws, and all hand tools.
BladeCote™
• Prevents resin build-up. Reduces blade cleanings.
• Works equally well on steel or carbide, stellite and diamond-tipped cutting blades.
• Extends overall life of blades and bits.
• Contains no silicone or petroleum oil. Will not stain wood or interfere with glues or finishes.
Stop by our booth #4126.
Bostik Inc. has acquired StarQuartz Industries (www.starquartz.com), manufacturer of the patented premixed urethane grout technology QuartzLock2 and StarGlassTM Translucent Grout.
"StarQuartz's urethane grouts are new and expanding technologies that fit perfectly with Bostik's core urethane competencies and family of leading ceramic tile and stone installation solutions," said Robert McNamara, director of marketing and sales for Bostik's Consumer & Construction Division. "Now backed by Bostik's worldwide, world-class resources, these revolutionary urethane technologies are poised to supplant epoxy- and cement-based grouts."
Jorge Goytisolo, vice president of sales and marketing for StarQuartz Industries, notes it will be business as usual at the company - only now StarQuartz products will be supported by a global leader with the worldwide distribution needed to help the urethane grouts reach their full potential footprints.
QuartzLock2 Grout provides epoxy-like stain resistance and durability, and its flexibility provides unmatched crack resistance. StarGlass, designed for glass and metal tile installations, offers translucent, 3-dimensional and reflective colors providing never before seen design potential.
Both StarQuartz urethane grout technologies are:
- Pre-mixed and ready to use, and leftover material can be saved for future jobs;
- Self sealing and stain, chemical and mildew resistant;
- Proven to deliver unmatched color consistency;
- UV resistant: Light colors will not fade or yellow;
- Resistant to cracks, while offering flexibility and low shrinkage;
- Easy to install in as little as half the time of other grouts;
- Designed to earn LEED credits: The grouts are low VOC, have zero waste, and are BPA- and NMP-free;
- Business builders: Urethane grouts offer increased profitability.
Tune into THIS OLD HOUSE on PBS on Wednesday, January 27th at 8:00 p.m. to see tile contractor Mark Ferrante install and grout a subway tile backsplash using "a new pre-mixed urethane grout that promises faster installation time, greater stain resistance, and no additional sealing." The grout he's using? TruColor PreMixed Grout, of course!
You can also pick up the latest issue of This Old House magazine,
hitting the stands January 18th, to see TruColor PreMixed Grout used as the grout of choice for installing a glass mosaic backsplash, featured in "Weekend Remodel". You can also see this feature Weekend Remodel on the This Old House website www.thisoldhouse.com
Glass tile installations have become very popular and are a growing market share. Glass tiles are ecologically sound (many glass tile are made from recycled glass) and offer a wide range of colors.
The key to achieving a good installation is substrate preparation. Substrate preparation is the #1 factor that accounts for the success or failure of an installation. Surfaces need to be clean, level and stable. It is highly recommended to use a waterproofing/crack isolation membrane prior to installing glass tiles to prevent shrinkage or movement in the substrate. We suggest Hydroment Gold, a Latex-Based Anti-Fracture and Waterproofing Membrane.
It is imperative to install all glass tiles with a quality white latex-fortified Portland cement thin set, as this will have the least affect on the color and transparency of the tiles. Some suggestions include Hydroment StoneWall High Performance-Non Sag Mortar or Hydroment ReFlex Ultra Premium Latex-Modified Thin Set Mortar. Never use any multi-purpose or regular thin set mortars or any type of mastic as this will may result in failure. To install the glass tiles, skim coat the substrate with the thin set using the flat side of the trowel then use the proper notch side of the trowel to install the tile. Press the tiles into the thin set ensuring that the back of the tiles are completely coated and flat.
After the thin set has cured, you are ready to start grouting. We suggest the use of Bostik's TruColor Pre-Mixed Urethane Grout. TruColor is excellent for glass tiles, offers the ultimate in color consistency, crack resistance and stain protection, TruColor never needs to be sealed! TruColor is a clean as you go product so we suggest you grout as far as you can reach (10-12 square foot area). Clean and rinse sponge in water and wring nearly dry. Please read installation directions for all products used to be assured of a successful installation.
