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General: Any tips on how to make a flexible floor grout?

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    Hi- I've just laid 70 sq mtrs of reclaimed flagstones over underfloor heating and have almost given myself a heart attack looking at the price of flexible floor grout. Given the area I need to cover, the depth (2") and width (1") of the joints I could be looking at around £1500 just in grout!

    Does anyone have any experience of making something up themselves or know what goes in to the flexible grout that you pay so much for? I'm assuming it is just latex with some sort of fine aggregate added but have no real experience- any ideas very much appreciated.
    Cheers,
    Bob
    • CommentAuthortony
    • CommentTimeJan 6th 2013
     
    Lime grout is kind of flexible, I would use that.
    • CommentAuthorjamesingram
    • CommentTimeJan 6th 2013 edited
     
    You could get some latex and add it to a sand/cement(and, or lime) mix , BAL etc. do additive for standard grout to increase flexiblitly , this might give you some idea of ratio of latex to water to use.
    Mix of plastering sand and soft could give you a gritter mix.

    Seen some tilers just add PVA to water/grout mix and claim it's flexible , though i've got some doubts about that.
    • CommentAuthorjamesingram
    • CommentTimeJan 6th 2013 edited
     
    quick look about , BAL GT1 at 1:2 water is manifacture recomendations.
    SBR bond (any brand) is offered as a cheaper alternative to GT1 on tilers forum.
    • CommentAuthorowlman
    • CommentTimeJan 6th 2013 edited
     
    Those are quite big joints. Just an idea, but why not try filling them with half to two thirds of a weak concrete mix using vermiculite as an aggregate and them topping it off with a more sustantial grout.
  6.  
    Thanks for your prompt posts,
    Tony- I considered grouting in lime as it is 'flexible' but then came to the conclusion that the 'flexible' referred to when building in lime is different to the kind of flexibility that is required for floor grout with UFH- namely when a wall built with lime mortar moves the mortar cracks exposing previously unexposed lime to C02 which then makes it set again. With the UFH the flags and grout will be heating up and moving a couple of times a day and I'm not sure the lime would take it- please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong though!

    Owlman- yes I think I will part fill the joints with something to take up the space

    Jamesingram- many thanks, I think I'll investigate SBR more thoroughly, people had also advised me to just add PVA but I too had my doubts.

    Many thanks and if anyone else has any bright ideas please feel free to keep contributing!
    • CommentAuthormuddy
    • CommentTimeJan 6th 2013
     
    What have you laid the flagstones onto? Its not as though the floor will change temperature by much, say 15degreesC and expansion would be fairly uniform over the floor area. I am doing something similar and it hadn't occurred to me to concerned about the flexibility of the grout. I am going to use lime mortar.
    • CommentAuthorRobinB
    • CommentTimeJan 7th 2013 edited
     
    As JamesIngram suggested I used SBR Febond as an additive. It is PVA, but not like the kids stuff.

    Not expensive and does what it says. Slows drying a bit which could be good or bad. We have UFH but under tiles.

    Paid about £12 locally but have seen it at up to £20 for 5 liters.

    data sheet here

    http://www.ibcltd.net/datasheets/SBR%20TDS.pdf

    No connection with the company
    • CommentAuthornikhoward
    • CommentTimeJan 7th 2013
     
    i have often wondered this and have previously used the (expensive) "special" add mix sold in merchants, but it it just a watery PVA or SBR?

    Could you do a few trial mixes in a corner/under a kitchen cupboards/fridge/etc, where if it cracks it will not be obvious, then when you have a result, do the whole floor
  10.  
    Well the Romans had under floor heating and there where no chemical additives then so keep it simple a very weak mix of lime soft sand and cement do a few trials on some off cuts say 6 sand 1/2 cement 1/2 lime to start to be fair the movement you will get in those flags will depend how hot you get them so dont go mad on the heat other than that make your own grout kiln dried sand and cement add latex or PVA to it kind regards Roger
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeJan 7th 2013
     
    Posted By: jolly-green-giantWell the Romans had under floor heating and there where no chemical additives
    They had the same number of chemicals, just less compounds, but I know what you mean :bigsmile:

    Clear flexible acrylic sheet is made from ordinary cast acrylic with ground up rubber in it. The particles of rubber have a diameter that is less than a wavelength of light. Not sure if you can easily buy the ground rubber, but would think that it would work as an additive.
    • CommentAuthorowlman
    • CommentTimeJan 8th 2013
     
    Posted By: SteamyTea...............ground up rubber in it. The particles of rubber have a diameter that is less than a wavelength of light. Not sure if you can easily buy the ground rubber, but would think that it would work as an additive.


    Or how about fibreglass fibres as an additive ST ?? Or........

    http://www.claytek.com.au/Admixs
    :bigsmile:
    • CommentAuthorRoger
    • CommentTimeJan 8th 2013
     
    I used tamped hydraulic lime between my flags with UFH. Worked fine, very cheap.
    • CommentAuthorWilko
    • CommentTimeJan 8th 2013
     
    Roger how long ago ?
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeJan 9th 2013 edited
     
    Posted By: owlmanOr how about fibreglass fibres as an additive ST ?? Or........

    http://www.claytek.com.au/Admixs" >
    I would not used chopped rovings (choppings as they are known as) as it would make for a furry finish.

    There is a super flexible additive in that list, try one of them.

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