How to grout a power shower or wet room

Grouting a shower or your general bathroom area requires no further expertise than any other area of the home. The key is to ensure maximum coverage to avoid any gaps that could lead to future water damage.

You can read up on grout floats, what they and how to use them in our dedicated grouting guides.

However, if you require a power shower or have opted for a wet room style bathroom, then there are a few necessary steps to follow when grouting the walls and floors of your new bathroom.  We talk you through the most recommended techniques for grouting a power shower or a wet room and the right tools for the job.

Power showers are most common in areas of lower water pressure, they combine water from your hot and cold water supplies and then use a pump to boost the pressure meaning you get a decent flow of water through your shower. Although a nicer shower experience, it does mean your bathroom needs a little more prep work when tiling to ensure your bathroom is watertight.

Opting for a wet room can save a lot of space and is particularly popular in compact or awkward spaces or for those that struggle with disabilities. Tiles take the place of a tray meaning the water flows from the shower head, over the floor into a direct drain. In the same vain as a power shower, due to the large volume of water, you need to ensure a wet room space is adequately prepped to handle the level of moisture.

When tiling a wall or floor, make sure your grout lines are clean and free from any excess tile adhesive as this can interact and discolour your grout, you can clean the tile surface and grout lines with a damp sponge.

Make sure your adhesive has fully dried. Always check the adhesive manufacturer’s instructions on set-time and remember that setting times will vary depending on environmental conditions i.e. adhesives will set slower in colder temperatures and quicker in hotter conditions.

Grouting too quickly can prevent the adhesive from fully setting running the risk of the tile debonding from the wall. Another more common problem can be grout discolouration, this is caused by moisture evaporating from the adhesive passing up through the grout leaving spots or larger discoloured areas.

Typically:

- Ready-mixed adhesives take 24 hours to set

- Rapid-setting adhesives take between 4-6 hours

- Standard adhesive sets from 16+ hours

Ensure any spacers which are still embedded in your adhesive are removed or punched fully into the adhesive bed, leaving them in will add strength and structure to your tiling.

Before grouting, check any potential staining risk by applying grout to a few tiles in a small trial area or better still, use an unused tile or offcut. If discoloration occurs or difficulties are encountered with cleaning off any surplus grout, apply BAL Protective Sealer and repeat the trial.

For glass, some natural stone, profile trims and absorbent, textured or soft ceramic tiles which may be vulnerable to surface scratching, test in a small inconspicuous area to ensure compatibility. Alternatively consult the tile manufacturer or distributor for further advice. See also BS 5385: Part 1 for further information.

Ensure the correct grout is used for the space, tile type and substrate material, always reading the manufacturer’s instructions.

BAL Micromax 3 is recommended for a power shower and wet room areas for both wall and floor grouting.

Tiling in hot and humid weather will dramatically alter the setting times so always mix up small quantities, grout and clean off a little at a time in warmer conditions.

Mix water and grout powder in a mixing bucket as instructed on the packaging bearing in mind not to mix too much as it will harden quickly. Always mix to the instructions on the bag as different grouts require differing quantities of water.

The use of a propeller type stirrer in a slow speed drill is advantageous. Place some grout on the tiles, hold the grout float at a 45° angle and apply the grout ensuring all the joints are filled.

To read more on perfecting your grouting technique, how to finish your tiles to a professional standard and how to maintain your tiles going forward, read our ‘how to tile a wall’ guide.

As per British Standards (BS 5385 Part 4), a shower or wet room should not be used for at least 2 weeks after grouting to allow the grout to fully cure.