One of the first projects I did was a table for the little kids with
tile set in the top. I used the normal tile mastic to attach it to
some plywood, then used normal tile grout. Years later, it looks
pretty bad, especially the grout. My wife has requested a new kitchen
table with a tile top. But I'm worried about the grout. She requested
something like bar top over the tile but I think this would look wrong.
So I'm looking for alternatives.

What about epoxy instead of mastic and grout? It would sure make the
tiles stick. And I could make the epoxy whatever color I wanted. I'm
thinking I could make a form with glass or something in the bottom of
it, then position the tiles face down, then pour the epoxy over the
backs of the tiles. The epoxy would fill in the "grout" lines, maybe
helping out the bubbles with a heat gun. If the tiles have a curved
edge to them, I might have to sand them square, cut off the curves, or
find tiles with sharp corners.. Can anyone see a problem with this?

Or maybe there's a sealant I can put on the grout after grouting that
would make it easy to clean? I'm thinking the normal rough texture of
grout would be difficult to keep clean.

Any other ideas?

brian

brianlanning wrote:
One of the first projects I did was a table for the little kids with
tile set in the top. I used the normal tile mastic to attach it to
some plywood, then used normal tile grout. Years later, it looks
pretty bad, especially the grout. My wife has requested a new kitchen
table with a tile top. But I'm worried about the grout. She requested
something like bar top over the tile but I think this would look wrong.
So I'm looking for alternatives.

What about epoxy instead of mastic and grout? It would sure make the
tiles stick. And I could make the epoxy whatever color I wanted. I'm
thinking I could make a form with glass or something in the bottom of
it, then position the tiles face down, then pour the epoxy over the
backs of the tiles. The epoxy would fill in the "grout" lines, maybe
helping out the bubbles with a heat gun. If the tiles have a curved
edge to them, I might have to sand them square, cut off the curves, or
find tiles with sharp corners.. Can anyone see a problem with this?

Or maybe there's a sealant I can put on the grout after grouting that
would make it easy to clean? I'm thinking the normal rough texture of
grout would be difficult to keep clean.

Any other ideas?

brian

You can buy epoxy grout. You can buy grout sealant. Pure raw epoxy might
be expensive as all get out. You do not choose white grout if you want
grout to always be white. That might be an unrealistic expectation. They
make latex additives for some grouts to make in stronger, increase
adhesion and stain resistance. You get a glazed tile and it might
scratch up. Maybe you get a tile that is made for floors that has a
harder glaze than a wall tile.

Unsanded grout is smooth. Sanded grout should also be smooth with just a
little texture from the sand which is rather fine. Different grouts for
different widths of the grout line. The choice of tile can also affect
the choice of a proper grout.

My stepson lays tile floors for a living, and he advised us to use epoxy
grout in our new kitchen floor, for just the reasons you mentioned. He also
sets all his tile in thinset mortar instead of mastic, didn't sound like the
process was too much different.

I think you 'd be better off using tried and true measures rather than to
start a new experiment.

My $.02

Old Guy



"brianlanning" wrote in message
ps.com...
One of the first projects I did was a table for the little kids with
tile set in the top. I used the normal tile mastic to attach it to
some plywood, then used normal tile grout. Years later, it looks
pretty bad, especially the grout. My wife has requested a new kitchen
table with a tile top. But I'm worried about the grout. She requested
something like bar top over the tile but I think this would look wrong.
So I'm looking for alternatives.

What about epoxy instead of mastic and grout? It would sure make the
tiles stick. And I could make the epoxy whatever color I wanted. I'm
thinking I could make a form with glass or something in the bottom of
it, then position the tiles face down, then pour the epoxy over the
backs of the tiles. The epoxy would fill in the "grout" lines, maybe
helping out the bubbles with a heat gun. If the tiles have a curved
edge to them, I might have to sand them square, cut off the curves, or
find tiles with sharp corners.. Can anyone see a problem with this?

Or maybe there's a sealant I can put on the grout after grouting that
would make it easy to clean? I'm thinking the normal rough texture of
grout would be difficult to keep clean.

Any other ideas?

brian

brianlanning wrote:
One of the first projects I did was a table for the little kids with
tile set in the top. I used the normal tile mastic to attach it to
some plywood, then used normal tile grout. Years later, it looks
pretty bad, especially the grout. My wife has requested a new kitchen
table with a tile top. But I'm worried about the grout. She requested
something like bar top over the tile but I think this would look wrong.
So I'm looking for alternatives.

What about epoxy instead of mastic and grout? It would sure make the
tiles stick. And I could make the epoxy whatever color I wanted. I'm
thinking I could make a form with glass or something in the bottom of
it, then position the tiles face down, then pour the epoxy over the
backs of the tiles. The epoxy would fill in the "grout" lines, maybe
helping out the bubbles with a heat gun. If the tiles have a curved
edge to them, I might have to sand them square, cut off the curves, or
find tiles with sharp corners.. Can anyone see a problem with this?

Or maybe there's a sealant I can put on the grout after grouting that
would make it easy to clean? I'm thinking the normal rough texture of
grout would be difficult to keep clean.

Any other ideas?

brian


Brian, there are tile/grout sealers which do not affect the overall look
of the product. The caveat is that it needs to be reapplied at regular
intervals. Also, for a floor situation I use thin set rather than
mastic. I only use mastic if I am tiling a wall. -G

Tue, Jan 16, 2007, 4:01pm (EST-3) (brianlanning)
snip My wife has requested a new kitchen table with a tile top. But
I'm worried about the grout. She requested something like bar top over
the tile but I think this would look wrong.
**So I'm looking for alternatives. snip

Well, one alternative would be to do it your way, then have to
listen to your wife bitch, until you change it to her way.

Personally, I think her way is good, and should look good. If you
don't like it's looks you can always use a tablecloth. It'd get
irritating to me, hearing dishes click on a slightly uneven tile top
too.



JOAT
A problem adequately stated is a problem well on its way to being
solved.
- R. Buckminster Fuller

J T wrote:
Well, one alternative would be to do it your way, then have to
listen to your wife bitch, until you change it to her way.

Actually, there isn't a her way. She just wants it to be easy to
clean.

brian

On 16 Jan 2007 16:01:47 -0800, "brianlanning"
wrote:

Or maybe there's a sealant I can put on the grout after grouting that
would make it easy to clean? I'm thinking the normal rough texture of
grout would be difficult to keep clean.

I agree with the epoxy grout suggestion. The stuff is tough as nails
and if you need to remove a tile, you literally have to burn the grout
out.

Mike O.