Special types, such as slate or quarry tiles, often do not have edges uniform enough to look good with tight spacing. Minimum Grout lines The quick answer is nothing closer than 1/16. The width of the grout joint is dictated by how much variation in sizing the tile as so it can compensate for the variation. We are about to install 450 sq ft of 18x18 inch travertine tile on an indoor concrete floor and I need as much information about the installation process as possible. We used Polyblend Butter Cream non-sanded grout from Home Depot. The grout bag shows smearing the grout over the whole tile. Too late I’m reading this. First of all, getting even grout lines is not a simple task. The only way for us to know what your situation is, if we performed an inspection and evaluated all of the conditions. 1.Have all equipment and material clean. Karina, I just saw this post regarding the tile you had installed. Hi Kathe! However, typically you'd use at least 1/16"  (the thinnest grout line available) grout joints, especially in the instance of a countertop, so that any moisture won't seep through and damage the integrity of the install. First off, this floor wasn’t even part of our original bathroom renovation plans. The problem I have is the installer grouted the cream-colored travertine without first treating the tile with any kind of chemical so all the tiles picked up some of the medium-gray grout color. The Natural Stone Institute Dimension Stone Design Manual and the Tile Council of America Handbook for Ceramic, Glass, and Stone Tiles, and ANSI A108 state that butting tiles together is not allowed. If you pick a grout color closer to the tile color, it will appear that the grout joints are smaller. It actually started with a sink, then wallpaper and will finish with a medicine cabinet makeover. Featured: Ice Interlocking Pattern Mosaic Tile We do not suggest leaving a gap (grout line) between travertine pavers. Your email address will not be published. Will sealer fix this issues? The grout should fill the grout joint full. Instead, line up the corners of the tiles and use your rubber mallet to gently tap the surface of the marble or travertine until … Grouting is fairly simple. Tumbled travertine tile has many dips, curves, holes and natural surfaces which give it its character but also makes it more difficult to grout. The stone will expand as it heats up and when absorbing moisture or humidity. I’ve seen non grouted ceramic, granite, marble, limestone in a wide variety of locations, airports, subways, palace and museums all without grout lines/spaces cannot recall in my 81 years noticeable ugly signs of an issue caused by lack of grout space. It's time now to fix a shower accessory shelf and a toilet roll holder. The problem I have is the installer grouted the cream-colored travertine without first treating the tile with any kind of chemical so all the tiles picked up some of the medium-gray grout color. I suppose its possible to do but I dont think its a good idea. This can be scrubbed onto the grout with a small brush, that will allow you to wash the areas between the tiles without scratching their edges and causing damage to the material. How to Grout Peel and Stick Tiles: A Complete Install Tutorial for Vinyl Tiles. Tiling Around Outlets. Grouting and Cleaning . Travertine tiles are the perfect flooring for kitchen, ... Introduce a lovely listello or a mosaic to break up your flooring design and add some grout line in those areas. Natural stone materials like travertine can be incredibly heavy. ... Making My Travertine Tile and Grout Look Like New. Simply remove the grout in between the lines entirely and then replace it with new, fresh grout. 2. My question is if I do the work and grout it properly, do you think the grout will stay in place. Grouted on edges but it appears no gap was used in some joints. No gap means no grout. Something like this (picture shown tiles fitting closed to each other - Not fireplace specific): Obviously I have never done tile without grout before. This means that unlike ceramic tile (except for rectified tile), travertine's edges are perfect: both perfectly straight and perfectly at 90-degree angles. All tiles have to have a grout joint. Tiles should never be butted together per the standards. You cannot but them together or you can have potential problems such as the edges will tend to chip. Keep in mind that unfilled travertine has holes in it that collect dirt and are difficult to clean. Tumbled travertine tile is a calcium-based stone that was formed deep inside hot springs. Donato Pompo, CTC CMR CSI CDT MBA, is the leading tile and stone forensic expert and consultant in North America, and he is a National Tile Contractors Association Recognized Consultant. Here are insights from the Tile Outlets product experts about how to ensure that your Travertine looks beautiful for years to come. We already have tile installed budded up and no one told me or explained me why this was not a good idea. Setting real stone tiles in mortar or sand is mind-crunching work. Do not use tile spacers. Applying clear sealer or enhancer is recommended on travertine before grouting, so that the grout color does not penetrate the travertine tiles. Use The Right Mortar for 12×24 Tile You often hear about using “thin set” to install tile, but in the case of installing 12×24 tile as flooring, you’ll want to use something called “medium bed” mortar. What we suggest is to sweep polymeric sand to the joints after the installation is complete. DIY-friendly, groutless stone tiles are about $12 per square foot. Premium sheet vinyl with a cushioned backing and 20-year warranty is about $3 per square foot. They state that a grout joint can never be less than 1/16″ wide, but in many cases it is necessary to be wider. They are placed beside each other with no grout. Sign up to our newsletter and get exclusive deals you wont find anywhere else straight to your inbox! They are not