Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84 Page 85 Page 86 Page 87 Page 88 Page 89 Page 90 Page 91 Page 92 Page 93 Page 94 Page 95 Page 96 Page 97 Page 98 Page 99 Page 100 Page 101 Page 102 Page 103 Page 104 Page 105 Page 106 Page 107 Page 108 Page 109 Page 110 Page 111 Page 112 Page 113 Page 114 Page 115 Page 116 Page 117 Page 118 Page 119 Page 120 Page 121 Page 122 Page 123 Page 124 Page 125 Page 126 Page 127 Page 128 Page 129 Page 130 Page 131 Page 132Whether the wall is in a dry or wet area, such as a shower, may make a difference for your grout selec- tion. You will want to grout the joints using an appropriate type of grout float making several passes at 45-degree angles to the joints to ensure you pack the joints full of grout. Then hold the float at a 90-degree angle to scrape the excess grout off the face of the tiles and across the joints, again at a 45-degree angle to the joints to avoid dragging any grout out of the joints. Based on the type of grout you are using, allow it to set up per the manufacturer’s instructions before forming the joints with an appropriate sponge. Then, based on the manufacturer’s instructions, clean the tile with single passes of a lightly damp sponge, once again at 45-degree angles to the tile. Change your grout cleaning water frequently. Again – read and closely follow the grout manufac- turer’s instructions for the type of grout you have selected. I do strongly rec- ommend using a 100% silicone seal- ant (caulk) in the perimeter joints and any changes in plane (such as where your wall meets the floor and ceiling and where it meets an adjoin- ing wall). Many grout manufacturers make 100% silicone sealant that color matches their grouts. Be sure to use a sealant (caulk) and grout from the same manufacturer. Depending on the size of the wall, you will want to consider the need for expansion joints (soft joints) within the tile field. I suggest you consider hiring a qualified tile contractor to perform this work. In addition to perform- ing the work, a qualified contractor will be able to analyze the existing installation and help you deter- mine the best materials for the job, saving you the hassle of trying to become an expert on your own. You may do a zip code search on either the NTCA or CTEF websites located at these links. http://www.tile-assn.com/search/ custom.asp?id=2759 https://www.ceramictilefounda- tion.org/find-certified-tile-installers I hope this helps. – Mark Heinlein. NTCA Technical Trainer/Presenter mark@tile-assn.com ASK THE EXPERTS –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 26 TileLetter | October 2016