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 128built in, so additives and sealers are not necessary. Many advanced- performance, modified grouts can be used in exterior applications and in high-traffic commercial floors or walls, including locations like shop- ping malls or car showrooms. They can also be used in demand- ing environments, such as steam rooms, where epoxy grout tra- ditionally was seen as the only option. Some meet ANSI A118.3 compressive strength of over 5,000 PSI. Some advanced-performance, modified grouts surpass epoxy in faster readiness for foot traffic and water exposure. In addition, they are less hazardous and general- ly more cost effective than epoxy. Choosing an advanced-perfor- mance, modified-cement grout It is important to understand the varying benefits of different brands of high-performance cement grouts, so that you can exceed your custom- ers’ expectations. They vary in efflo- rescence resistance, color consis- tency, stain resistance and strength. A key selling point of advanced- performance, modified grouts is that these formulations are resistant to efflorescence. Efflorescence, a whit- ish crystalline or powdery depos- it, may appear on grout lines of Portland-cement based grout when excess water is used during grout cleanup – causing a source of call- backs and stress for some install- ers. Advanced-performance, modi- fied grouts mitigate this concern since most aren’t highly formulated with Portland-based cement, and are resistant to efflorescence (some manufacturers even guarantee their product is efflorescence free). Compressive strength of advanced- performance, cement grouts can range from 3,000 to 9,000 PSI, which means that some high-com- pressive strength, advanced-perfor- mance, cement grouts can be used in extra-heavy commercial environ- ments. While relatively new to the world, these robust advantages are a huge benefit to the installer and are worth the consideration over epoxy grout and traditional cement- based grout – just make sure that the advanced performance cement- based grout you choose has the benefits you need. The right advanced performance modified grout not only looks good when finished, but also offers you the advantage of the manufactur- ers’ warranties. Manufacturers offer comprehensive tutorials on proper TECH TALK –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Many advanced-performance, modified grouts can be used in exterior applications and in high-traffic commercial floors or walls, including locations like shopping malls or car showrooms. 100 TileLetter | February 2017