Mixing and spreading tile adhesive and grout

Learn to mix tile adhesive and grout to the right consistency and spread them correctly, first time.

MG-01Know your two products before you startTile adhesive is the thick paste that sticks tiles to the wall or floor. Grout is the different, usually thinner mix that fills the gaps between tiles once they're stuck down. They come as powder in bags and you mix each with water separately - never mix them together. Buy the adhesive and grout made for your job (e.g. wall, floor, or wet room) as they're not all the same strength.

MG-02Measure water first, then add powderPour the water into a clean bucket first, then add the powder on top - not the other way round. Follow the ratio on the bag (usually written as so many litres of water per bag). Add powder gradually while stirring, rather than tipping it all in at once, or you'll get dry lumps at the bottom that never mix in.

1 bag · Tile adhesive powder (20kg bag)

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MG-03Mix with a paddle until smoothA mixing paddle is a whisk-shaped attachment that fits in a power drill and does the stirring for you. Mix on slow speed, moving the paddle up and down through the bucket, until there are no lumps and it looks like thick porridge or peanut butter. It should hold its shape on the trowel without slumping, but still spread when you push it.

MG-04Let it rest, then mix again brieflyThis resting time is called slaking. Leave the mixed adhesive or grout alone for the time stated on the bag - usually 5 to 10 minutes. This lets the chemicals in the powder fully activate. Give it one more short stir afterwards; don't add extra water even if it looks a bit stiff, as this weakens it.

MG-05Spread adhesive with a notched trowelA notched trowel has square or V-shaped teeth along one edge, which leave ridges of adhesive at an even depth. Spread a flat layer with the smooth edge first, then drag the notched edge through it at a consistent angle, in straight lines. The mistake beginners make is pressing too hard and dragging the trowel flat, which leaves almost no adhesive behind - keep the trowel angle steady, around 45 degrees.

MG-06Check you've got proper coveragePress a tile on, then lift it straight back off to check. You want the ridges to have flattened and covered at least 80% of the tile's back, with no gaps you can see through. If you only see stripes with big bare patches between them, you didn't use a big enough notch, or you spread too thinly.

MG-07Mix and apply grout once tiles are setWait until the adhesive has fully cured - check the bag, but it's usually 24 hours - before grouting. Mix grout the same way as adhesive: water first, then powder, then a paddle mix until smooth. Push it into the gaps between tiles using a rubber grout float, working diagonally across the joints so you don't drag grout back out.

1 bag · Tile grout powder (5kg bag)

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MG-08Clean off the haze before it dries hardAbout 15 to 20 minutes after grouting, wipe the tile surfaces with a damp sponge in circular motions to remove excess grout, rinsing the sponge often in clean water. If you leave it too long, a cloudy film called grout haze sets hard on the tiles and needs a specialist cleaner to shift. Buff off any last haze with a dry cloth once it's touch-dry.

1 each · Sponge

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