You are finally finished with your tile, grout, and sealant job. But when you try to clean up the next day, it’s not working! Your hands feel like they are sticking to the floor, and your sponge is just making a mess of things.
Believe it or not, this issue possibly comes from the lack of time for grout to dry out fully. If you continue the task with a wet grout, all your effort might turn into nothing!
So, how long does grout take to dry? Read on this post, and we will give you the desired answer!
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How Long Does Grout Take To Dry?
Depending On The Type Of Grout Used
Some types of grout take a long time to dry. More specifically, acrylic grouts take up to 24 hours, while cementitious grouts are the slowest that take around 72 hours or more. The epoxy may be set in 24 hours or less, and Furan will dry completely within one day!
Depending On Environmental Factors
In fact, the time for grout to dry is affected by your surrounding environment. If the temperature and humidity in your home are on par with a typical Southern California summer’s day, then drying time will be quick – about one or two hours for most uses of wet grouts such as tile installation re-grouting shower tiles (gunite), marble flooring restoration.
Yet, cold winter mornings could potentially triple this amount of time which can pose problems if installed at night when temperatures plunge below freezing levels. This weather condition would also require an underlayment due to frost heaving potential during colder months before installing any new tiling project outdoors.
Besides, you should also know that the grout you use for your home will take a lot longer to dry if it’s outside than inside! This is especially true when the weather is wet or humid, but even in good conditions (such as snowing), please allow at least seven days before expecting full curing of outdoor projects.
Moreover, a cold winter morning could potentially triple this amount of time, posing problems if installed at night when temperatures plunge below freezing levels.
Generally speaking, most types of grouts require 72 hours indoors after being mixed; but this increases dramatically outdoors because there isn’t enough air circulation down on a ground level, where all those little cracks and crevices are located!
Also Read: How Long Does Polyurethane Take To Dry? This Post Is Your Answer
Depending On How Porous The Surface Where It’s Being Applied
If your flooring has an uneven surface or lots of holes on it, then water may seep into those areas and slow down the drying process! In this case, you’ll need to wait at least 48 hours before walking on newly laid grouts, so they have enough time for proper curing!
How Long Do Popular Grout Brands Take to Dry?
SimpleGrout® PreMixed Grout: Let it dry for 24 hours. You need to leave it in a place where the temperature is over 50°F (which is easy enough to do with the changing seasons).
QuickTile Frost Premixed Urethane Grout: Mix easily and is ready to use, without any need for sealing. After three days of curing time, it can be exposed to intermittent water exposure – perfect for kitchens or bathrooms where leaks may occur!
Starlike EVO Crystal Glass: The grout will be ready for use after one day exposed to light traffic. It becomes resistant to chemicals after five days if the temperature was at 73°F or more during that time. The length of time will change depending on the temperature. For example, three days if the temp falls below 60°F and ten days if it is between 77°F and 85°F.
White Dry Non-Sanded Grout: Mist occasionally with clean, cool water and seal it after three days or when it’s been at least 48 hours since you sealed your grouting project.
Polyblend Plus Bright White Non-Sanded Grout: Non-sand colored grout will finish in 24 hours. We recommend you occasionally mist the area for three days and leave it exposed to wet weather for at least ten days before installing it in an interior space or under the protection from a roof overhang. During this process, the temperature must be 50°F or higher, but not lower than 40°F, since the temperature needs to reach 45° for the grout to dry.
Tips To Making Grout Dry Faster
Have you ever run out of patience when you’re waiting for the grout to dry? As grouts cure due to chemical reactions, there’s not much that can be done about the time it takes. But here are some ways we’ve found helpful:
- Wait until your surface is completely clean before applying a new product; this will prevent dirt and dust from clogging up pores in the cement while drying.
- Try using a fan, air conditioner, heater, or a dehumidifier if possible. These devices will speed up the process by creating more evaporation on surfaces with moisture present (such as wet tiles).
- Make sure water doesn’t linger on floor surfaces by using squeegees before tiling installation begins, as well as keeping out pets & kids until dry.
- It would be best to remove any plant from the room.
- If it’s cold outside or if windows are opening in the room (which could easily allow more water vapor inside, cover any entrances with plastic tarps to seal off the space so that no new air will be able to enter!
What Happens If Grout Doesn’t Dry Properly?
Weak Joints
If the tiles don’t have a strong joint because of weak or missing ties between them, moisture may seep through under tile cracks, leading to mold growth on walls where water gathers due to poor ventilation inside close spaces.
Peels And Flakes
You can intentionally cause peeling and flaking if you apply the sealant before the grout has dried. This makes it weaker and less attractive!
Crack And Crumble
If you don’t let the grout dry, cracks will form in the tiles! This makes it difficult for people to walk without stepping into a hole. This is dangerous! Cracks can also make other seals that keep water out of your home from working effectively.
Discoloration
The coloration difference is more noticeable when using tiles of white or light colors.
Mold And Mildew
If you have mold in between your tiles, it is bad! Mold can appear when there is moisture that goes through the grout. Subsequently, this makes it hard for people to remove without breaking their flooring.
How Long Does Grout Sealer Take To Dry?
After you seal your grout, the material will become more resistant to water and stains. Sealers are available in a variety of drying times that range from one hour up to three days; 24 hours is typically recommended for optimal results.
Though epoxy grout is not normally waterproof, it can be waterproof with a sealant. Please always follow the instructions of the sealant before you apply it to your epoxy flooring!
Let’s look at two different types of grout sealant to see how detailed the instructions are! This will show you the importance of reading and following directions before you do anything with your tiles:
– 6 oz. Grout Sealer with Bottle: After you complete the first layer, make sure to let it dry for 72 hours before applying another coat. As a result, your grout will be protected from stains and look more brand new.
It’s also important that you don’t apply any water or cleaning materials until after at least three days have passed. Particularly, this will help protect your newly sealed flooring from damage!
– TileLab 1 Gal Grout Tile Sealant: Let it dry for five minutes between coats, then wait 2 hours after coat number 2 is applied. Dap water drops onto the surface so that you can easily check if the material is porous or not – If water penetrates immediately, apply another layer and wait 3-4 more hours until completely dried; repeat the process as needed based upon severity/depth of pores in tile.
Final Thoughts
How long does grout take to dry? Well, drying time is impacted by the thickness of the grout, ambient temperature, and humidity in your home!
As you can see, it takes from 24 to 72 hours or more for the grout to dry. Hence, this is why we recommend you use the right type of product and allow enough drying time before applying anything else to prevent any issues with their flooring or other surfaces below.
If you have any additional questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out again. We want your floors to look great just as much as you do!
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