Big gaps in shower wall grout - Tile Advice

[NZ_Flyer]

I’ve just had a tile shower installed and went to clean it for the first time after it’s been installed. Haven’t used it yet. When I was cleaning I’ve seen a few big gaps in the grout in a couple of the lines. Also around the window the grout is all cracked and completely missing in most cases. There is also efflorescence in some of the grout and I don’t think it’s been sealed as they claim. Plus the floor grout is brown epoxy grout apparently tand has also turned white in lots of places. However I went over each grout line and apart from the above there are no other cracks etc.

I’ve asked the general contractor to come back but what would you guys suggest my approach is. It seems like there is enough issues to question the quality of the job overall and I’m worried that the rest of the grouting hasnt been done properly. So should I ask them to silicone around window and replace the missing grout and see how it goes? Or ask them to do the whole thing again to make sure it’s done right?

 

[Dan]

Do you know what materials were used to tile it? (Adhesive type and brand) and whether a cement board was used to line the shower first, or whether the substrate (surface to tile to) was wood?

That last photo where the grout line goes from one thickness to another, have you got a pic from further away to see what's going on there?

(Thanks for posting this here by the way, and welcome!)

 

[NZ_Flyer]

Do you know what materials were used to tile it? (Adhesive type and brand) and whether a cement board was used to line the shower first, or whether the substrate (surface to tile to) was wood?

That last photo where the grout line goes from one thickness to another, have you got a pic from further away to see what's going on there?

(Thanks for posting this here by the way, and welcome!)

Thanks for the welcome. Substrate was wood. In the areas in question are villa board/GIB Aqualine as we call it here. Liquid waterproofing was applied to it first. Not sure what the tile adhesive is sorry but will try and ask (they haven’t responded yet). And here’s a pic of the grout gap that is the biggest (that last pic in first post). Hard to see the gap as grout is dark. Also is a pic of the brown epoxy floor grout that has gone white - wondering if it’s because tile dust or something got in there?

 

[Dan]

How long has it been done?

The grout seems too patchy for it to still be wet I think. Some might have sunk too which may suggest the tiles aren't fixed properly.

Don't suppose you know if the adhesive was trowelled onto the walls/floors?

The grout around the drain looks like it might have been mixed with too much water. I think I've read on here that can happen when it's been mixed too much or washed off the tiles with too much water.

Temperature has a lot of involvement with some grouts too. Whats the temperature like there now?

I have to say I'm not a tiler myself I've just read a lot of the threads on here. So wait for the actual tilers to chip in.

Which bit is the epoxy grout, the floor?

Edit: yeah the floor. Epoxy won't have efflorescence problem that's cement based only. So that's a washing off issue maybe. Do you know which brand epoxy was used? I can look it up see what is in it.

 

[NZ_Flyer]

Yeah the floor is epoxy grout and wall is cement. Wall is: Tiles adhesives, Grout, Silicone, Waterproofing, F - https://www.technokolla.co.nz/technocolors and floor is: Tiles adhesives, Grout, Silicone, Waterproofing, F - https://www.technokolla.co.nz/skycolors-evolution
It’s been almost 3 weeks since they grouted and and I’d say it was just over 2 weeks between grouting and first time the tiles got wet from testing new shower head/rail installation. Temp has been anywhere from 12-17 degrees celsius.