new slate floor grounting disaster

[pattie]

After many months of brousing the forum I've had the sense to register! This is my first "official" visit and I hope someone can help.

My house started life in the late 15the/early16th c and has had alterations and additions right up to Victorian times. Originally one large house it was sub-divided into two dwellings and I am now in the process of turning it back into one house. No mean feat for a woman on her own! My latest disaster, however, is causing panic attacks.

I have very recently had a slate floor laid in my kitchen and the man who did the grouting has made a dreadful job of it. Unfortunately he has not eliminated the uneveness in the slate whilst doing this so I'm left with "proud" edges. Although the grout is supposed to be grey it has dried a very light colour and my floor now looks like a jigsaw puzzle and I hate it. My supplier assures me that it should be schoolboy trouser grey and has suggested that perhaps too much water was used when washing the grout off. It's also been suggested that the HG product used to clean the slate may have faded the colour. Whatever the reason - I now need to rectify it and I haven't got a clue what to do. Can anyone help? Has anyone come across this problem before?

 

[NT]

Dying or painting grout shouldnt be too hard. How sticky-up are the proud edges?

NT

 

[pattie]

Thanks. Enough to stub your toe in places. There are a lot of shadows where the grout has sunk too. Where do I buy grout paint and which product do you recommend? Unfortunately he grouted in the same way as one would a ceramic tile (by spreading it all over the floor) and despite my best efforts there is still quite a lot of it left on the slate where the surface of the slate is uneven.

Have you come across this before? Have you any idea what might have caused it?

Pattie

 

[NT]

quote pattie

>Thanks. Enough to stub your toe in places.

crikey, hope you havent paid him!


> There are a lot of shadows where the grout has sunk too.

sunk? as in disappeared downwards???


> Where do I buy grout paint and which product do you recommend?

I guess masonry paint would be the best type, preferably pliolite.But if its that uneven its pointless painting it as its dangerous and needs relaying anyway.


>Have you come across this before? Have you any idea what might have caused it?

caused what? Whatever it was, maybe failure to strangle him at some earlier point in life.


NT

 

[pattie]

I wondered if anyone had any idea what might have caused the grouting to change colour (fade). Is it possible that because he cleaned it off immediately and used buckets and buckets of water that this would have had some effect on the colour?

That, together with the now obvious lack of skill at grouting, would be sufficient to justify his re-doing it. Failing that I think I will strangle him!

When I say the grouting has sunk I mean it is below the level of the edge of the slate.

Pattie

 

[NT]

I hope you get the lot redone. Edges high enough to stub a toe on are not safe, they cause falls and falls cause serious injuries in elderly people, sometimes even death.

Theyre also dangerous to youngsters, who can fracture a skull that way.


NT

 

[MJ]

If you have not paid him yet don't.

Demand it to be done properly and that might mean getting someone else to do it as he sounds clueless.

If you have paid him then get someone else to look at the job, talk to local tile / flooring companies for people who they can recommend.

MJ

 

[pattie]

Unfortunately I have paid him. He's actually done a lot of excellent work here over the months - but not my floor! I have spoken to a tiler recommended by my supplier but he's away on holiday at the moment. I'll let you know what he says! Thanks for all the advice.

Pattie

 

[middi]

Pattie, it sounds as if your tiler is not a tiler at all, I bet that this was the first time he has done tiling and definetely the first time he has done any grouting.

He has obviosly got the consistency and application of the grout totally wrong, you can easily get it regrouted againg on top of the existing , and the odd very bad uneven tile can be replaced, with care, and use someone who knows what they are doing.

 

[NT]

quote="middi

> and the odd very bad uneven tile can be replaced, with care,

if you lift it quickly, yes. But if its left several days to set like rock, you'll need new tiles.

NT

 

[biffvernon]

if you lift it quickly, yes. But if its left several days to set like rock, you'll need new tiles.

...which is another reason not to use grout. Just use lime and fine sand. And push the tiles/slates/flags/pammets close butted up together. Those little spacers that ensure a wide crack are just a fashion gimmick encouraged by grout makers.

 

[middi]

The problem that pattie has ,and which we are all trying to help with is to try and find a remedy for this " abortion" of a job she is stuck with.

I agree with NT that you would definetely have to damage the " odd" tile that has to be replaced, but, do take " CARE" not to damage any surrounding tiles when using grinders and chisels, it would solve the bad stuck up lip problem.

As Biff suggested, it would be restoration of a bad job in the first place.