How wide can the grout line be in ceramic title?

Question

I am laying a decortive piece in our entrance way of the front door. We are using some left over title from the hallway so it will all match. To do that my grout line around the title will be a little more the 1/4 of inch thick. Someone told me that it would crack and would not hold. Is this true? Do I need to go purchase some other kind of title that would fit a little tighter, with less grout?

Answer 1

Without reading any other answer but number 1, and BTW you need not buy additives, Grouts are sold in polymer based formats.

After installing thousands of sq. ft. of tile I offer this.

Most common grout lines are 1/8 or 1/4. On any bag of grout I've ever bought there are specifics as to applying and measurements. Certainly what you can do is ask at the store, or buy NON sanded grout which is common for grout lines wider than 1/4 inch.

If your substrate is stable, and the tiles set properly in a decent mortar, given appropriate time to set/cure, and won't be subject to flooding or driving Semi Trucks over, the grout, once cured also, should be fine. A valid issue will be in how you mix any grout, or mortar for that matter, in that neither should be too dry/heavy, (Certainly not at all powdery) but also not overly wet/thin. The bonding agents in the grout depend on water obviously, but are degraded if the mis is too wet/thin/runny.

Steven Wolf

Answer 2

Grout Lines

Answer 3

That is a very wide grout line (1/8" for unsanded and 3/16" for grout with sand in it is better. What you should do is start att eh most visible location with those tiles and end up with a bunch of cut tiles to fill up the edge in the least visible location. Buy or rent a tile cutter to slice pieces off tiles for that final edge. Then all the joints will be the right thickness (assuming you get a bag of those plastic spacers) and the difference at the end is still filled up.

Answer 4

The grout lines can be as big as you want. Some of the really large tile look better and are accented better with a large grout lines. I have seen and installed tile that had grout lines up to 3/4 of an inch. Good luck.

Answer 5

You just need to use the right kind of grout. Sanded grout will work fine. If you do want smaller joints you could consider a decorative boarder in a matching/coordinating tile.
And sorry Steven, grout lines greater than an 1/8" should be sanded grout, it even says so on the box.

Answer 6

Lay the tiles on 45degree angle from the existing ones, than no need to match the existing lines.
Joint must be maximum 2mm preferably, if water content is there, so that maximum area will be water proof. 1/4 inch means 6mm, it needs special, non shrink grout.
Better provide a border of one tile around the area with 1/4 inch and internal all 2mm groove on 45 degree.

Answer 7

No you do not need to purchase other tile. There is an additive you can buy and put in your grout so it DOES NOT CRACK. As well as a sealant on the grout to keep it clean. If you live near a home depot, just ask them, they will show you what you need or any ceramic (i assume it's ceramic) or any kind of tile business. Piece of cake!! Good LUCK!! ;p)

Answer 8

If it does crack it's because the floor under the tile is bouncing when you walk on it. It has little to do with the size of the grout space between tiles. You can have as big as you want (within reason) but make sure the floor is solid... use cement board first... or scratch coat and mesh... make it solid, then lay tile

Answer 9

Steve W seems to know what he was talking about, but I thought you were supposed to add some coarse sand to wide grout lines, to help hold everything together.

Answer 10

1/4 of an inch.