Ceramic tiles are a beautiful to look at. Many designs and colors of today’s ceramic tiles are on the same level as fine art. Just like a painting, how the masterpiece is framed contributes immensely to the viewer’s appreciation or disappointment over the work that is being reviewed. 

The humble grout frames the ceramic tile. Grout is the material that fills the gaps between tiles as they are set on the surface. It fixes, connects, and keeps the tiles together. Grout is a soft and pliable construction material that adds to the tile work visually as it fills the gaps between tiles. As it dries, it sets and cures to become a solid filler. The grout can also have its own color, which allows it to either blend with the tiles or provide a framing contrast to them.

 It is important that grout is able to keep the moisture out. Once water is able to seep through and get underneath the tiles, the water intrusion will undermine their fixed setting. In addition, any expansion due to moisture under the tiles along with any humidity will eventually loosen the tiles, widen the gaps, and will definitely contribute to putting the floor off level.

 Grout is therefore to be considered a very important material in the understanding of ceramic tile floors and is essential for a lasting appreciation of the efforts put forth by the architect, General Contractor, various engineers, and interior designer of your home.

 While we have set our eyes on properly sealing ceramic tile grout as the end result, it is necessary for us to understand its role and relationship to the component that it frames – the tile itself. That is because attending to the grout requires that we also have to deal with the tiles it frames because they go hand-in-hand. In a manner of saying, sealing the ceramic tile grout requires us to work backwards to the basics.