Lifestyle
The Pros and Cons of Different Types of Grout: Choosing the Right Grout for Your Tile Project
When it comes to tiling, grout is more than just a finishing touch – it’s a critical component that holds your tiles in place, protects them from damage, and influences the overall appearance of your installation. With several types of grout available, each with its own pros and cons, choosing the right one for your project can be daunting. In this post, we’ll break down the different types of grout and offer some guidance on how to make the best choice for your tile project.
Sanded Grout
Pros:
- Durability: Sanded grout is the go-to option for areas with high foot traffic or where the tiles are subject to heavy wear and tear. The added sand provides strength and resistance to cracking.
- Affordability: Typically, sanded grout is more affordable than other types, making it a popular choice for larger projects.
- Versatility: Sanded grout works well with most tile materials, particularly in installations with wider grout lines (1/8 inch or more).
Cons:
- Not suitable for narrow joints: The coarse texture of sanded grout can make it difficult to use in smaller grout lines (less than 1/8 inch), leading to a rough and uneven finish.
- Can scratch delicate tiles: The abrasive sand particles in this grout can scratch softer tiles like marble, so it’s best avoided for polished or highly sensitive materials.
Best for: Floors, high-traffic areas, and tiles with wider grout joints.
Unsanded Grout
Pros:
- Smooth texture: Unsanded grout is smooth and free of abrasive particles, making it ideal for delicate tiles like marble, limestone, and polished ceramics.
- Perfect for narrow joints: It’s designed for smaller grout lines (less than 1/8 inch), creating a sleek, seamless finish.
- Less shrinkage: Without the sand, unsanded grout experiences less shrinkage, reducing the likelihood of cracks in narrow spaces.
Cons:
- Less durable for larger joints: Unsanded grout is not as strong as sanded grout in wider gaps, making it more prone to cracking when used in larger joints.
- Higher cost: While not excessively expensive, unsanded grout tends to be pricier than sanded grout due to its specialised use.
Best for: Walls, backsplashes, delicate tiles, and areas with narrow grout lines.
Epoxy Grout
Pros:
- Waterproof: Epoxy grout is incredibly resistant to moisture, making it the ideal choice for areas exposed to water, such as showers and pools.
- Stain-resistant: Epoxy grout doesn’t absorb liquids like traditional cement-based grout, so it’s highly resistant to stains, making it perfect for kitchens and bathrooms.
- Durability: Once cured, epoxy grout is incredibly strong, resistant to cracks, and suitable for both interior and exterior applications.
Cons:
- Higher cost: Epoxy grout is more expensive than sanded or unsanded grout, so it might not be the best choice for large-scale projects.
- Difficult application: Installing epoxy grout can be challenging, requiring a skilled hand and careful timing, as it tends to set quickly.
- Limited colour choices: Epoxy grout may not offer as wide a variety of colours as other types, limiting your design options.
Best for: Bathrooms, kitchens, outdoor spaces, and areas prone to moisture and stains.
Furan Grout
Pros:
- Chemical resistance: Furan grout is highly resistant to chemicals, making it a preferred choice for industrial or commercial settings where exposure to harsh substances is common.
- Durability: Like epoxy, furan grout is extremely strong and durable, ensuring long-lasting performance.
Cons:
- Complex installation: Furan grout is notoriously difficult to install and requires professional application due to its precise mixing and handling needs.
- Limited use in residential projects: Because of its industrial nature, furan grout is rarely used in homes and is better suited to commercial or specialised applications.
Best for: Commercial kitchens, laboratories, and industrial spaces exposed to chemicals.
Choosing the Right Grout for Your Project
The type of grout you choose should depend on the specific needs of your tile project. Here are some key considerations to help you make the right choice:
- Tile material: If you’re working with delicate tiles like marble or polished ceramics, opt for unsanded grout to avoid scratching the surface. For tougher materials like porcelain or natural stone, sanded grout is usually the best option.
- Grout line width: For grout lines wider than 1/8 inch, sanded grout provides the strength and durability needed to fill the gaps. For narrower lines, unsanded grout will give you a smooth and seamless finish.
- Moisture exposure: Areas like showers, pools, and kitchens benefit from epoxy grout’s waterproof and stain-resistant properties. While it’s more expensive, the long-term durability makes it a worthwhile investment in these moisture-prone spaces.
