Epoxy grout instead of a bullnose?

[pchiker]

I have a tub surround and shower seat that have round fronts. They will be tiled with Daltile Portenza 3" x 3" field tile. It has been suggested to use epoxy grout to form the edge like a bullnose. There is a 4" x 14" bullnose available but it will cause many cuts and an octagon effect on the round fronts.


Is this the best solution?

[Davestone]

I have done a lot of roundoffs with sanded grout,and they looked o.k.,but i don't know if you're gonna be able to make epoxy hang in midair, it wants to run like syrup.Really! It'll be tough,how about looking right>>> at the Schluter products for edge material.

[DonB]

I think Spectralock will work for that. I've never tried doing a bullnose but I've played around with it enough to know that it will hold a shape when fresh and when cured it can be ground and sanded and will take a pretty fair polish. A bar of it maintains it's integrity no matter what kind of punishment you want to inflict upon it. It's very strong stuff. Good idea

Don

[Davestone]

Good to know, i've never used it,but ya never know when you'll have to.

[NVC]

I can't speak for bull-nosing epoxy grout or for Don's amazing experiments (still pushing him to get on with Latecrete's R&D ),
but the Spectra-lock Pro grout has an epoxy'esce runny quality to it, even with all the powder added.
A lot of this depends on the air/ambient temp that it's mixed in (i.e. hotter weather it sets up quicker/colder slower)

If it does run on you, you can grout everything else and let it go off in the bucket a bit and then do the edge once the mix is stiffer. This is what I've done on toe-kicks, and the joints that butt up to carpet, as they always run down or out, and it works fine.

hope this helps,
Mark

[DonB]

The only thing I've ever done similar to this is make sample bars of the grout for color verification. I use 0.05 mini, mix it and form it into a bar. No slump, no fall. I shape it and there it is. I'm attaching a pic of one. This particular bar I made for matching the color to the blue pearl.

I've thought about this bullnose thing a while. I believe if the stuff gets a good tooth, it will stick and work just fine but proper shaping will be tricky. It may be labor intensive as it may require a lot of sanding. The little bar I made wasn't done with anything aesthetic in mind, just formed with my fingers. You get the idea.

Don

[NVC]

Hi Don,
I don't doubt ya, and just so ya know I wasn't being sarcastic,(not that I don't enjoy being sarcastic, but I really wasn't ) because you've experimented far more with it than I have and I'm just posting what I've experienced with the stuff.

I use 0.05 mini

I guessing this is digi-scaled out, yes?
I've only mixed either 'full units' or 'mini-units' and the temps have been in the 70-80'ish degree ranges and it's syrup, until it goes off. Feel free to add my datum to the study, but that's all I've got thus far. I've yet to try machine polishing it, but wouldn't be surprised if it was possible because the stuff is bullet-proof.

Mark

[DonB]

Hey Mark,

I know. Actually, the thought never crossed my mind.

Maybe I didn't do my decimals right. Brain damage is painless but significant It was one half of one percent of a mini. 0.7 gr of A, 0.7 gr of B and 5.4 gr of C. The actual proportion calls for 5 grams of C but Laticrete puts way more than a kilo in these cartons so I use actual rather than advertised. The worst I found was 1090 grams or 9% heavy. All I've seen are 5-9% heavy.

I work at 78 but can't say that I've ever mixed any that could be considered syrupy. That bar you see in my pitcher was formed directly outta the mixing pot. No resting time.

It does polish nicely. I put the side of a bar to a 600 and 1200 wet drum and busted a nice shine. It is very hard. 3000 diamond on a felt wheel won't touch it as far as cutting.

Don