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grout discoloration
| Name: Andyreese Posted: Fri, Apr 16, 2010 at 1:03 pm MST | |
| Topic | |
I was asked to change the grout in a shower floor upon arriving I discovered a hard white substance on the floor It is hard and white, maybe like calcium deposit and appears to be damaging the grout in the joints (like mountains in the joints. Does anyone have any idea how to prevent this? Thanks |
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| Name: Bud Cline Tile Posted: Fri, Apr 16, 2010 at 3:05 pm MST | |
| Reply: 1 | |
How old is/was the grout? If the problem is calcium deposits the only way to fix it is to change the chemistry of the incoming water supply by means of a water softener. Is there a water softener now? The problem could also be efflorescence. The way you describe it, it sounds more like efflorescence.  |
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| Name: Andy Reese Posted: Sat, Apr 17, 2010 at 9:30 am MST | |
| Reply: 2 | |
Not sure how old it is I did notice steam vents near the fllor and the water is city water |
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| Name: Bud Cline Tile Posted: Sat, Apr 17, 2010 at 11:00 am MST | |
| Reply: 3 | |
---like mountains in the joints. I did notice steam vents near the floor. Maybe a scenario is beginning to develop. Are the mountains in a proximity to the steam vents that would indicate the depositing of heated minerals on the floor coming from the vents? Maybe the grout has nothing to do with anything other than it is serving as a point-of-attachment as the minerals collect on the floor. |
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| Name: Bud Cline Tile Posted: Sat, Apr 17, 2010 at 11:02 am MST | |
| Reply: 4 | |
I think water-chemistry is the issue. |
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| Name: Hack Posted: Sat, Apr 17, 2010 at 5:36 pm MST | |
| Reply: 5 | |
No pre slope is the most probable cause. What goes in will come out. If the water is potable it probably is not the cause, except in extreme conditions. |
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| Name: Andy Reese Posted: Sat, Apr 17, 2010 at 7:01 pm MST | |
| Reply: 6 | |
It seems to be worse on the slope joints. In 20+ years I have never seen anything like this |
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| Name: Bud Cline Tile Posted: Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 9:25 am MST | |
| Reply: 7 | |
No pre slope is the most probable cause. What goes in will come out. If the water is potable it probably is not the cause, except in extreme conditions. Are ya kiddin' me? Whether or not a pre slope exists has nothing to do with calcium deposits accumulating on the surface. A pre slope also has nothing to do with efflorescence. Potable water doesn't mean the water doesn't contain minerals. The only thing in that post that is actually correct is the choice of the User Name. |
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| Name: Uniontileguy Posted: Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 10:04 am MST | |
| Reply: 8 | |
LOL@ Bud! |
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| Name: Josh Posted: Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 11:09 am MST | |
| Reply: 9 | |
Maybe a water sample test would be in order before you go too far, that would help with the root cause of the problem. |
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| Name: Bud Cline Tile Posted: Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 11:14 am MST | |
| Reply: 10 | |
There ya go! |
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| Name: Andy Reese Posted: Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 11:29 am MST | |
| Reply: 11 | |
I am going to try to get a picture for y'all to look at |
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| Thread Limit: 9 of 20 replies remain open. |