CERAMIC SOLUTIONS FAQ

What could be causing cracks to appear in
ceramic floor tiles?
There is always a remote possibility of an individual fractured
tile, usually caused by not being bonded properly and then being
impacted by an object dropping o n it. That type of fracture is
repaired by replacing the damaged tile. A sure rule of thumb to
determining the problem: if the crack goes from one tile to another
on a continuous line through the grout joint, the problem, without
any doubt, is in the substrate; usually a crack in the slab. The
damaged tile would have to be removed, a crack isolation
membrane put down and the tile reinstalled; which should solve
the problem.

What is the best way to clean grout?
NEW GROUT: Because cementitious grout is porous, sealing can
help to keep grout joints clean. Allow grout to dry at least
48/hours, then make sure it is clean before sealing with a sealer
recommended for grout. EXISTING GROUT: A routine for cleaning
grout should be established, as occasionally cleaning with
household cleaners containing acid, bleach or even vinegar will
etch the tile and grout in time. There should be two types of
cleaning procedures, regular 'Routine Cleaning' with a
concentrated non-acidic phosphate free cleaner and occasional
'Heavy Duty Cleaning' when dirty. We recommend for Heavy Duty
Cleaning: Aqua Mix 'Heavy Duty Tile & Grout Cleaner.' NOTE:
Epoxy grouts are not porous and are easier to clean; however,
they are more expensive to purchase and to install.

What is the best way to clean abrasive quarry
tile without leaving mop strings?
First, with any abrasive tile, you cannot use a standard mop as it
will be torn to shreds and leave strings on the floor. A nylon mop
will not normally leave "strings" behind. MOST IMPORTANT: Make
sure you always use clean water. Change as often as necessary.
When cleaning this floor, it must be scrubbed daily (at least) with
a brush and, if available, use a vac system (wet vacuum) to pull
up the residue of water. At least once a week the floor should be
cleaned with an electric floor scrubber. If no vac system is
available, surplus water must be accumulated in one area and
gathered up, or some commercial kitchens have drains for
disposal of excess water.

What causes grout cracking?
There are several possible reasons for cracking grout:
1. A flexible substrate (plywood, etc.)
2. Poor installation; tile not bonded, resulting in loose tile.
3. A non-sanded grout was used with the grout joints too wide.
When the grout shrunk, the only possible thing it could do is
crack.
4. The grout joint was not completely filled during installation,
leaving voids on the surface.
5. In a large floor installation, where the grout crack is isolated
in specific areas, it is usually caused by the lack of expansion
joints.

Can existing dirty grout be re-grouted?
1. To merely apply new grout over existing grout is not the
answer because it will always look like that is what you have
tried to do without success.
2. You can re-grout if you dig out the existing grout and there
are saws specifically designed for this purpose. However, be
forewarned that it is a tedious and exasperating task and it is
virtually impossible to do without damaging some of the tile,
which would necessitate replacement. You would then
probably have a problem matching the color shade of the tile.
The saws are actually utilized either with fresh grout or a
smaller area which needs re-grouting; thus they are not really
practical for large areas.
3. The grout can be stained with a grout stain such as 'Grout
Colorant' by Aqua Mix. Available in 22/normal grout colors, plus
three vivid intense colors, Red, Yellow and Blue.

What can be done to eliminate a white film or
powder in grout joints?
The white powdery layer you describe that most
often reforms again after you brush it away is
called efflorescence; which is simply white salt
deposits. These salts remain on the grout joints
when the salts in water solution are wicked to the
surface and then the water evaporates, leaving
these salts in powder form. It seeks out the porous
grout joints because water cannot travel through
glazed tile to the surface. Because it is difficult to
say exactly where efflorescence comes from, it is
just as difficult to say when it will stop appearing.
These salts can originate in the grout, the mortar
bed, the concrete slab beneath the mortar bed, or
even in the ground under the slab. They have also
been traced to unwashed sand containing soluble
salts, sometimes to free alkali's in cement,
occasionally to chemical concrete admixtures, and
more recently to high alkaline floor cleaners which
absorb into the joints and reappear as
efflorescence. That is the reason they call your
substrate, (ex. slab) "the hidden floor below." It
can even be caused by a failure to install a
moisture barrier between a source of the moisture
(the ground) and the grout joints. Frequently the
problem will reduce to a low level as the underlying
moisture evaporates away. The bottom line, it is
excessive moisture (more than normal) wicking
through the porous grout joint.

The first step to eliminate the problem is to let the
installation dry out and the cement cure. During
this process, merely brush off the white powder
which will leave a stain, but do not address the
stain until the wicking (moisture transmission)
stops. For the final cleaning and to remove the
stain, agitate the grout joint with a brush and, if
necessary, utilize a neutral cleaner such as Aqua
Mix's 'Tile & Grout Cleaner.' If this fails to remove
all of the residue, it may be necessary to use
sulfuric or phosphoric acid. Sulfuric would be the
acid of preference and three things are mandatory
for either acid:

1. It must be diluted a minimum of 5:1 to 7:1.
2. The surface must be wet prior to administering
the acid.
3. Be sure and wash thoroughly to remove all the
residue of acid.

Allow this to dry and if no more efflorescence
appears, seal the grout joint with a grout sealer.
NOTE: If by circumstance it is a fast track
commercial job, the same process would be
followed, except you may not be able to allow it to
dry out as much as possible.