**Waterproofing and Grouting with DITRA**

When it comes to installing tile floors, one of the most important considerations is waterproofing. Without proper waterproofing, water can seep behind the grout lines and cause damage to the floor. In this article, we'll explore how to use DITRA as a waterproofing system under a bathroom tile floor.

DITRA (Drainage into Thickened Render And Subfloor) is a popular choice for waterproofing floors because it provides a reliable barrier against water intrusion. It's typically installed underneath the entire floor, including the grout joints, to prevent water from seeping behind the tiles. By using DITRA, you can ensure that your bathroom tile floor remains dry and secure.

**Schluter RENO Transition Strip**

One of the challenges when installing a tile floor is creating seamless transitions between different surfaces, such as from tile to carpet or from tile to concrete. The Schluter RENO transition strip is a great solution for this problem. This profile is designed to create a smooth transition between two surfaces by easing the change in elevation. By using the RENO transition strip, you can create a beautiful and seamless joint that looks like it was always there.

To install the RENO transition strip, start by applying grout to the joint where the tile meets the carpet or concrete. Use a margin trowel to spread the grout evenly and then use a damp sponge to wipe away any excess grout from the profile. Once the grout is dry, you can apply the Schluter RENO transition strip to the joint. The result is a smooth and seamless transition that looks like it was always there.

**Keracaulk S for Sealing Gaps**

When installing tile floors, it's not uncommon to have gaps between the tiles and other surfaces, such as the tub or shower wall. These gaps can be a breeding ground for mold and mildew, which can damage the surrounding surfaces. To prevent this, it's essential to seal these gaps with a silicone-based caulk.

The Keracaulk S is a premium sanded siliconized acrylic caulk that's designed specifically for sealing gaps between tile floors and other surfaces. This product is available in a range of colors, including chocolate, which matches the Flexcolor CQ grout color. To use the Keracaulk S, simply apply it to the gap using a tube or bead applicator. Once applied, wipe away any excess caulk from the surrounding surfaces with a damp sponge.

**Flexcolor CQ Grouting**

When installing tile floors, it's essential to choose a grout that's suitable for the job. The Flexcolor CQ is a popular choice among contractors and homeowners because of its ease of use and durability. This product is premixed, making it easy to apply directly to the floor without having to mix a separate batch of grout.

To install the Flexcolor CQ, start by applying the recommended amount to the joint using a margin trowel. Use a damp sponge to wipe away any excess grout from the surrounding surfaces and then use a finger or tool to work the grout into the joint. The result is a strong and durable bond between the tile and the floor.

**Tips for Successful Grouting**

When installing tile floors, there are several tips to keep in mind when it comes to grouting. First, always follow the manufacturer's instructions for the specific product you're using. Second, make sure to clean the floor thoroughly before applying the grout to ensure a strong bond. Third, use a margin trowel to spread the grout evenly and then wipe away any excess grout from the surrounding surfaces.

It's also essential to wait about 24 hours before exposing the tile floor to heavy foot traffic. This allows the grout to fully cure and prevents it from being damaged by excessive wear and tear. Finally, consider using a product like Keracaulk S for sealing gaps between the tiles and other surfaces, as this can help prevent mold and mildew from growing in these areas.