The key to achieving a good installation is substrate preparation. Substrate preparation is the #1 factor that accounts for the success or failure of an installation. Surfaces need to be clean, level and stable. It is highly recommended to use a waterproofing/crack isolation membrane prior to installing glass tiles to prevent shrinkage or movement in the substrate. We suggest Hydroment Gold, a Latex-Based Anti-Fracture and Waterproofing Membrane.
It is imperative to install all glass tiles with a quality white latex-fortified Portland cement thin set, as this will have the least affect on the color and transparency of the tiles. Some suggestions include Hydroment StoneWall High Performance-Non Sag Mortar or Hydroment ReFlex Ultra Premium Latex-Modified Thin Set Mortar. Never use any multi-purpose or regular thin set mortars or any type of mastic as this will may result in failure. To install the glass tiles, skim coat the substrate with the thin set using the flat side of the trowel then use the proper notch side of the trowel to install the tile. Press the tiles into the thin set ensuring that the back of the tiles are completely coated and flat.
After the thin set has cured, you are ready to start grouting. We suggest the use of Bostik's TruColor Pre-Mixed Urethane Grout. TruColor is excellent for glass tiles, offers the ultimate in color consistency, crack resistance and stain protection, TruColor never needs to be sealed! TruColor is a clean as you go product so we suggest you grout as far as you can reach (10-12 square foot area). Clean and rinse sponge in water and wring nearly dry. Please read installation directions for all products used to be assured of a successful installation.
Back in 1994, when Bostik introduced the first moisture cure urethane adhesive to the Hardwood Flooring Industry, we knew we had something special. Back then, few people knew about Bostik’s Best®, however, those that “gave it a try” quickly recognized the jump in technology and performance from the previously dominant chlorinated-solvent based adhesives.
If they didn’t recognize this while using it, some (unfortunately) figured out how tenacious the adhesive was if they failed to properly clean adhesive off the face of the finished floor during installation. If they didn’t follow directions, and left the adhesive on the face of the flooring, it was impossible to remove without damaging the floor - although the floors are repairable!
Back then, cleaning the adhesive off flooring & tools was a MAJOR obstacle to gaining significant market share. Bostik recognized that the cleaning the adhesive off flooring and tools was relatively easy if done at the right time - when the adhesive is fresh. However, we were definitely facing problems once the adhesive cured. At Bostik, we spent a lot of sleepless nights and endless tests to finally secure a product that could clean the adhesive effectively even after initial cure… thus, the invention of Bostik’s Ultimate Adhesive Remover!
Although this product does work, we again listened to our Customers who said “you need to help us PREVENT the problem in the first place!” As such, we took the unique step up putting the HUGE RED WARNING LABEL on the lid! We figured when opening the adhesive, you can’t help but look at the lid – which is the ideal place to put this important warning!
Once we took this important step, we estimate that we eliminated > 95% of the issues from ever occurring! We do keep our eyes open for further improvements with cleaners, so, if you are aware of any good “tricks of the trade”, don’t be afraid to give us some pointers – as we all learn new things every day!
If they didn’t recognize this while using it, some (unfortunately) figured out how tenacious the adhesive was if they failed to properly clean adhesive off the face of the finished floor during installation. If they didn’t follow directions, and left the adhesive on the face of the flooring, it was impossible to remove without damaging the floor - although the floors are repairable!
Back then, cleaning the adhesive off flooring & tools was a MAJOR obstacle to gaining significant market share. Bostik recognized that the cleaning the adhesive off flooring and tools was relatively easy if done at the right time - when the adhesive is fresh. However, we were definitely facing problems once the adhesive cured. At Bostik, we spent a lot of sleepless nights and endless tests to finally secure a product that could clean the adhesive effectively even after initial cure… thus, the invention of Bostik’s Ultimate Adhesive Remover!
Although this product does work, we again listened to our Customers who said “you need to help us PREVENT the problem in the first place!” As such, we took the unique step up putting the HUGE RED WARNING LABEL on the lid! We figured when opening the adhesive, you can’t help but look at the lid – which is the ideal place to put this important warning!
Once we took this important step, we estimate that we eliminated > 95% of the issues from ever occurring! We do keep our eyes open for further improvements with cleaners, so, if you are aware of any good “tricks of the trade”, don’t be afraid to give us some pointers – as we all learn new things every day!
