One That Got Away!

[Bud Cline]

Here's one that got away. One of my not always favorite retailers while attempting to starve me assigned a tile job to another installer I know.

Today this installer tells me he installed some glazed ceramic with a rough finish (12 X 12 stone look) and used "red" grout. This was in a business. The grout stained the tile in picture frame fashion. He says he tried acid and other recommended chemicals to remove the red stain. Nothing worked.

After five attempts to clean the tile he simply went back and skimmed more grout over everything thereby discoloring all the tile. The customer wasn't happy but the overall color was then consistant. Not the color they wanted but consistant. I have in the past had similar problems with red, black and blue grout but never anything that couldn't be cleaned.

ANY IDEAS?

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[Bri]

Sounds like you lucked out, Bud!

[flatfloor]

As the saying goes-Sometimes the best job is the one that got away.

[John Bridge]

And as I said somewhere around here, don't use black, and don't use primary colors. They'll stain everything they touch every time. And acid won't remove the color pigment, only the cement.

A grout release might have helped, though.

[chip]

I had a grout complaint last week, the "contractors" card read:

HIS NAME(I will leave it out due to potential litigation)
"No job too small"
TILE-CARPENTRY-PAINTING-DECKS-REMODELING-FENCES

Now I ask you, how could a person as intelligent as this contractor who is obviously a master of all these professions, have a problem with grout? Unless of course it was a manufacturing defect?

Now I know I mentioned previously that Florida is only in the top 3 nationally (along with Texas & California) in tile consumption. So it is no surprise to me that an expert in the installation of ceramic tile needs to branch out into decks & fences to eeeeeeck out a living.

Does this entrepeneur have branch offices in your neighborhood?

I will be more than happy to contact him and see if franchises are available.

All kidding aside, I had one today and after investigating, found that the guy who did the plaster, set the tile and had the home owner and the guy installing the fence around the new pool (I don't want to know who built that) cleaned the tile after the plasterer grouted.

I know this will stun all of you, and I hope your sitting down, the grout came out too light.

And you thought it was just a bowl full of cherries being a Rep!?!?

Art

[chip]

After reading your Bio, I may have just slammed one of YOUR franchisee's. If so it was purely coincidence, and I appologize profusely!

I'm sure that jack of all trades are a noble group, and I only wish I could have a few more in Euchre (trump of course)

I certainly meant your craft no disrespect, nor the deck builders, fence menders (trampus, little joe, Hoss and all those of you who rode the fence line), painters of which there are too many to mention.

And to all of you deck hands, where is John's Mop?

Good night,

Artsy

[Edited by flatile on 06-18-2001 at 11:09 PM]

[Bud Cline]

I just knew one of you guys would have an answer (since I don't) to resolve the problem that began this thread. I was already pounding my chest and saddling up my white horse to ride into the retailers office and offer your suggestions as my own. I could have been a hero. And now look what you have done.

Sometimes bad ideas are better than no ideas. Anyone have a bad idea?

[Dave Gobis]

Anyone know where I can buy some grout release? That is the only way I would do red, black, blue or yellow.

[John Bridge]

Dave,

My last experience with blue was maybe 10 years ago. It was a large master bath floor that bumped up against a cultured marble (faux-fake marble) whirlpool tub with a skirt on the front.

Forget who made it, but it was called "Neptune Blue." (Might have been C-cure) Never did get it completely off the fake marble. I think the people got tired of seeing me around. They finally gave up and left me alone.