which grout to use

[bradpatterson]

I am going to use marble mosaic tile on a kitchen back splash, i was going to use mapei flexcolor cq grout but ive read where it could scratch the marble the grout joints will be 1/8 or maybe smaller, does anybody have any suggestions of what grout to use i like the mapei and have used it multiple times with good results, but i don't want to mess up my tile,

Thanks Brad.

[cx]

Welcome back, Brad.

I suggest your make up a test board with your tiles and try the Flexcolor CQ grout. When I tested it after it first came out, I did not find it very abrasive at all. YMMV.

[MAPEI - Technical Service]

Brad; CX as usual nailed it with his response!

It is very worthwhile to do a mock-up of exactly what you are installing to see how all the setting materials and tile will work together. This will show you if the mortar may stain the tile, if the grout might scratch, and etc.

That said, Flexcolor CQ uses a color-coated quartz aggregate to give the product its color. The coating on these little granules makes them a little less sharp, which lessens the risk of scratching. That's not to say it will not scratch, but it's less prone to scratching marble as regular sanded grout is.

I hope that helps!

[bradpatterson]

I have installed quite a bit of tile but never marble, I will be doing my kitchen backsplash in 3x5 Carrara marble, can someone give me some advice on which thinset to use and what notch trowel to use I will have 1/16 grout lines on a running bond pattern I’m assuming a 1/4 inch notch trowel but didn’t want the thinset oozing out the joints and have a bunch of clean up , thanks Brad

[ss3964spd]

Notch size will depend on the thickness of the tile/marble, Brad. How flat the substrate is can also be a factor, but not so much with those 3X5's.

I recently installed some 3/8" thick 4X8's with a 1/16" grout joint and a 1/4" square notch trowel was just fine. I used Versabond thinset mortar. Any similar mortar will be fine, just be sure it is white, not gray.

[bradpatterson]

Hello,

Im thinking of using this grout on a carerra marble back splash, ive never used this grout before ive used flex color cq, how does this grout compare to flexcolor cq as far as installing it i know cq clean up can be difficult hope somebody can give me some tips about using this.

[ss3964spd]

Welcome back, Brad,

I tested both CQ and FA on un-sealed, matte/honed finish marble. CQ left a film that I couldn't remove. Sealing the marble helped but not a whole bunch. I ended up using FA, but did seal the top of the marble first, and didn't have any problem with it.

But that was my marble, yours might be different. Really best to test the grout on a sample first.

[cx]

Brad, when we (TYW) tested the similar Custom product (Fusion Pro) when it first came out, we found it difficult to clean off a tumbled marble product. The fix was to use a grout release on the stone first. Worked quite well and I'd expect it to be the same with the Flexcolor CQ.

My opinion; worth price charged.

[Tiger Mountain Tile Inc]

Either grout should work fine but you should always test first. If you use Flexcolor CQ then it's not a bad idea to seal the marble with a water-based sealer first.

If you go with FA then an oil-based sealer would be a better choice. If your grout joints are 1/16th the FA is what you want to go with.

[bradpatterson]

Ive installed my marble back splash and sealed the tile, I am ready to grout should i use the mapei ultra color plus fa or should i just use the ultra plus ive never use the ultra color plus fa before im not sure if there is a learning curve with it or not.

[Lazarus]

Prism from Home Depot...

[ss3964spd]

Welcome, Brad,

FA will work, but it does set up pretty fast and has a pretty short pot life. If you choose to use it, and if you work as slowly as I do, plan on making small batches. To do that you'll need to measure the grout and the water to ensure the correct, repeatable ratio in order to ensure the color of each batch matches.

[Tiger Mountain Tile Inc]

Fa

[bradpatterson]

i guess my next question has anyone had issues with the fa grout scratching marble.

[ss3964spd]

I recently used FA to grout a marble floor, no scratches.

Still, marble is fairly soft, some more so than others. While the FA didn't scratch mine it's possible it'll scratch yours.

Best to test it first on your marble.