Installation of common joint grout

Installation types

(1)     Daubing:

It is suitable to install the following series of joint grouts: IM series, IMY series, IMW series.

(2)     Squeezing:

It is suitable to install the following series of joint grouts: IMSL series, IM series, IMY series, and IMW series.

Grout storage

Keep away from water and damp, store in dry place, don’t directly stack on floor; shelf life is 6 months.

Installing steps

>>Joint preparation

If the joint has dust or dried mortar, clean it with knife or brush. Moisten the joint surface before proceeding.

>>Mix mortar

We need clean water, clean container and clean tools.

Mix 5~6kg of water with a bag of grout.

Mixing step:

Add 4kg water to the container first, then add the joint grout while mixing, add the remaining water gradually and keep mixing until the desired consistency is reached.

The mixed mortar must be used up within one hour, otherwise it should be wasted. (It is useless to add water and grout powder again.)

In order to keep color consistency, water quantity should be the same under the same condition.

>>Install

Daubing:

When the tile is easy to clean, we can grout the joint by daubing the mortar on the wall with soft flat trowel. It can save time, but make sure to clean up the tile wall with water when the grout is a little hardened and the mortar leaving on tile surface is still easy to remove.

Squeezing:

When the tile has high water absorption or tile surface is rough, it is not easy to clean up and must try not

to affect the tile when grouting.

(1) Put the mortar into a plastic bag; shear a hole at the bottom of the bag, then fill the joint by squeezing the mortar from the hole into the joint.

(2) When the grout is a little hardened and can be shaped by pressing, press it to make sure the joint is fully filled by mortar without leaving any room. The time between filling and pressing is about 30~90 minutes, lower temperature needs longer time.

(3) Remove excess mortar after pressing.

>>Clean

(1) When the grout is fully hardened, clean the wall with water from top to bottom.

(2) If it is hard to clean up, you can use mild detergent mixed with water to clean.

(3) If mild detergent doesn’t work, hydrochloric acid can be used; the concentration is less than 3%. Splash some water on the surface, then daub with acid, scrape and brush by suitable tools. Clean up the acid with a lot of water. All the above procedure must complete in 2 minutes, otherwise the acid will change the tile color.

As acid could damage the color, we suggest acid washing is at least 7 days after grouting.

Notice:

(1) Joint grout color will change subject to environment, weather, water quality and applying method, so test is necessary before installation.

(2) Don’t grout the joint immediately after installing the tile, please refer to timetable below.

(3) Before grouting, make sure the tiles are sound and dry, the surface and edge are free of latex and water.

(4) We suggest you use plastic tools instead of iron tools.

(5) Stop installation when the temperature is lower than 3℃, or it is rainy or blustery and there is no shelter.