DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

Hi guys, I'm renovating my house at the moment and have got to doing the kitchen (at last!). My missus loves the UN-honed travertine floor tiles, and so that IS what we're having on the floor. I had some friends in the tiling business come and lay them on the floor, but they're too busy to do anything other than lay them. I have to now grout and then seal the tiles before the kitchen units get installed.

I'd like any advice that anyone has on how to go about grouting (an Opus Romano pattern) and especially anything about sealing the tiles - I've heard lots of horror stories about using the wrong/too much/not enough sealant and would like to know what everyone recommends.

I've heard that I grout first, then seal up to 4 times using Lithofin/Aquamix/other impregnator sealant? How long do I leave between grouting and sealing / each layer of sealant?

Thanks for the help guys, done a lot of research and everyone seems to have very different idea's!

Christian

You must seal travertine before and after grouting
Go to B&Q they do a good sealer for travertive, its just a liquid cover all of the tiles using a cloth (don't be shy to use lots) then wait about 24 hours and start grouting.
With travertine tiles the grout you will use will be a gritty type so can get a bit messy.
First of all hoover the tiles thoroughly to ensure you get no dirt in the grout!
Start in a corner use a small grout spreader (credit card type of plastic) and make sure you get it between all of the tiles.
Work on about 1 square foot at a time and once you are sure the grout in in all the gaps use a wet sponge to gently wipe off excess grout. You will need a bucket of water to continually clean the sponge, and will need to frequently change the water.
Try to get all of the grouting done in one day to ensure you do not get hard pieces of grout on and between the tiles which you need to chisel off (I learnt this the hard way)
Once you have finished wait around 24 hours then use the sealer on a cloth again to coat the tiles and grout.
Wait another 24 hours and your floor should be complete.
Hope this helps, I am by no means an expert but I have always done it this way with good results.

Hi,
Thanks for the help, I had to go ahead and try it last week so the kitchen could come in on time - I ended up laying the tiles as well... I grouted and then did 3 coats of Lithofin MN Stainstop - works a treat! When I spill anything on them now it doesn't soak in, just sits on top waiting to be wiped clean. The grout looks fine and I'm impressed with how it all looks now.
If anyone needs any help or advice I can give a more detailed explanation of what and how I did it...
Chris