Professional tilers simply cannot afford to make mistakes when grouting floor tiles. After all, they would not be able to charge customers more money because it has taken them longer to fix their own mistake.

Don’t overwhelm yourself with grouting the whole floor immediately. Instead, work in small areas at a time and focus on making sure the grout fills the whole area between the tiles. It is best to start in an area furthest from the doorway and make your way out gradually.

Load the grout float

It is recommended to mix your own grout when tiling floors as ready-made grout tends to have longer drying times than grout you mix yourself. Ready-made grout relies far more on having decent access to air. Work in a small area at a time Pour or ladle a puddle of grout onto the tiled surface. It’s easiest to work across the surface from left to right. If grouting a tiled floor, start at the furthest corner of the room and work toward the doorway. Grout floats can have enclosed, rounded handles in the center of the float or they may have long, open handles that attach to the center or one side of the grout float and extend out from this point. Both styles are suitable options, though grout floats with open handles are easier to use in tight spaces, while enclosed handles offer improved control. This article is edited and updated by Michelle Ullman, the tool expert for The Spruce. She has extensive experience not only in writing about all things related to the home, but also in carrying out various DIY projects, including landscaping, painting, flooring, wallpapering, furniture makeovers, and simple repairs. If using powdered grout, mix up just as much as you’ll be able to use in 20 minutes (it’ll start to harden after that). Apply a blob of your mixed powder or ready-mixed grout to a grout spreader (using a scraper or grout trowel). Use the spreader to work the grout into the lines, going over the tiles with the edge to clean off excess. 4. Clean and leave to dry

Measure up your floor to see how many square metres you're going to have to cover. As a general guideline, a 5kg bag of grout will cover around 10-15m2. However, you may need a little more especially if you have large joints to fill. To be on the safe side add around 10-20% more than you think you need. Do I need to seal floor grout? Use masking tape and plastic sheeting to protect your surfaces from any accidental spillages or drips. Prepare the tiles by closing the spaces between them , and wipe away any loose debris, dust or adhesive , as it may spoil your finish. Grout isn't only for the indoors; if you have an outdoor kitchen, counter, built-in fireplace or fire pit, or a tiled decorative trim, then you need a sealer that can keep the grout looking its best. For those situations, it's hard to go wrong with Serveon Sealants H2Seal All-Purpose Stone Sealer. This water-based, low VOC sealer dries clear, leaving your grout's color unchanged but providing excellent protection against damage from water—even saltwater—stains, and general grunge.Start by mixing up your grout. Most come as a powder you mix with water; follow the manufacturer’s directions exactly—don’t add more or less water than called for. As mentioned above, it's best to use a squeegee or grout spreader as this will give the best finish. 'Applygroutwith a suitablegroutfloat, working in all directions across the tile jointstoensure that thegroutcompletely fills the joints,' advises tile expert David Talbot. Note: the time intervals for applyinggrout, wiping off excessgroutand polishing/buffing tiles during thegroutingprocess can vary dramatically dependent upon the temperature, humidity, type of tile beinggrouted, type ofgroutbeing used, width of tile joint and other factors so it is importanttostart on a small inconspicuous areatoassess the likely curing times for each process.' Can you put tile grout over old grout? Let the sealer dry for the time recommended by the manufacturer. This is typically anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour. Choose your appropriate application tools. If applying the sealer to a large tiled floor, and using a product safe for use on tile as well as grout, it’s fastest to apply the sealer with a sponge mop. But for most jobs, you’ll do best with a small paint brush, sponge, or roller. Some products come in applicator bottles with a roller top built right in; this is especially handy for thin grout lines. Aerosol products spray on directly.

While grouting isn’t difficult, it does require some practice to gain skill at applying it, and it’s admittedly a somewhat tedious task. Here are the basics you’ll need to know: The Aqua Mix Sealer's Choice Gold takes the top spot for its natural looks and extensive protection. This product is a water-based sealer that provides ample protection over the entire surface, including grout and tiles. It also dries with a no-sheen finish for a natural, non-slippery look and feel. For ceramic tiles, this will provide additional protection against staining and wear, and it can be used with stones such as granite, marble, masonry, and limestone. Use this as a pre-grout sealer on your tiles for extra protection in areas such as bathrooms or kitchens. It's available in several different sizes from pints to gallons. Once the grout has been applied to your floor or wall tiles, wait about 20 minutes. Then , wipe the tiles with a damp grout sponge to remove any excess .

Apply tape to trim tiles

What grout you use for floor tiles will depend on the size of the joint. If you have small joints typically 2mm, 3mm or 5mm joints – the sizes typically found on walls –then you can use wall tile grout. Eddie McFarlane, Strategic Advisor for Provider Experience at HomeX, adds, "You’ll want to decide on a layout before you get started. We recommend testing the layout in your space beforehand to make sure it’s exactly what you want by first laying the tile pieces in place without mortar or grout. Make sure you have the right tools on hand: a tile cutter, a rubber mallet, tile spacers, a level, a tile trowel, and mortar. Above all, take the extra little time to clean your tools after use. A dry piece of mortar coming loose and getting on your fresh floor can be very annoying.”