Grout cracking and discoloration

[Reading1986]

Hello all

I'm new to the forum but read a lot of threads on here.

October 2018 we had 2 new bathrooms fully fitted out. Porcelain tiles on floor and walls.

Issues started as soon as the first bathroom was completed. The grout started to crack on the floor. Porcelanosa came out to inspect as the tiles and the grout came from them. The floor was re-grouted.

Once both bathrooms were completed is where the real issues started. The grout has cracked on the tileable shower tray. The grout on the tile recess / shelf area has cracked in both bathrooms. The main bathroom grout (butech cemento) stays a dark almost black colour is the shower enclosure area.

Porcelanosa have been out to inspect but they are putting all the issues down to the fact that the tiler used ply wood as a substrate on all the walls in both bathrooms.

The issue apart from the issues them self's is the fact the tiler or porcelanosa aren't interested in helping at all. We're stuck and we really don't know where to turn. Any advice would be great.

Is the grout as fault? Or is how the grout been mixed / applied at fault? Or it is really down to the ply substrate.

Again any help and advice would be great, thank you in advance

 

[Dumbo]

It's probably down to the substrate , a cement floor that has been done by a diy'er rarely has cracking grout no matter how badly they mixed the grout or how cheap the grout they used was because there is no movement .

 

[Reading1986]

Do you think the current issues of grout cracking and grout staying very dark for days on the walls is due to the substrate being ply wood?

 

[J Sid]

Tiler should never had tiled onto ply, full stop.
Ply moves with heat and moisture and the grout will crack.
As for dark grout it could will be water behind the tiles
You sure the person who did this work was a Tiler?

 

[Dumbo]

Do you think the current issues of grout cracking and grout staying very dark for days on the walls is due to the substrate being ply wood?

Probably

 

[Tony_C]

It's not the fault of the grout that's causing it to crack. It's what's below so I don't thinks it's porcelenosa's issue.

Black grout is probably now mould.

Any images of the issues?

 

[Dumbo]

I suggest you ask porcelenosa to put in writing to you that the substrate is at fault and also maybe the tiler that the grout is at fault . Then see what happens because if you go legal on this you will need some evidence .

 

[Reading1986]

It's not the fault of the grout that's causing it to crack. It's what's below so I don't thinks it's porcelenosa's issue.

Black grout is probably now mould.

Any images of the issues?

Mould due to water potentially behind the tiles and into the plywood? The shower is always dried down after every uses (like having a new phone, you want to keep it as new a possible)

 

[Tony_C]

Take a nail brush to it and see if it cleans up. Either mould or water ingress from cracked grout but these are just stab at the dark guesses without seeing it

 

[Reading1986]

Take a nail brush to it and see if it cleans up. Either mould of water ingress from cracked grout but these are just stab at the dark guesses without seeing it

I've tried with a tooth brush and it doesn't seem to make much on a difference. In some areas to dose. But after the next shower it's back to how it was.
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It's not the fault of the grout that's causing it to crack. It's what's below so I don't thinks it's porcelenosa's issue.

Black grout is probably now mould.

Any images of the issues?

So you think it's the plywood substrate. I can only think of one way of resolving the issue if it now. Pull down the tiles and plywood. New substrate and tiling

 

[Sean Kelly]

Who decided on using wood in a bathroom?
You mention a Tiler and you mention Porcelanosa , but you don't mention anybody else. Is there a builder/plumber involved in this build?

 

[Reading1986]

Who decided on using wood in a bathroom?
You mention a Tiler and you mention Porcelanosa , but you don't mention anybody else. Is there a builder/plumber involved in this build?

Porcelanosa supplied the grout and tiles. The tiler / bathroom fitter fitted the entire bathrooms including the substrate. We didn't have a builder as per say just the tiler / bathroom fitter
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Who decided on using wood in a bathroom?
You mention a Tiler and you mention Porcelanosa , but you don't mention anybody else. Is there a builder/plumber involved in this build?

The tiler / bathroom guy decided to use ply as a wall substrate. Of only we knew it wasn't recommended before hand. Of we did we would have stopped the job.