**Conclusion**

Installing tile floors requires careful planning and execution, but with the right products and techniques, you can create beautiful and durable spaces that will last for years to come. By using DITRA as a waterproofing system, Schluter RENO transition strips for seamless transitions, and Keracaulk S for sealing gaps, you can ensure that your tile floor remains dry and secure. Don't forget to follow the manufacturer's instructions and wait about 24 hours before exposing the tile floor to heavy foot traffic. With these tips and techniques, you'll be well on your way to creating a stunning and functional tile floor that will be the centerpiece of any room in your home.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enSo here’s the question of the day: How doyou grout a tile floor? Well we’re goingto share with you one of the best grouts that’sout there on the market. You’re not goingto find this in your local home store, butyou will find it in a really great tile specialtystore. And this grout is called FlexcolorCQ by Mapei. And this is great because it’scolor-coated quartz grout, and it’s alreadypremixed for you so you don’t have to mixit up.So there are a few things that we’re goingto go over today to make sure that your installationof the grout goes smoothly and that the tilefloor looks great after you’re done.So you will need a few things for the FlexcolorCQ. We’re going to use a margin trowel.I know it says it’s premixed, but you stillhave to mix it up a little bit. You just don’thave to mix it up with water. You’re goingto need a clean rubber float like this. Abucket of water. A sponge. And then if youdon’t have knee pads that are clean, likeme, you can use a towel for your knees.Before we get started, I’m just going toshare with you exactly what we’re goingto do because you do have to move a littlebit quickly with the Flexcolor CQ. We’regoing to spread it onto the tile here. We’regoing to use our float. We’re going to spreadit into the grout joints at a 45° angle.We’re then going to remove that grout ata 90° angle with this grout float. And thenyou’re going to do that diagonally to thetile. So once you’re done removing mostof the grout, you’re going to take a dampsponge, like this one here, and you’re goingto move that diagonally across the tile andclean off the top of the tile. This is superimportant. And you should only spread enoughof the Flexcolor CQ such that you can removeit in about 5 to 10 minutes.Now the other thing is we’re going to moistenthe top of our tiles before we put the FlexcolorCQ on it with the damp sponge. This is notgoing to be super wet or anything, just dampenough that you moisten the top of the tile.Let’s open this up. Oh, the other thingI want to mention is make sure you have aclean margin trowel. I went to get mine, andit has thinset all over it. And I was like,you know what, this is $5. I’m just goingto go and buy a new one.So we’re just going to mix this up a littlebit. It’s already premixed to the rightconsistency, which is really nice. So there’sno guessing game on your part to figure out,“Oh, is this the right consistency?” No,this is the right consistency.The other thing I want to mention is the temperaturehas to be about 50° to 90°F in order toapply this. And your tiles and your groutjoints should be absolutely clean and freeof debris.So step one is to dampen the tiles. You don’twant water to be in the grout joints, butyou definitely want the tiles to be damp.And then what we’re going to do is justdrag this; we’re just going to move thisinto the grout joints at a 45° angle. Soagain, you’re just packing the joints.So now we’re just going to scrape off thegrout at a 90° angle diagonally to the tile.And just sponge this off. This part is superduper important because you don’t want thisgrout to be sitting on top of the tile.Now you can also shape the grout joints withyour sponge. So feel free to do that. Youdon’t want any excess water in the groutjoints. So just lightly go over this withyour sponge. Okay, that’s good enough forthere. We’re going to move on to the nextsection now.So again, we’re just going to lightly dampenthe top portion of the tile. So as I movefrom right to left here, I’m just goingto scrape that grout off the top of the tileat that 90° angle. So I’m kind of movingthe grout from right to left and moving itinto the grout joints. And the nice thingis if you see that you have any grout jointsthat are missing the grout, you can just packit in there and then move the grout in thedirection that you need it to go.So now we’re just going to wipe this off.And, you know, you can wipe it off once andthen you can flip your sponge over and wipeit off again in a diagonal direction. Thenyou want to clean your sponge. So wipe downonce with one side of the sponge. Flip thesponge over and do the exact same thing. Butagain, don’t go crazy with this. You justwant to get most of the grout off the topof the tile, but you don’t want to removethe grout from the tile grout joint.So you see how my bucket water’s gettingfoggy? This is a good time to switch out thewater or to have a second bucket if you’rereally wanting to do this quickly. Again we’rejust going to place a damp sponge on top ofthe tiles.All right. So again, we’re just going towipe down like we did before. And at thispoint, you should be getting the hang of it.So again, we’re just working our way outof the bathroom here.As you can see, I don’t need a ton of grout.Maybe, you know, if you’re thinking in termsof cooking, about ¾ of a cup to a cup ofgrout. I don’t know any other way to kindof express it.Now underneath this entire tile floor is DITRA.So there’s DITRA underneath this. We waterproofedthe entire bathroom floor. So if there’swater that does get behind this grout jointor the tile, it’s waterproofed with theDITRA.Here we have at this transition here. Thisis the tile, obviously. This is the carpet.And this is a Schluter profile right here.This is Schluter RENO, I believe that’swhat it is. If I gave you the wrong name,I apologize. But this is a really great transitionstrip by Schluter. All right, so what it doesis if you’re going from a higher elevationto a lower elevation by just a little bit,you can use this. And it eases that transition.So I wanted to tell you about this great transitionstrip right here.So again we’re just working the grout intothe floor. And when we get to the transitionstrip here, there’s a little grout joint.It’s like literally 1/16”, and we aregoing to work grout into that.And then if you do have some extra grout onthe tile, you can just pick it up like thatwith a margin trowel. And yeah, you definitelywant to get any of the grout off of this RENO-VSchluter profile as well. You don’t wantto let it sit there.So what can you do for the gap that’s betweenthe tub and tile? You can use Keracaulk S.This is Mapei’s premium sanded siliconizedacrylic caulk. So you can use this betweenthe tub and the tile. The nice part aboutthis sealant is it will match all of Mapei’ssanded grout colors. So if you want to tryto match the sanded grout color, you can usethis product here. For example, the colorof the Flexcolor CQ was in chocolate. Andthis particular Keracaulk S is in chocolateas well.I also want to say that you do not have touse painter’s tape on the tub or the tileif you’re very comfortable using a sealant.I just wanted to show it as an example ofwhat you could do.Cut the tip here at an angle, and this willhelp you work the sealant into the joint.Also, it’s nice to have a little cup ofwater or sponge nearby so you can dip yourfinger in it and work the silicone, or whateveryou’re using, into the joint.So what you do is just get your sealant goinghere. Fill inthe area. Again, you can just take your fingerand just work that into the joint. Once you’redone applying the sealant, you can pull backthe tape. I’m going to give myself a littlebit of leeway here because I’m the cameraguy and the sealant applicator, so sometimesit’s a little bit tough to do both.So this turned out pretty good. You can seehow the joint here is nice and tight to thetile and to the tub.Once you’re done grouting with FlexcolorCQ, you can give yourself about an hour andyou can wipe down the top of the tile again.But there really isn’t much residue leftover when you use this, and that’s what’sreally great about it. You should also waitabout 24 hours before you have light foottraffic on it. Follow the directions on thecontainer, and you should be good to go. Whatwe really like about it is: it’s premixed,easy to put down into the grout joints; there’snot a lot of residue that sits on top of itif you follow the directions; you don’thave to seal it; and you can quickly grouta bathroom floor, move on to your next project.That’s important if you’re a home owneror if you’re a contractor. So keep thatin mind when choosing your grout, and yourFlexcolor CQ’s a great option for you. Byall means, it’s not the only grout thatwe use, but we really, really like it forfloors, and we wanted to share that with youtoday.If you enjoyed today’s video, you can subscribeto our YouTube channel right here. You canalso watch our DITRA installation right hereas well. That’s what you want to put downunderneath a bathroom tile floor because youcan waterproof the entire floor, and you canprevent your tiles from cracking over time,and that’s super important. So again, youcan watch the DITRA video right there.That’s it for today. Let me know if youhave any questions down in the comments, andI’ll talk to you soon. Take care.\n"