Epoxy grout is the king of grouts and Le Fong is the leader in installation. It is the most bulletproof grout available and the benefits are amazing. Initially it was heavily used in commercial and industrial applications due to its great features, however, over the past few years it has gained a lot of popularity in the domestic sector. A lot of people are appreciating the advantages epoxy grout has to offer and are happy to spend a little extra initially knowing they will save 10 fold in the long term.

Epoxy grouting involves installing new epoxy grout into joints that have never been grouted before. Epoxy re-grouting involves removing the old grout, cleaning all the joints and installing new epoxy grout of your choice.

Some key features of epoxy grout are:

• Extremely difficult to stain
• Repels most chemicals and acids
• Does not shrink, chip or crack.
• Very hard wearing
• Can be installed on floors and walls
• Variety of colours
• Never needs sealing

In commercial situations speciality epoxy grouts are used in hospitals, cafes, restaurant kitchens, bathrooms, pubs, cool rooms and freezers. Please remember that commercial epoxy grout is different to a domestic version. Not all epoxy grouts are the same and definitely not a “one type suits all”. We carry special commercial grout range which meets Singaporean Standards. These grouts are difficult to install and require experienced technicians and equipment. All our technicians have been trained by epoxy grout manufacturers.

In domestic applications, epoxy grout is widely used in showers, walls and floors mainly due to the fact that it is very difficult to stain, doesn’t allow mould to grow and does not get affected by chemicals found in shampoos and conditioners. Being so stain proof it doesn’t require heavy duty scrubbing or cleaning like regular grout does. It is also often used on kitchen splashbacks and floors, it repels oil stains as well as stains from general cooking.

Epoxy Grout is more difficult to install than regular grout and it does require specialists like our technicians. More labour is required and speed is very important as pot life is extremely short. Special cleaning solutions are needed in order to rinse epoxy grout residue from tiles, if the residue is not removed within a specific time frame, permanent damage can be caused. Cured epoxy grout haze is not removable.

We only install the highest quality epoxy grouts in both commercial and domestic applications. Years of experience and extensive training has enabled us to master the trade of epoxy grouting. Today’s market offers quite a few different types of epoxy grout, we do not use or recommend the ‘cheaper’ types. Our epoxy products are not cheap but they are of the highest quality available and just like with anything else, you get what you pay for.

Available in 20 colours for joints of at least 3 mm. Can also be used as an adhesive.

Where to use

Indoor and outdoor grouting of ceramic tile and natural stone floors and walls. Also suitable for acid-resistant bonding and rapid setting of ceramic tiles, stone materials, fibre-cement, concrete and any other building material on all types of substrates normally used in construction.

It allows you to create floors, walls and worktops, etc. in compliance with the HACCP system and the requirements of EC Regulation No. 852/2004 regarding hygiene and foodstuffs.

Some application examples

• Grouting floors and walls in the food industry (dairies, abattoirs, breweries, wine-cellars, conserved-food plants, etc.), shops and areas where hygiene is required (ice-cream shops, butchers, fish vendors, etc.).
• Grouting industrial floors and walls (electrical industries, tanneries, battery rooms, paper-mills, etc.), where high mechanical resistance and resistance to acid attack is required.
• Grouting swimming pools; particularly suitable for basins containing salt or thermal water.
• Grouting tanks containing aggressive chemicals (purification plants, etc.).
• Grouting ceramic tiles on laboratory benches, kitchen work surfaces, etc.
• Acid-resistant bonding of tiles (used as an adhesive in compliance with class R2T specification according to EN 12004 standard).
• Bonding marble doorsteps and windowsills.
• Bonding tiles in plastic reinforced by fibre glass swimming pools.
• Bonding special pieces of tiles.

Technical Characteristic

It is a two-component, epoxy-resin based product with silica sand and special components, with excellent resistance to acids and excellent cleanability.

This is a product with very low emission of volatile organic compounds and is classified Emicode EC1 R Plus by GEV when used for grouting.

The following features are obtained when used correctly:

• Excellent mechanical and chemical resistance, therefore excellent durability.
• A smooth final surface with low water absorption, therefore easy to clean; ensures hygiene.
• Easy workability and finishing.
• Becomes very hard and is highly resistant to heavy traffic.
• No shrinkage, therefore absence of cracks and fissures.
• Uniform colours that are resistant to ultra-violet rays and atmospheric agents.
• Excellent bonding.