- Level of foot traffic: High-traffic areas like floors and entryways need a durable grout that can withstand wear and tear. Sanded grout or epoxy grout is ideal for these spaces.
Lastly, maintaining your grout over time is essential to ensure its longevity and aesthetic appeal. Regular cleaning and sealing (for cement-based grouts) are crucial, and if your grout ever needs refreshing, you can rely on a tile and grout cleaning service to restore its original look and keep your tiles in pristine condition.
Choosing the right grout for your project may seem overwhelming, but with careful consideration of your tile material, joint size, and the environment, you’ll achieve a long-lasting and beautiful result.
Lifestyle
New App Crossed Helps College Students Forge Real Connections Beyond the Screen
Gen Z is breaking up with dating apps, and for good reason. Many of these platforms just grab your eyeballs and hold on to them until you feel drained, rather than help you do what you logged on to do — find new friends, professional contacts, and exciting people to date. That’s why more and more college students are declining to join them.
However, technology doesn’t necessarily have to be a problem — at least, not if it’s approached correctly.
Due to one new app’s uncanny ability to help college students grow their social circles in real life, it’s fast becoming the most popular new social networking platform on campus. Called Crossed, the app bridges the online and real worlds, taking advantage of technology’s strengths while shedding its weaknesses.
By leveraging sophisticated geolocation technology in a whole new way, Crossed introduces people who have literally crossed each others’ paths. As a result, they can make new friends and connections without even trying.
Crossed can be used to find friends, professional contacts, and dates
While Crossed can be used as a dating app, that’s only part of what it offers. Users can choose to participate in any or all of its three modes: Dating, Friendship, and Business, which is dedicated to professional networking.
Each mode is entirely distinct from the others, which means users’ profiles are never shared with anyone who isn’t interested in the same kind of connection as themselves. Gone are the days of disappointing other people because you reached out to them on a dating app as a possible friend or business contact, not a romantic interest.
College students have been finding numerous ways to use all three modes. The Business mode helps them meet other students in their courses and find study partners, while the Friendship mode connects them to other students who want to do fun activities or hang out together, and the Dating mode helps them find prospects to talk to and possibly ignite a relationship with.
Crossed does all this without any annoying swiping.
Crossed introduces you to those whose paths you’ve just crossed
Crossed’s innovative approach doesn’t require you to make snap judgments about hundreds of people based on their profile pictures. Instead, it uses cutting-edge geolocation technology to serve as your ultimate best friend, paying close attention to what you like to do and where you tend to go. Then, it scans the environment, searching for other members of the Crossed community who have similar habits. It only alerts you to the existence of other users whose paths have literally crossed your own.
“Say you love sailing or rowing,” says Conor Crighton, co-founder and COO of Crossed. “Crossed can introduce you to other people who go to the boathouse. If you like to study in the art history library, then it can introduce you to other students who do the same thing. Maybe you’re a big coffee connoisseur — Crossed can introduce you to other people who hang out at the same coffee shop.”
“If you went to a party but didn’t have the nerve to talk to someone, Crossed can come to your rescue, pointing out that you were both in the same place the night before,” says Manny Manzel, co-founder and CEO of Crossed. “That’s a much easier way to start a conversation. Plus, you won’t have to scream at each other over loud music.”
While other social networking apps require lots of time and effort, Crossed works in the background while you do other things. “The app multitasks on your behalf,” Manzel explains. “It constantly works to find new contacts for you so that you don’t have to. It also introduces you to people so you don’t have to walk up to them for no apparent reason and go through the awkwardness of introducing yourself cold.”
Crossed also takes security seriously. All communication on the platform is encrypted to the highest standards, and its “Safe Mode” feature allows users to choose which potential matches can view their profiles. Additionally, once Crossed’s “Safe Mode” is activated, you will not appear to other users around you unless you are both at a safe distance apart to further protect your personal safety and avoid unwanted matches.
Fill your college experience with fun
No one should spend their precious college years holed up in their dorm room, staring at a screen and feeling lonely. With Crossed, no one needs to anymore.
Crossed helps college students get out of their dorm rooms, make friends, and find those special people who are interested in the same things as themselves. In this way, Crossed puts technology in service of the real world, rather than vice versa.
Meet the people who will be your college friends for the rest of your life. Meet your future roommates and business partners. Meet the love of your life. Join Crossed today!
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