perfectly sized and the standards provide tolerances for these products. The other reason for grout joints is to mitigate the inherent movements in tile. But, its better to use at least a thin groutline  like 1/16" joint with a grout color of your choice. The big drawback to Bondera is the price. Donato is the founder of CTaSC. This joint was required not only to help seal out moisture, but to prevent damage from tiles rubbing against one another and to make up for uneven tile sizes. I have done a number of ceramic tile jobs, but never laid travertine. It is breath-taking when you see the natural beauty of a joint-less counter top or shower produced with this veined stone. Yes you can install the travertine without a grout joint. This can lift the dirt from the tiles without dropping the solution onto the grout. Grouting tile. #3 Vinyl That Looks Like Real Tile and Grout. Make sure you still grout it to fill all of the voids. Houses settle over time, and this edge needs a more flexible material – use caulk instead. It is possible to cut in grout joints with a dry cutting saw blade, but it would be a tedious job, and there is a good chance they would tend to chip the tile edges. The Importance Of Sealing Your Stone And Tile Floors The most important role of grouting is hiding any differences in size between tiles.Floor tile without grout. How to Grout Tumbled Travertine Tile. See what your installer says, and do some more research online about installing travertine tile. As a general rule, floor tiles should have grout lines of 1/8 inch or larger, depending on the type and size of tile; most floor tiles are 8 inches by 8 inches, but larger versions are available. As a general rule, floor tiles should have grout lines of 1/8 inch or larger, depending on the type and size of tile; most floor tiles are 8 inches by 8 inches, but larger versions are available. I don’t do that on big tiles, because it just wastes the grout. You only need to butter the back of the travertine tile with mortar, then push it against the other tiles—no gap necessary. Not sure what kind of tile you have, but an unglazed porcelain tile or a natural stone will buff to a polish. Thanks for your question and welcome to the community! Don Just finding this posting though I hope I am not too late Travertine rough tile floor installed in 2013. The 3/16 grout line is by no means thick and leaves a perfect amount of room for the natural variation of the size of the tiles. Featured: Puebla Splitface Travertine. Some of the questions I have are: 1. is it best to use spacers and grout, or butt the tiles? I looked up the idea of no grout lines using travertine and someone said you must have a grout line … The tiles are approx 400mm long & 300mm high normal ceramic.Is it best to drill through the grout lines or through the tile? How to Install Travertine Tile. Start with the area where you measured your initial chalk lines and … Any advise on how to fix this??? No cracks in the tile. No gap means no grout. Special types, such as slate or quarry tiles, often do not have edges uniform enough to look good with tight spacing. 1.Have all equipment and material clean. He said that will go away with the sealer (I don’t know!) The chalk lines should cross at the midpoint of the floor at right angles. It has unfilled vein cut travertine tiles that are grout-less. This may seem like a hard task. Bottom Grout Line Cracking. Grouting may seem scary, but it doesn't need to be. The general rule of thumb for grout is lines larger than 1/8″ use sanded grout and lines 1/8″ and smaller use unsanded grout. At $37 for a 10 foot (x12 inch) roll, it is expensive. ... TRAVERTINE REPAIRS AND TILE … Just install travertine pavers adjacent to each other without leaving any gaps in between. I can fix this with a diamond oscillating tool by opening a gap between the tiles. It may take you a lot longer to get it right. Until very recently, tiles needed to be installed with a minimum of a 1/16-inch grout joint. Let us know if you have any further questions. One is that there are tolerances for size variation as each tile is not always exactly the same size. When re-modeling floors, bathroom or a kitchen almost everybody wants to have the minimum grout lines between their tiles. Wish i would’ve known before also, have you had any trouble with the tile since it’s been laid? These outdoor tiles are backed with plastic grids with interlocking tabs that simply snap together. The grout joints to some degree can mitigate movement, but not to the extent of a movement joints with resilient sealants. To clean travertine grout lines, mix equal parts baking soda and water to create a gritty paste. Let the tiles dry/cure for 2 days. The sealer will not take away the shinny condition; it is more likely to make it shinier depending on what type of sealer you use. This natural stone is cut-to-size leaving honed, flat edges that make great grout-less joints. Can we cut through lines to add grout? A travertine floor will add value to any room. Here are a few of the most common cons you’ll hear about travertine tile: Weight. The second reason is if you but tiles together then when they expand, as all do expand due to temperature and moisture fluctuations, it can cause the the tile edges to chip or worst cause the tile to tend/debond. Even though you butt the tile together it will still create a very small grout joint. Travertine tiles don’t attract or hold onto dirt and dust like carpets and hardwood. Apply the thin-set to a small area. The issue is the grout. Travertine tile can be easily cut with a wet saw using a diamond blade. Understandably, most installers have a love-hate relationship with grout. Bondera is a tile setting mat that allows you to place, and adjust the tiles without using thin set. Featured: Ice Interlocking Pattern Mosaic Tile The 3/16 grout line is by no means thick and leaves a perfect amount of room for the natural variation of the size of the tiles.