If your tile project is in a dry area you can install a specific kind of ceramic tile without grout.
Install ceramic tile without grout lines.
They help keep your tiles in straight lines and prevent damage from the tiles rubbing against one another.
Very few homeowners like the look of grout.
Grout is a necessary and integral part of many tile jobs for several reasons.
Grout lines however are important for a few reasons.
The unsanded type of grout is best for the small grout lines that will be less than 1 8 inch.
How to lay tile without grout lines.
They are smooth and uniform edges that let you get the smallest joint possible usually 1 8 or 3 16.
Minimal or zero grout lines will also accentuate any lippage between adjacent tiles.
Because the tiles don t require mortar or grouting there s no drying time.
The tiles can be installed over concrete hardwood ceramic tile natural stone vinyl and linoleum.
It can chip become stained and create a grid effect on an otherwise smooth tile installation.
Grout is necessary.
If you want the job to last then you need to use grout.
How to lay ceramic tile without grout.
Rectified tile has very exact edges.
Your best bet for minimal grout joints will be by using a rectified tile.
Groutless tile has a higher chance of breaking meaning that you would need to resume the work.
Grout can become dingy looking quickly making a tile installation look old.
For most granite and marble tile i install i use either 1 32 or 1 16 inch grout lines.
You ll also need a 25 pound bag of thinset mortar and a 5 pound bag of unsanded grout for the tile joints.
In most other tile i will use 1 16 or 1 8 inch lines.
In a zero grout layout or even with a 1 16 grout joint any deviations in tile size will throw your pattern off as you move across the floor.
But here s the thing.
Fiberglass mesh tape a 1 4 inch notched trowel a putty knife margin trowel and grout float round out the long list.
There are cases when laying tile without grout will probably leave the job looking a lot better.
Without these precise edges much more grout is needed to even things out across the floor.