The hassle-free guide to make your tiles shine.
Our Hemway Ready Mixed Glitter Crystal Fix & Grout is made from the highest quality waterproof, mould resistant acrylic and anti-fade glitter for a super long and low maintenance life in your home. With 150+ ready mixed colour and grout combinations Hemway boasts the easiest way to bring a bespoke finish to your kitchen and bathroom.
THINGS YOU WILL NEED
1. Hemway Ready Mixed Glitter Crystal Fix & Grout
2. A suitable Grouting Float (Gum Rubber Float or a Grouting Squeegee)
3. Bucket Trowel
4. Grouting Sponge
5. Personal Protective Equipment (Gloves, Goggles, Mask)
6. Tile Polishing Cloth
7. Grout Wash Kit
8. Silicone Sealant
9. Grout Protector Spray
PREPARING YOUR TILES BEFORE GROUTING
1. Before grouting your tiles we recommend using an offcut or a left-over tile to check there is no discolouration or difficulty cleaning the tile of grout, if there is, apply a protective sealer to the tile and repeat the test.
2. Ensure your grout lines are clean and free of dust and debris, making sure that there is no left-over tile adhesive and that the adhesive is dry before grouting.
3. Remove any obstructing tile spacers so they don’t interfere with your grouting. We recommend grouting in temperatures above 5 degrees Celsius. When grouting in warmer and humid weather we recommend mixing in smaller quantities, cleaning more often as you go.
APPLYING YOUR GLITTER GROUT
1. Load your grout float with a trowel full of grout and hold the float against your tiles at a 45-degree angle, diagonally smoothing the grout over the tiled surface until the gap between them is completely filled. If a crack appears in the grout it means you haven't fully filled the gap, just repeat the same process. We recommend using Hemway Ready Mixed Grout for any internally tiled wall with a minimum joint width of 1mm.
2. Once the joints between the tiles have been filled with grout, leave them to dry to the touch. By using a damp sponge, you can clean the tiled surface softly brushing diagonally across the grouted lines, regularly rinse your sponge in clean water making sure not to over wash the grout joints.
3. In the case that you do over wash the grout, you can very lightly sand the top layer of grout once the grout is fully dry.
4. After a few hours of drying the tiled surface can be polished with a clean dry cloth. For grouted shower areas the grout should be left to dry for up to 14 days before use to ensure there is no water penetration as this can cause softened, colour ran or even cracked grout.
FINISHING YOUR TILES
1. Edges need to be sealed, a good way to do this is using silicone sealant. Cut the end of your silicone nozzle slightly wider than the grout line width and apply to the edge of the tiled surface perimeter, squeeze the caulking gun as you move along the perimeter edge leaving an even bead of silicone.
2. After the silicone has been applied you can use a sealant shaper to smooth the edges and remove any excess.
3. 24 hours later the face of the tiles will need a final wash down to remove anything left behind by the grout, failure to do this could result in a haze left across your tiles. We don't recommend using Hemway Ready Mixed Glitter Crystal Fix & Grout for use with metallic detailed or unglazed tiles, as mentioned above in our tile prep instructions always check the finish on an offcut or spare tile to make sure you are happy with the finish.
AFTER CARE
1. We recommend spraying your grout lines with a grout protector spray to prolong the look and life of your grout, this will help protect against cooking oils, general dirt and grime.
2. Spray your protector spray at a 45-degree angle pointing down and directed toward the grout line 10-15cm (4-6in) away from the surface.
3. Allow up to 8 hours to dry before the surface is ready to use, always check the packaging for guidance.
We love to see all of your DIY projects, using the #Hemway hashtag you can connect with the wider Hemway community to share inspiration. If you're lucky, we might even give you a shout out!