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Sealing grout

WorkshopJon | Posted in Construction Techniques on March 30, 2003 06:22am

I am contemplating what to use as a grout sealer in my recently tiled bath. I know that there are numerous good products on the market, many of which have been mentioned here. But…has anyone ever heard of anyone using cynoacrylate as a grout sealer/strengthener? To those of you who don’t know what it is, it’s a main component to “superglue.” It is available industrially in a wide variety of viscocities (as thin as lacquer thinner). I did a little test yesterday on a cured sample of grout, and it appeared to increase the compression strength about 30X (no way at home to measure elongation/binding strength, that will have to wait till Monday) and make it completely water proof. Only downsides I can see, cost ~$200 a quart, and a slight darkening of the grout. The reason I am contemplating this is that the floor may have a slight amount of flex. It’s 2×10 construction, 1.5″ subfloor, but spans 20′.

Jon

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  1. andybuildz | Mar 30, 2003 06:28pm | #1

    I add liquid latex mortar additive to my grout but to tell you the truth,

     NOTHING WORKS! I dont care what anyone recommends.

    Point being..put down white grout and seal it. You tellin me youre going to do that twice a year? NO ONE DOES!

    Kinda like washing windows. How often do we wash all the windows in our houses? Once a year? Maybe. More like every two to three years unless its a particular window in our face.

    No grout job I ever did ever failed but they all get dirty no matter what anyone says...specially white.

    Its easy enough to seal grout so why not?

    Be realistic

                 NAmaste

                             andy

     

    "Understanding yourself is like trying to bite your own teeth"

    Alan Watts


    http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM

  2. JMartindal1 | Mar 30, 2003 06:46pm | #2

     that the floor may have a slight amount of flex

    Not sure, but do not think that cynoacrylate has much if any flex.

  3. User avater
    BillHartmann | Mar 30, 2003 06:48pm | #3

    Do you want strength or flexability?

    The supper glue might means that it all sticks together AFTER it cracks.

    1. WorkshopJon | Mar 30, 2003 07:32pm | #4

      Cynoacrylate has a good amount of flexibility. My feeling was that it would pretty much bind everything (grout, tile,CBU) together and seal it at the same time. It may seem like I'm asking a "backyard mechanic" type question, but in my line of work,(industrial prototyping) I constantly have to come up with creative solutions to problems along these lines. I have noticed that materials commonly used in construction often are not necessarily the best for the purpose, just simply the best value. That's why I-beams are made out of cold rolled steal, not 4130 or D2 (if they were they would be a lot thinner and cost x-times as much).

      Jon

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