Quarry Tiles - Which Grout?

[Edz]

Hi. I am about to lay some traditional red unglazed quarry tiles onto a concrete floor.

Question: What grout should I use? I thought perhaps a 1:1 cement/sand? Can anybody advise as to what is best practice? Thanks

 

[Andrew Bodenham]

If you were being very proper you might use a lime / fine sand mix. I did that grouting some slate tiles in a new hearth, and was pleased with the result. Downside is that it takes a while to harden up, although you could use hydraulic lime to speed things up. Also a bit too white for my liking - next time I might find a darker sand or chuck in some earth or pigment.

Years ago I laid a quarry tile hearth and grouted it with (shhh!!) Wickes cement-based floor tile grout. That was before my conversion to lime - the one true path to period property nirvana. Anyway, it worked ok, but with hindsight I'd have put some sort of sealer on the tiles before grouting as the grout left some nasty stains on the highly absorbent tiles.

 

[Edz]

Thanks Andrew.

I wasn't sure about the lime. As I'm laying onto a concrete floor anyway I thought that may a cement/sand mix would do. Lime I am thinking may be less resistant to the wife's scrubbing brush, not that it is likely to see one that often, ha.

Reading previous posts about quarry tiles, it is interesting to see people taking them up and relaying them. I have some in the original part of the house. The floor is a bit uneven and slighlty here and there. The surveyor told me I need to take them up and put a concrete floor down but I'm guessing that might be sacrilege?

 

[Tom]

OMG!!! Some surveyors need hanging!!! What is so wrong with a slightly uneven floor? I should ignore your surveyor and retain as much as possible of the original character of your home

Jaqy

 

[Andrew Bodenham]

Surveyors always feel the need to say something about everything. As I read somewhere in a disclaimer, "minor variations in texture and colour are to be expected and do not constitute a fault". I think you can apply the same principle to your quarry tiles. Unless they are a trip hazard I'd leave well alone.

You're right about laying / grouting though. A cement-based product would be more durable. May as well buy something in a bag from a DIY shed rather than mix your own....