Knowledge of Grouting the Tiles
The old rule of “measure twice, cut once” is your friend here. Be very sure about how much tile you need before you cut it. Remove the spacers before you continue. Once you’ve got all of your tiles in place, you can remove your tile spacers. If you mixed your mortar correctly, the tiles should now stay in place. Let the thinset cure. You will now want to let the mortar thoroughly cure before you do the grout. This usually takes around 24 hours. Make sure that the area is well ventilated and that moisture is kept to a minimum.
Remove the excess. Get a large bucket of sink-full of water and a large sponge. Get the sponge wet and then wring out the excess water, so that it is only damp. You want to have as little water on the sponge as possible. Now, wipe all along the tiled area to clean off the excess grout. Do not press very hard or you will remove the grout between the tile. Rinse and wring your sponge frequently, keeping it as clean as you can. Get new, cleaner water as needed.
Let the grout cure. Once you have grouted all of the tiled area, allow the grout to cure. You should follow the instructions for your specific product but generally three hours are needed to cure grout properly (as many as 24-48 hours may be needed, however). Make sure that the area is well ventilated and that moisture is kept to an absolute minimum.
Seal the grout. Once your grout has cured, you will want to seal your grout. This step is often skipped but you should not skip it if at all possible. Sealing your grout will be very important in keeping it from getting moldy or stained. Find an appropriate grout sealant at your local hardware store and apply it according to the included instructions.
Usually, the sealant will be wax-like and is applied using a rag. Rub it in circular motions along the grout lines to apply. Grout will need to be resealed roughly every 6 months and should at least be resealed once a year.
Caulk as needed. If you need to, you can apply caulk as needed around your new tiles. This may be useful at the corners and along the seams, such as if you have applied a short backsplash along a wall. Simply caulk the line, shape the caulk by running your finger down the line, and let it set.
