I'm planning a 38" x 61" tile project just inside the front entrance.
The design of the 6x6 tiles is such that they look very good in direct
contact with each other. Being just inside the front door, they will get
wet when people enter from a rainy outside. The concern is that water
will get into the spaces between the tiles and wet and weaken the
adhesive below.

They will be laid on a concrete slab that's in direct contact with the
soil. I don't think there is any chance of the slab ever reaching
freezing, here in central New Jersey.

So should I grout (and seal) merely to prevent water from getting
beneath the tiles?

Thanks

Ray

"So should I grout (and seal) merely to prevent water from getting
beneath the tiles? "

What's the alternative to grout? I've never seen tile installed
without grout. Not only would it look stupid, the spaces between the
tiles would become a dirt trap.

Of course you do. Follow installation instructions. I hope you are
not trying to change practices which have been well established and
proven to work.

Ray wrote:

So should I grout (and seal) merely to prevent water from getting
beneath the tiles?

Yep. Use an un-sanded grout for narrow joint gaps.

"Ray" wrote in message

So should I grout (and seal) merely to prevent water from getting beneath
the tiles?

No one can make you grout them. If you want to live with dirt and ****
between the tiles, that is your choice to make. Some people put a compost
pile in the back yard far from the house. Stupid when you can have it right
in your front entry where your guests can enjoy it.

Ray wrote:
I'm planning a 38" x 61" tile project just inside the front entrance.
The design of the 6x6 tiles is such that they look very good in direct
contact with each other. Being just inside the front door, they will get
wet when people enter from a rainy outside. The concern is that water
will get into the spaces between the tiles and wet and weaken the
adhesive below.

They will be laid on a concrete slab that's in direct contact with the
soil. I don't think there is any chance of the slab ever reaching
freezing, here in central New Jersey.

So should I grout (and seal) merely to prevent water from getting
beneath the tiles?

Thanks

Ray

Normally there is a lot of effort expended in putting down ceramic
tile. Failure to follow the procedures means that effort may be for
naught. The call is yours, but I would not want to remove tiles I had
laid down because they started to come up or were so filled with dirt I
could not stand them. This does not even address the cost of the
materials you might waste.

Laticrete makes a grout that seals itself from stains and the color doesn't
fade. You can buy it at Lowes. Check out the specs:
http://www.laticrete.com/sellSheets/...OSellSheet.pdf




"Ray" wrote in message
...
I'm planning a 38" x 61" tile project just inside the front entrance.
The design of the 6x6 tiles is such that they look very good in direct
contact with each other. Being just inside the front door, they will get
wet when people enter from a rainy outside. The concern is that water
will get into the spaces between the tiles and wet and weaken the
adhesive below.

They will be laid on a concrete slab that's in direct contact with the
soil. I don't think there is any chance of the slab ever reaching
freezing, here in central New Jersey.

So should I grout (and seal) merely to prevent water from getting
beneath the tiles?

Thanks

Ray

Thanks, all. I will grout.