Grout's dried out really patchy - HELP!!!

[jolly bodger]

Hi all,


Just finished tiling a bathroom - full height + floor in 600 x 300 "Thassos" (very, very light grey-ish) porcelain.


Proper job, mitred window recesses to create a uniform 2mm grout line on the edges, no collars needed for any pipework as it just pops straight out of the tiles etc etc etc. Took an extra day and a half to complete to this standard and it really looked the business...


and then I grouted...


Used Mapei 111 (light grey) but it's dried out really, really patchy. Grout on Mosaic feature just fades into the background, yet elsewhere stands out and defines tiles as the client wanted! Rectified edges on the tiles but no shadowing, half mm off level occasionally here and there but no more than that.


Have always grouted walls either white or jasmine (beige) and never had a problem. Tile shop reckons its salts rising to the surface of the grout and discolouring it and suggested washing and washing and striking it off.


Just spend 8 hours doing so to little effect - client in tears, payment on hold, toilet and bath fitted out of necessity but other furniture still sitting awaiting a solution...


nightmare...would sealing the porcelain give the grout a uniform apperance?


As ever, any help appreciated!!!


P.S. all walls are brick + plaster skim finish

 

[DHTiling]

What adhesive type did you use ..?

How long did you leave the grout to set before washing down.?

 

[AliGage]

As above. + Is it new skim on the walls?

 

[nybor62]

as all the above, seems to be quite a common thing probs with grout going patchy, it must be user error surly ive never had a prob
with mapei grout or any other grout going patchy

 

[Gazzer]

How long has the grout had to dry ?

 

[cam_low]

Did you prime the walls? What sticky did you use?

 

[jolly bodger]

Hi guys,

Many thanks for the replies

Used Ultra Pro Rapid RS Porcelain in white for the adhesive, and did an initial wash down about 25mins or so after application. Grout had dried to a film on the tile surface at that point

New skim on two walls, been left to dry for a week or so. Previous tiling had been full height bath area and rest half height and all tiles stuck on in 70's with contact adhesive ("tiler" must've been high as a kite!)

Worst area is behind bath, that wall was only stripped, 95% of contact addy chipped off and then tiled over, but patchy everywhere.

Grout's been dry 5 days now, walls weren't primed with anything.

Mapai Tech support reckon it's salts, and if I sand the grout lines it does reveal the colour, but I need to go down 1 or 2mm so seems pointless. Tile shop reckons grout might've separated out in transit and I should've shaken the bag (Mapai bag doesn't say contents may settle) but I mixed 75-80% of the bag first time round so...

Any ideas? Tile shop have offered loan of a grout remover tool with a vibrating point on it to dig the old grout out.

As ever, any help appreciated

 

[jolly bodger]

Used Ultra Pro Rapid RS Porcelain in white for the adhesive, and did an initial wash down about 25mins or so after application. Grout had dried to a film on the tile surface at that point

New skim on two walls, been left to dry for a week or so. Previous tiling had been full height bath area and rest half height and all tiles stuck on in 70's with contact adhesive ("tiler" must've been high as a kite!)

Worst area is behind bath, that wall was only stripped, 95% of contact addy chipped off and then tiled over, but patchy everywhere.

Grout's been dry 5 days now, walls weren't primed with anything.

Mapai Tech support reckon it's salts, and if I sand the grout lines it does reveal the colour, but I need to go down 1 or 2mm so seems pointless. Tile shop reckons grout might've separated out in transit and I should've shaken the bag (Mapai bag doesn't say contents may settle) but I mixed 75-80% of the bag first time round so...

Any ideas? Tile shop have offered loan of a grout remover tool with a vibrating point on it to dig the old grout out.

As ever, any help appreciated

 

[jolly bodger]

Used Ultra Pro Rapid RS Porcelain in white for the adhesive, and did an initial wash down about 25mins or so after application. Grout had dried to a film on the tile surface at that point

New skim on two walls, been left to dry for a week or so. Previous tiling had been full height bath area and rest half height and all tiles stuck on in 70's with contact adhesive ("tiler" must've been high as a kite!)

Worst area is behind bath, that wall was only stripped, 95% of contact addy chipped off and then tiled over, but patchy everywhere.

Grout's been dry 5 days now, walls weren't primed with anything.

Mapai Tech support reckon it's salts, and if I sand the grout lines it does reveal the colour, but I need to go down 1 or 2mm so seems pointless. Tile shop reckons grout might've separated out in transit and I should've shaken the bag (Mapai bag doesn't say contents may settle) but I mixed 75-80% of the bag first time round so...

Any ideas? Tile shop have offered loan of a grout remover tool with a vibrating point on it to dig the old grout out.

As ever, any help appreciated

 

[AliGage]

Did the porcelain require sealing beforehand? Can't really tell from the pictures, but looks like a lot of residue still remins. What tiles are they?