Anybody like Hydroment grout????

[Madison Mike]

Just curious, I hate Hydroment grout, but I'm wondering if I'm in the minority. I have never been able to mix it so that it spreads and dries well enough to get an acceptable result. I usually use Tec setting materials and grout, partially because they're easy for mee to get, but also because I've never had any problems with Tec and I get great pot life out of both mortar and grout. Any thoughts from the more experienced tile guys??? What do you like to use?

[Davestone]

I think i've only used it a couple times..didn't care for it.I'm into Mapei, tec, and Bonsal, now.About the only grouts i hate, are Jamo white...and sgm.

[Chris the Rep]

I doubt if you're in the minority here, since Hydroment grout is almost
non-existent in Florida, Texas, and in the home centers. As for the rest of the country, and to the trade, Hydroment holds a nice sized chunk of the grout business.

Hydroment is unique; it has a broad range of aggregate sizes in it, that's why you can use it in joints up to 1 1/2" wide, but still float it into a 1/8" joint. I always found most other grouts "pasty" in comparison. If you're looking for grout to flow into a joint, Hydroment isn't the one to use, you have to float it in.

I can tell you that there is a lot of portland in it, and that makes the cured material hard. The pigment load is probably more than needed in colored grout. Ask anyone who's used Hydroment Char Black or French Gray or one of their dark blue colors...

Maybe I'm a little jaded; I sold the stuff for 17 years, (Wisconsin was part of my territory) but I still think it's one of the best grouts available.

Chris

[Tool Guy - Kg]

Mike,
I used Hydroment for the first few years when it was the main brand at a few supply houses. Then they folded, and another moved away, and the supply houses I go to now are all Tec & mapei. I think performance-wise, Hydroment was fine. But color-wise (specifically the mid range colors) I wasn't always satisfied. Looking back, I would guess my technique contributed to my lack of satisfaction.

I like Tec, but Tec sets up slower than Mapei does. You have to wait for it to do its thing before starting to clean. Setters I know that don't like it are used to Mapei's quicker setting and they "get on it" too soon after floating it in. When they do this, the color isn't what it's supposed to be.

[muskymike]

Hi Mike, I use it now and then. Most of the time it's C-Cure or TEC. I like it well as any. I guess I don't think of all that other stuff, I just mix it and go. But Like Kurt said TEC does take longer to go off.

[Jules]

We used it on this last big job because it was the product supplied by the tile distributors. I have to tell you I wasn't all that pleased with the coloring. Fairly light colored grouts...but whatever red pigment they used to get a taupy finish was a nightmare.

After coming across the first red streak 5 minutes into grouting, I went back and mixed batches by hand, really working and incorporating and making SURE it was mixed thoroughly. And even so.....you'd be floating the grout and come across one grain of red (on average, this would happen every 3 square ft or so) that would streak and smear through as you were sponging off. Then you'd have to go back with the sponge and really blend that streak in and try to gently wipe it away without washing out your grout. What a PITA.

The second color....Antique White....mixed up to look almost a dark brown. Pretty scary, I must tell ya......lol.....but I trusted the bag was labeled correctly. Well.....it did dry much lighter....but splotchy, and took almost 2 weeks before most of the joints looked uniform in color. (Before you ask....no I did not do the vinegar solution for effluescence....I wanted to see if it would even itself out first.)

Gotta tell you......I don't think I'll use it again. I mix grout a tad dryer for my walls than most tilesetters I've worked with....but the floor guys used too much water with it IMO. The floor joints have pinholes and if you rub a finger down the joints....they'll crumble away some. For this I can't blame the grout, but in trying to save my knees, I'm sort of sorry we hired someone else instead of biting the bullet and buying some top-of-the-line kneepads.....LOL.

True...they got it done in a quarter of the time....but the results are less than stellar. We now have to have another contractor in (at the flooring contractor's expense, of course) to redo the tile around the floor registers. They aren't even close to being a good fit.....another PITA...

A bit ......sorry for the rant.....LOL.

[Madison Mike]

Tanks fer da info. I never really noticed until the other day that Hydroment was OK up to 1 1/2" joints. I was wondering what made its kung fu so strong. I'm slower than most tilesetters, partly because I've only been on my own a year or so, not only doing tile, but wood, laminate, carpet *yuk* and vinyl. I've got it down to where I don't make many mistakes anymore, so now I can concentrate on getting done quicker.


Thanks everybody!


PS:Musky Mike - seems like you've been posting to just about everybody's threads! I've learned a lot from reading your replies. How do ya manage to work, fish and answer so many questions?


Mike
Madison, WI

[Mad dog]

Mike,

I'm in Madison too. I use Hydroment grout a lot. I do like it as long as you use the additive. It stinks like a bad perm job or something just as yucky but it really is good grout, especially with respect to not cracking and staying watertight. Just my opinion, but I tile just about every week doing kitchen and bath remodeling.

Dog

[muskymike]

Just used some yesterday. I mean Wed. It spread nice and wiped nice. Yeah Dog it does smell kinda funky.

[Chris the Rep]

Smell comes from the added portland cement, worse if you add their 425 Acrylic Additive. Always reminded me of the smell of a diaper pail.

Someone else mentioned the slow set times of some of the other grouts. Hydroment does set fast in the joints, usually it will take light foot traffic in
2-3 hours. With fast setting thin-set, a lot of residential jobs can be one day projects. If you ever get a chance to use their fast-set, it's nice stuff, very predictable on the pot life and set times.

Chris

[tilelayer]

hydroment i used like 3 times in my life its awesome stuff, and they claims its not polymer enhanced or something. but i grouted my basement bathroom with it and set the toilet 1 hour later. TECs all we use i think its the best. I wish me used more mapei cause i think it rocks. i know polyblend blows

[Arn]

I use Hydroment grout a lot. Not out of choice, but one of my stores sells it only. Easy to mix, spread and clean. yes pigment chunks but that is probably why they want you to ?slake? it. Color seems fairly consistant to the samples.
I think it smells like blueberries

~ Customs polyblend is the grout I don't care to use. Went through a period where it was splotching badly, so now I'm freaked out to use it!

[kburdick@twcny.rr.com]

Add me to the list of Hydroment haters. I have only done about 5 tile projects...always with Tek grout. My first time with Hydroment...it dried much lighter than the color should have been. I called the store, they said I used too much water either in the mix or clean up. I removed the grout, added acrylic instead of water, used NO water to clean up the grout lines until it had thoroughly dried and STILL have splotches everywhere. I go back to the store and one of the girls there tells me she knows contractors that REFUSE to use Hydroment. I am extremely frustrated, hours and hours of meticulous work and a finished product that I do not like. So...I am trying a grout stain...anybody know if one could use acrylic paint with a grout sealer over the top? I cannot find the right color stain, either. Hydroment makes stain in a bunch of colors but the one I want...grrrrrrrrNEVER AGAIN!!1

[dl]

Only used it on one project but I also HATE hydroment grout - much happier with the TEC I've used on subsequent projects.

- DL

[figaro]

Hydroment would be my LAST choice for all reasons listed above.