Grainy grout and silicone problem

[Snigel]

Now we have grouted between the tiles in the kitchen... and it didn’t turn out great. The grout is completely gritty and uneven! Is it really supposed to be like that? When we laid tiles a few years ago, I remember the grout being more smooth and silicone-like. HELP! :'(

Then trying to make a nice silicone joint between the tiles and the countertop seems nearly impossible. I've taped, grouted, and smoothed with a soapy finger, but when I remove the tape, there’s a small edge on the grout! If I try to smooth it out with my finger, it becomes totally uneven... gah! What am I doing wrong?

 

[cpalm]

Fixing a nice silicone joint between the tiles and the countertop seems nearly impossible. I've taped, caulked, and smoothed with a soapy finger, but when I remove the tape, there's a small edge on the joint! If I try to smooth it a bit with my finger, it becomes completely uneven....gah! What am I doing wrong?

I've done it like this:
- Tape
- Caulk
- Run your finger quite hard (without soap) along the joint to smooth it out. It's crucial to be precise here to make it evenly thick and not leave too much silicone.
- Carefully remove the tape so you don't smear anything.
- Now use a soapy finger to gently even out the edge left by the tape and to finish off the joint. No smudging, just one even stroke across the entire length.

You probably have too much silicone left when you remove the tape. The point of the soapy finger is to precisely remove the tape edge and smooth the surface. All excess must be removed before pulling the tape.

 

[Snigel]

You probably have too much silicone left when you remove the tape. The point of the soap-covered finger is precisely to remove the tape edge and smooth the surface. All excess must be removed before the tape is pulled off.

Yeah, that sounds reasonable... because the edge that forms when I remove the tape is at least 2 mm high. I'll try tonight and be a bit more sparing with the silicone! Thanks for the tip!

I also have a "fogmästarset" at home but no instructions, so I have no idea how to use them. Does anyone know how they're used and if they work well?

 

[volvo]

Now we have grouted between the tiles in the kitchen...and it didn't turn out quite right. The grout is completely grainy and uneven! Is it supposed to be like that? When we laid tiles a few years ago, I remember the grout being smoother and more silicone-like.

Is it the same grout?
There are plenty of different brands and types. It's not always just a matter of taking one from the shelf..........

If it's the same grout from the old package you used with the tiles, it might have absorbed moisture and clumped together.

 

[Snigel]

[quote author=Snigel link=1136831132/0#0 date=1136831131]Now we have grouted between the tiles in the kitchen....and it didn't turn out very well. The grout is completely gritty and uneven! Is it really supposed to be like that? When we laid tiles a year ago, I remember that the grout was smoother and more silicone-like.

Is it the same grout? There are lots of different brands and types. It’s not always just about picking one from the shelf..........

If it’s the same grout from the old package you used for the tiles, it could have absorbed moisture and clumped together.[/quote]

Nope.....we bought it a week ago. It was the only type available at the tile store, so we assumed it was the one we should use. It doesn't say anything about a "grittiness level" on the bucket as far as I can see. But it's as usual...if you don't know anything when you go into the store, you don't know more when you come out.

 

[sigpl]

Last time I bought sanitary silicone at Byggmax and among all I have used, it almost felt like the best one!

 

[kakelmaster]

The silicone they have at the overstock company is among the better ones I've tested. We have it at the company and everyone is satisfied.

The last time I bought sanitary silicone from Byggmax and among all I've used, it felt almost like the best!

 

[kakelmaster]

A tip when applying silicone is to spray with soapy water and remove the excess with a magnum ice cream stick that you angle, or you can buy a Silifix at a tile shop for about a hundred so you avoid a Martin Timell seam when you tape.

Now we have grouted between the tiles in the kitchen....and it didn't turn out well. The grout is completely gritty and uneven! Is it really supposed to be like that? When we laid the tiles a few years ago, I remember the grout being smoother and more silicone-like. HELP! :'(

Then to create a nice silicone seam between the tiles and the countertop seems almost impossible. I have taped, grouted, and smoothed it out with a soapy finger, but when I remove the tape there's a little edge on the seam! When I try to smooth it out with my finger, it becomes completely uneven....gah! What am I doing wrong?

 

[JohanOLinda]

Do not tape at all! The art of a neat joint primarily lies in applying the right amount from the start. Then have a mug of water mixed with dish soap at hand. Press on the joint, dip your finger, and spread it out; occasionally scrape off the excess on your finger. Any excess on the sides of your finger (it shouldn't be much) can be scraped off with your nail when you're satisfied with the joint itself. But again, the right amount is crucial.

Your "gritty" joint sounds like a seashell joint.