I know that if the spacing between tiles is more than 1/8", you're
supposed to use sanded grout. But is there a practical limit on how
wide the space can be?

There's almost a half inch space between the bottom row of shower
tiles, which have the curved lip cove shape, and the edge of the floor
tiles. When the house was built 45 years ago, the tilesetters covered
up the problem by leaning the bottom of the tiles outward to cover up
the gap. I've retiled all but the bottom row but I'm back to the
original problem. I want to set the bottom row flush against the wall
but I'm not sure even sanded tile will hold if it's filling a gap
almost a half inch wide.

wrote in message
ups.com...
I know that if the spacing between tiles is more than 1/8", you're
supposed to use sanded grout. But is there a practical limit on how
wide the space can be?

There's almost a half inch space between the bottom row of shower
tiles, which have the curved lip cove shape, and the edge of the floor
tiles. When the house was built 45 years ago, the tilesetters covered
up the problem by leaning the bottom of the tiles outward to cover up
the gap. I've retiled all but the bottom row but I'm back to the
original problem. I want to set the bottom row flush against the wall
but I'm not sure even sanded tile will hold if it's filling a gap
almost a half inch wide.

no. i've seen saltillo tiles set at 1" spacing. you could have 2" spaces,
but it would look dumb.

wrote in news:1130260185.183624.85580
@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

I know that if the spacing between tiles is more than 1/8", you're
supposed to use sanded grout. But is there a practical limit on how
wide the space can be?

There's almost a half inch space between the bottom row of shower
tiles, which have the curved lip cove shape, and the edge of the floor
tiles. When the house was built 45 years ago, the tilesetters covered
up the problem by leaning the bottom of the tiles outward to cover up
the gap. I've retiled all but the bottom row but I'm back to the
original problem. I want to set the bottom row flush against the wall
but I'm not sure even sanded tile will hold if it's filling a gap
almost a half inch wide.



Should have started at the bottom.

wrote in message
ups.com...
I know that if the spacing between tiles is more than 1/8", you're
supposed to use sanded grout. But is there a practical limit on how
wide the space can be?

There's almost a half inch space between the bottom row of shower
tiles, which have the curved lip cove shape, and the edge of the floor
tiles. When the house was built 45 years ago, the tilesetters covered
up the problem by leaning the bottom of the tiles outward to cover up
the gap. I've retiled all but the bottom row but I'm back to the
original problem. I want to set the bottom row flush against the wall
but I'm not sure even sanded tile will hold if it's filling a gap
almost a half inch wide.

Not a good place to put a 1/2 space.
Sanded grout is not for wet areas IMO. Non sanded only in wet areas.

I know you do not want to hear this, but it might be time to consider a deco
band that will fit the space left.

I just retiled my bathroom. Took me a week just to figure out where to
start. I had enough marks on the wall so it looked like a kindergarten chalk
board. I ended up changing from 1/8 to 3/16 joints. The only way I could get
the joints I wanted top and bottom.

Were those Saltillo tiles with the 1" spacing in a shower floor? If
so, do you know if they used sanded grout?

Someone has stated that sanded grout is not good for wet areas. I'd
never heard that, but there's a lot about tile work that I don't know
about.

wrote:
Were those Saltillo tiles with the 1" spacing in a shower floor? If
so, do you know if they used sanded grout?

Someone has stated that sanded grout is not good for wet areas. I'd
never heard that, but there's a lot about tile work that I don't know
about.

Whoever "stated" that sanded grout is not okay in wet areas should be
either monitored closely or ignored.

The sand acts as an aggregate, similar to the stone in concrete - it
greatly improves the strength of the grout. That's why it's needed in
bigger joints.

1" grout lines are unnecessarily large and would look mighty odd. The
only time such large grout lines would be acceptable would be with very
large flagstones. They would also be the first thing to fail - not a
good idea in a wet area.

If you take care with your preparation and use a good quality modified
sanded grout, the 1/2" joint in your shower will be fine.

If you don't want to go with grout, you could use a marine
caulk/adhesive such as 3M 4200. It's harder to work with but the stuff
is tenacious. If you don't want white caulk, you will have to mask the
joint edges with tape, work a little dry grout into the top surface
when it's close to smooth enough, finish your troweling until it's
smooth, then remove the tape and sprinkle some grout on the top and let
it cure.

BTW, there's no need to start a new thread when this one is still
alive.

R

wrote in message
ups.com...
Were those Saltillo tiles with the 1" spacing in a shower floor? If
so, do you know if they used sanded grout?

Someone has stated that sanded grout is not good for wet areas. I'd
never heard that, but there's a lot about tile work that I don't know
about.

no. i've seen it that wide in house livingrooms and also restaurants, and
yes, it is sanded.

the person who said sanded grout shouldn't be used for wide grout lines is
wrong. it acts like stones in concrete.

wrote in message
ups.com...
I know that if the spacing between tiles is more than 1/8", you're
supposed to use sanded grout. But is there a practical limit on how
wide the space can be?

There's almost a half inch space between the bottom row of shower
tiles, which have the curved lip cove shape, and the edge of the floor
tiles. When the house was built 45 years ago, the tilesetters covered
up the problem by leaning the bottom of the tiles outward to cover up
the gap. I've retiled all but the bottom row but I'm back to the
original problem. I want to set the bottom row flush against the wall
but I'm not sure even sanded tile will hold if it's filling a gap
almost a half inch wide.


Check out the mosaic tile collections at a tile store. I have seen very
narrow tiles that would fit in a 1/2" gap and leave room for smaller grout
lines. I think a border of these would look nicer than a wide grout line.
Many colors of glass or ceramic are available.