Recommendations

• Because of the tessara’s reduced thickness, it can also be used for grouting glass mosaics with joints less than 3 mm.
• When grouting ceramic tiled floors and walls subject to oleic acid attack (e.g. ham and sausage industries, oil-mills, etc.) and aromatic hydrocarbon, it can be used (available in 113 or 130 reference colour).
• For flexible expansion joints or joints subject to movement use an elastic sealant.
• It does not ensure perfect adhesion when used for grouting tiles with wet edges or contaminated with cement, dust, oil, grease, etc.
• Unglazed klinker tiles should be grouted with the same colour tone. All other colours should be used only with glazed tiles.
• Do not use it for grouting terracotta tiles because they are difficult to clean.
• Make preliminary sample tests before grouting porcelain tiles with a contrasting colour (e.g. black on white).
• Always carry out preliminary tests before grouting stone or ground porcelain with a porous or rough surface.
• Do not add water or any solvents to it to make it more fluid.
• Use the product in temperatures between +12°C and +30°C.
• The quantities are already in the correct proportions, therefore mistakes should not be made. Do not guess the quantities when mixing the two components. A wrong catalysis ratio could impair the hardening process.
• When removing already cured it from the joints, use a hot air industrial drier. Remove hardened from the tiles with Pulicol 2000.
• When grouting large floor surface areas, it is recommended to use it, available in grey 113 (other colours are available upon request for quantities higher than 300 kg) because it is very fluid and easy to apply.

Application Procedure

Preparing the joints

The joints must be dry, clean, free of dust and emptied at least 2/3 of the tile thickness. The excess adhesive or mortar should be removed while still fresh.

Before grouting, make sure that the installation mortar or the adhesive has set and released most of its moisture.

It is not affected by the moisture on the surface; the joints should not be wet during work.

Preparing the mix

Pour all the hardener (component B), into a bucket containing component A and mix well until a smooth paste is obtained. For perfect mixing and avoiding overheating of the mixture, which could reduce working time, a low speed electric stirrer should be used. Use the paste within 45 minutes from mixing.

Applying the grout

Spread it with the appropriate float, making sure the joints are completely filled. Use the same float, but on edge, to remove excess grout.

Finishing

After grouting, floors and walls should be cleaned immediately, before the product dries.

Wet the surface thoroughly and emulsify with an abrasive pad for cleaning joints, making sure not to wash-out the joints. When cleaning walls, the cleaning pad should be fully soaked with water. The excess liquid can be removed with a hard cellulose sponge, and should be replaced when too full of resin. Use the same type of sponge for the final tooling of the grout. It is very important that once the finishing process has ended, no traces are left on the tile surface because it will be very difficult to remove. It is therefore necessary to frequently rinse the sponge with clean water during the cleaning process.

It is easy to apply and excellent cleanability, ideal for grouting ceramic tiles and mosaics. Can also be used as an adhesive.

Where to use

Internal and external grouting of ceramic, stone material and glass mosaic floor finishes. Particularly suitable for grouting large areas where easy application and cleaning is required. t allows you to create floors, walls and worktops, etc.

Also suitable for acid-resistant bonding and rapid setting of ceramic tiles, stone materials, fibre-cement, concrete and any other building material on all types of substrates normally used in construction.

Some application examples

• Grouting materials with an uneven surface where it would be difficult to apply and clean traditional epoxy mortar.
• Grouting of floor tile finishes in the foodstuffs industry (dairies, cheese factories, abattoirs, breweries, wineries, preserves factories, etc.), shops and environments where a high level of hygiene is required (ice-cream parlours, butchers shops, fishmongers, etc.).
• Grouting of anti-bacterial tiles.
• Grouting of surfaces where a high protection against the formation and proliferation of micro-organisms is required.
• Grouting tiles on laboratory benches, kitchen worktops, etc.
• Grouting industrial floor tile finishes (galvanizing plants, tanneries, battery rooms, paper works, etc.), where high mechanical strength and a high resistance to attack by acids is required.
• Grouting swimming pools, especially recommended for pools containing spa or sea water.
• Grouting floor tile finishes in steam rooms and Turkish baths.
• Acid-resistant bonding of tiles (used as an adhesive in compliance with class R2 specification according to EN 12004 standard).
• Bonding marble doorsteps and window-sills.
• Bonding tiles in plastic reinforced by fibre glass swimming pools.
• Bonding special pieces of tiles.

It may also be used to grout unglazed klinker, stone, polished porcelain or porcelain in contrasting colours. Always apply a small sample of the product in a trial area before using it on wider surfaces.

Technical Characteristics

It is a two-component, epoxy resin-based product, with silica sand and other special components. It has excellent resistance to acids and is very easy to clean.

It has a bacteriostatic agent, preventing from the proliferation of bacteria and the formation of mould on the surfaces of grouts, making tiled surfaces hygienic and safe.

This is a product with very low emission of volatile organic compounds and is classified Emicode EC1 R Plus by GEV when used for grouting.

When applied correctly, it produces tile joints with the following characteristics:

• Excellent mechanical strength and resistance to chemicals, therefore excellent durability;
• Smooth and compact, surface finish which is non-absorbent and easy to clean; guarantees a high level of hygiene and blocks the formation of mildew and mould;
• High degree of hardness, excellent resistance to heavy traffic;
• No shrinkage and, therefore, no cracking;
• Uniform colour, resistant to atmospheric agents;
• Excellent workability, highly improved compared with traditional epoxy mortars thanks to its creamy consistency, which guarantees faster application times and makes it easier to clean the surfaces, with less waste and easier to obtain a good finish.

