congoleum acrylic grout/Duraceramic

cmanley · 11-28-2006, 01:09 PM

I just got a Duracermic floor installed and they used an acrylic grout. I like the way the floor looks but the contractors I hired did a terrible job. They had to regrout the entire floor. They left a grout film which they told me would come up after a few washings. I didn't believe them so I contacted Congoleum myself and sure enough they were supposed to wipe up the "film" with a solution of ammonia and water. It has been on there for a month and now I am going to have to get it up myself witha nylon sponge and ammonia and pray it comes up.
this is kinda of a new product and I haven't been able to find many people chatting about it. Does anyone else have this type of floor. Any suggestions? advice?
Thanks

coinbuff · 05-21-2007, 08:28 PM

Hi. I just finished installing approx 200 sf of Duraceramic in our kitchen...with grout. I grouted small sections and cleaned off the excess grout also using a nylon scrubber (3M doodlebug). It was a real pain, but the floor looks great. I just posted a request for the brand name of an acrylic grout sealant. Do you know what was used on your grout? Have you sealed it yet? Thanks.

cmanley · 05-21-2007, 08:57 PM

I called congoleum to ask about a sealer and they insisted one wasn't needed. since the grout is synthetic it isn't like your typical grout that you use with ceramic tile. I have to tell you that I have had great luck so far with getting stains up from the grout and I have two kids that are 2 & 4 years old. I even got crayon up (and didn't use a sealer). The only thing I can't get up is a sharpie marker stain but using a sealer wouldn't have helped anyway. The grout really does clean up nicely, it is a real plus for this floor. Hope this helps. Any other questions just ask! Christina

Floorwizard · 05-21-2007, 11:53 PM

if installed properly it is a great floor. It also can be used without the grout.

cmanley · 05-22-2007, 06:32 AM

you are right the floor does look nice and not as cold/hard as ceramic.
i hired a contractor to do the floor (I thought I was treating myself and my husband since we are normally DIYourselfers) and what a mistake. They did a horrible job on the whole project and the worst on the grout. Ugh. I won't ever hire someone to do a project again!

Floorwizard · 05-22-2007, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Ugh. I won't ever hire someone to do a project again!

at least not THAT person.

coinbuff · 05-24-2007, 06:56 AM

Thanks for the info about not needing the grout sealer.

jerryb48 · 11-12-2007, 07:21 AM

The grout film isn't very hard to remove. An installer who has not installed the product or has not had training that Congoleum offers free of charge at local venues, would not know to completely wipe the film clean. I went with the duraceramic in my kitchen, the installer did not know and I was not there. Fortunately, I am a Congoleum dealer and new what to do. Instead of pure ammonia, I used Windex and a nylon sponge pad by DuPont. It came off very easily and looks great and feels great.

cmanley · 11-12-2007, 07:53 AM

Hi. I just got your post about using windex. I used a solution of amonia and water and that worked as well. I have since gotten the film up it was just a pain to do myself.

I do have another question for you since you are a dealer. The guy that installed my floor told me I didn't have to put down a sub floor, so he laid it over my old vinyl floor. The grout is cracking all over the place and I am guessing it is from not using a sub floor. What do yo think? Is there anything I can do to "fix" this problem? The tiles are not lose and I am probably the only one who has noticed the problem, but it is disappointing since I just put it down a year ago. It just makes me wonder how long this floor is going to last. Thanks for your help.
Christina

jerryb48 · 11-12-2007, 09:23 AM

Typically the reason for cracked grout is that they removed too much when finishing. (Not enough grout). I will have to ask my congoleum rep if you can just add more or if it has to be regrouted. The floor is a great floor and most of the problems have to do with grouted installations. As soon as I have the answer, I will post it. FYI, I am Congoleum's largest dealer in the nation and if it were an inferior product, I would have certainly heard about it by now.

cmanley · 11-12-2007, 09:47 AM

Other than the contractor that I hired to install the floor (and the cracking which I blame on the contractor) I am happy with the floor. It cleans up easily and is easier on the feet than ceramic tile. So you don't believe the subfloor has anything to do with the cracking? I know after they applied the first layer of grout it has a ton of "pin holes" in it that looked terrible. Another lady on this site complained of the same problem. I asked them to regrout and they did and then it looked fine until it started to crack.
Let me know what you find out and thanks a bunch for your help!

SM1996 · 12-31-2007, 01:22 AM

Jerry,

Am curious about the grout cracking, as I have a similar problem. My flooring contractor has attempted to skimcoat a new layer of grout on top of the cracked grout twice. The new grout either flakes off or the grout cracks right through the new layer. None of the flooring tiles are loose, nor is it a problem with subflooring as it was laid on three different surfaces (subflooring installed by the contractor, steps, and concrete pad). Was told that it was probably due to too much water used during the grout installation. Although, I was told that the grout never cracks! The flooring contractor removed a small section of the grout around a tile--instead of being flexible as it should be, it was hard as a rock. The cracks have resurfaced once again.

As you are a Congoleum dealer, am curious as to what the correct procedure is to fix a grout cracking problem. Should the old grout be removed and new grout installed instead of this skimcoat business?

I love the floor, but am growing tired of the cracking grout situation.

cmanley · 12-31-2007, 08:15 AM

Hi! I had written to Jerry back in November and then was unable to contact him again (something weird happened to my DIY account). I am so glad you copied me in on this email to Jerry. I haven't done anything to fix the grout problem because I am really not sure what to do. None of my tiles are loose either and I didn't call my contractor. He was a terrible contractor and I didn't call for references which is my own fault. One lesson learned ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS call for references when doing home repairs or improvements.
Anyway, if Jerry doesn't respond to me please forward his response to me as I was waiting to hear what he had to say about the cracking grout.
Thanks!!
Christina

haneyhance · 02-16-2008, 09:22 AM

We installed our kitchen floor and love the tiles, but we butted up the tiles and used the special sealer they recommended and it picks up dirt and stains and looks horrible. I have tried everything to remove the stains in the sealer and nothing works--even bleach or a toothbrush with stain remover. Please let me know if anyone else has this problem and if we have to remove all the sealer and start over?

cmanley · 02-16-2008, 09:38 AM

hi. i didn't use any sealer because i had the tiles grouted (and I called Congoleum and they said no sealer was needed for the grout). the great thing i can say about the floor and the grout is they both clean up great. i have little kids and they are always spilling things. the acrylic grout doesn't stain like regular grout so I don't have to worry about cleaning up spills right away. The only thing I can't get out of the grout is marker.