Maybe I’m the only person (at least over the age of three) who gets a kick out of making a mess, but I would still argue that grouting is the best part of a tiling job—and not just because you get to smear mud all over everything. Grouting is when everything starts to come together and your project stops looking like a collection of individual tiles and starts looking like a finished floor (or wall, or counter).
Related: Bathroom Floor Tile: 9 Top Options
GETTING STARTED
If you have an existing tile surface that needs re-grouting, you will need to remove the old grout compound. A grout saw or grout removal bit for a rotary tool like a Dremel are good options. If you’re tiling a new surface, make sure all tiles are fully set before grouting.
There are different types of grout for different applications. Traditionally grout comes in “sanded” and “non-sanded” varieties; the latter being best suited for tile spaces less than 1/8″ wide. For the purposes of this tutorial, we’re talking about the mix-it-yourself sanded grout.
What you will need:
- Two buckets (one for mixing grout, one filled with clean water)
- Grout sponge
- Grout float (specially designed grout-smoothing tool)
- Grout
- Water
- Putty knife, stirring stick, or mixer attachment for drill
INSTALLATION
Step 1. Mixing the Grout
When mixing grout, you’ll want to follow the manufacturer’s instructions, but here are a few additional tips. Pour about 3/4 of the recommended amount of water in the bucket and then add the grout. Once mixed, add the remaining water to achieve the desired consistency, which should look something like this. I find that working in smaller batches and hand mixing is best.
Photo: Kit Stansley
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On this Fourth of July weekend, we thought we would share some information on the proper etiquette for displaying the flag. Here are some guidelines from the Betsy Ross Homepage resource at ushistory.org that should help you celebrate the holiday with renewed pride and respect.
When the flag is displayed over the middle of the street, it should be suspended vertically with the union to the north in an east and west street, or to the east in a north and south street.
The flag, when flown at half-staff, should be first hoisted to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position. The flag should be again raised to the peak before it is lowered for the day. By “half-staff” is meant lowering the flag to one-half the distance between the top and bottom of the staff. Crepe streamers may be affixed to spear heads or flagstaffs in a parade only by order of the President of the United States.
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Photo: Flickr
Summer folks on the New England shore have a long-standing tradition of flying the flag from Memorial Day to Labor Day. We always flew the colors at my in-laws place on Cape Cod and when I built a house nearby I had trouble finding a flagpole that wasn’t aluminum or some form of plastic. I found a salvaged one made from a 30-foot-long Spruce taken down from an old estate in Wianno–a town in Barnstable County, MA.
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