Recommendations

• Even if it already seems clean after passing over the surface with a rubber float, always clean the surface using a pad and water, to emulsify traces of resin on the surface which could otherwise modify the final surface finish.
• Use it to grout ceramic and where floor finishes will be subject to attack by oleic acids (ham curers, sausage factories, oil mills, etc.) and aromatic hydrocarbons.
• Use a flexible sealant for flexible expansion joints or for joints subject to movement.
• It does not guarantee perfect bonding if the edges of the tiles are wet or contaminated with cement, dust, oil, grease, etc. during grouting.
• Do not use it to grout terracotta tiles, the finish of the tiles may be altered.
• Always carry out preliminary tests before grouting stone or ground porcelain with a porous or rough surface.
• Do not add water or solvents to it to increase its workability.
• Use the product at temperatures between +12°C and +30°C. However, at temperatures below +15°C application may be more difficult.
• The packages are pre-dosed and, therefore, it is not possible to make mixing errors if all the contents are mixed together. Do not rough guess the quantities when mixing the two components: hardening will be compromised if the catalysing ratio is wrong.
• If hardened and it has to be removed from the joints, use an industrial hot air blower. If hardened localized residues of the product remain bonded to the tiles, use P2000 for cleaning.

Acid Resistant Grouting Application Method

Preparation of the joints

The joints must be clean, free of dust and free from adhesive to at least 2/3 of the thickness of the tiles. Any adhesive or mortar which has seeped into the joints while laying the tiles must be removed while still fresh.

Before grouting, make sure the installation mortar or adhesive has set and most of the moisture has been lost.

It is not harmed by damp from the base, but the joints must not be wet when grouting.

Preparation of the mix

Pour the catalyser into the container of part A and mix well until a smooth paste is obtained. We recommend using a low-speed electric mixer to guarantee perfect blending, and to avoid overheating of the mix which would reduce working times. Use the mix within 45 minutes of preparation.

Application

Spread it over the tiled surface with a special grout float, making sure that the joints are filled right down to the bottom. With the edge of the same float, strike off excess material.

Finish

After grouting with it, floor finishes must be cleaned while the grout is still “fresh”.

Cleaning of the joints may be carried out using a small amount of water and an abrasive sponge for cleaning joints, followed by a cellulose sponge, taking care to avoid removing grout from the joints. The sponge must be saturated with water when cleaning finishes.

The residual liquid may be removed with the same sponge, which must be replaced when it becomes too impregnated with resin, and the same technique may be used when finishing off the grouted joints.

After the finishing operation, it is very important that no traces of it remain on the surface. Once hardened, it is very difficult to remove.

Therefore, rinse the sponge often with clean water during cleaning.

In the case of very large floor surfaces, finishing may be carried out by wetting the surface and using a single-head rotary machine with special abrasive felt disks. Residual liquid may be drawn off using a rubber squeegee. Cleaner (special cleaning solution for epoxy grout) may also be used for the final cleaning cycle and may also be used to remove thin residues of grout up to several hours after application. In this case, the product must be left to react for longer (at least 15-20 minutes).

The efficiency of Cleaner depends on the amount of residual resin and how much time has passed since application.

Cleaning must always be carried out while the product is still “fresh” as described above.

Application Procedure as an Adhesive

After mixing the two components as described above, spread the adhesive with a notched trowel. Apply the tile under firm pressure to ensure good contact. After setting, bonding becomes extremely strong and resistant to chemical agents.

Set to Light Foot Traffic

Floors may be subjected to foot traffic after 12 hours at +20°C.

Ready For Use

3 days. After 3 days, the surfaces may also be subjected to chemical attack.

Cleaning

Tools and containers may be cleaned while the product is still fresh using plenty of water. Once it has set, it may only be removed mechanically.

Consumption

The consumption varies dependent on the size of the joints and the size and thickness of the tiles.

Packaging

It is supplied in pre-dosed packages. It is contained in tubs which contain component A and a canister containing component B, which must only be added at the moment it is required. The product is available in 3 kg and 10 kg containers only for the coloured versions n. 282 – 283 – 100 – 113 – 114 – 132.

Colours Available

It is available in 19 colours.

Storage

It may be stored for up to 24 months in its original packaging in a cool, dry place. Store component A at a temperature of at least +10°C to avoid crystallisation of the product, reversible by heating up.

Safety Instructions For Preparation And Application

Component A is irritant for the eyes and skin. Both component A and B may cause sensitization in those predisposed. Component B is corrosive and may cause burns. The product contains low weight epoxy resins that may cause sensitization if cross-contamination with other epoxy compounds occurs. During use wear protective gloves and goggles and take the usual precautions for handling chemicals. In case of contact with the eyes and the skin wash immediately with plenty of water and seek medical attention.

Furthermore, Component A and B are dangerous for aquatic life, do not dispose of it in the environment.