Just figured out why my grout keeps cracking in my shower

I regrouted my shower a year ago and it started cracking again in 6 months. My neighbor who does tile work finally told me I was mixing the grout too wet. He said I should aim for a peanut butter consistency, not soup. Now that I'm doing it right, the new grout has held solid for 3 months. Has anyone else dealt with grout cracking way faster than it should?

2 comments

2 Comments

jason56213d ago

Learned that lesson the hard way too... my first batch looked like pancake batter and I wondered why it kept crumbling out. Peanut butter consistency is the real deal, you gotta let it sit for a few minutes after mixing too, lets the chemicals activate. Also make sure your substrate is completely dry before you put any grout in there, moisture behind it will push the grout right out over time. And don't skimp on the sanded versus unsanded choice either, sanded is usually what you want for anything thicker than 1/8 inch joints. Three months holding strong is a good sign you've got it figured out now.

the_henry13d ago

Actually letting it sit too long before spreading can dry it out. Mix small batches instead.