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loganab13 t1_j9rjnyp wrote

Tile isn’t laid on grout, it’s laid on thinset mortar. This is called quarry tile. Can you get better photos of the grout you’re dealing with?

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WittyWest t1_j9s6xkk wrote

How is this a top comment? None of this is true. This is an unglazed porcelain... Close to Quarry but not. Tile is laid WITH thinset not ON it.

Also, it being laid on concrete is perfectly acceptable. I'm not sure what you assumed it should be laid on but even, clean concrete is the best substrate for tile. None of this has anything to do with cleaning grout. Grout is cementious just like concrete so using a cleaning product is mostly useless, especially if it was a lower grade cementious grout. Lifting stains with steam is much more effective. You can also buy an epoxy colorant and tape and paint the joints if it has become discolored. FYI.... ALL cementious grouts will become discolored eventually. You can grind it out and regrout, color it with epoxy colorant, steam it or just sanitize and move on...

I'm actually more worried about the transition between the 2 tiles, how do you not stub your toe on that? Tiles shouldn't be different heights without the use of a transition. EDIT: I guess this is a step down into your shower after looking closer. If you're worried about this being on concrete because it's the shower floor....the waterproofing is under the mud bed which is what is directly under the tile and thinset and looks like concrete.

Is that a wood base... In a shower?

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loganab13 t1_j9s7a6n wrote

What the hell are you talking about?

  1. tile is absolutely laid on thinset with a notched trowel. The qualifiers “with” or “on” make zero difference in OP’s situation

  2. I never once stated it was unacceptable to lay tile on a concrete substrate

  3. This is absolutely quarry tile. I have either personally installed or overseen the install of this exact quarry tile nearly a dozen times in my two decade’s long career in various residential and commercial construction settings

  4. I asked if OP had clearer photos to adequately address the situation. Where you’re coming up with these wild generalizations is beyond me

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WittyWest t1_j9s823f wrote

I have been in the tile sales business for 20 years, directly with the contractors and commercial dealers and installers...I've been to more TCNA and NTC classes than I care to relive. I know my shit. Not about everything but most definitely about the tile world.

Quarry tile is commercial kitchen tile and comes usually red or gray. It comes 6x6 and larger, is usually half inch thick.

This is unglazed porcelain mosaic used on shower floors. None of this is a generalization...I know tile. The thinset thing is just worded weird... We are saying the same thing there. It's an adhesive that provides a mechanical bond to adhere tile to a substrate. It comes powdered in a bag and is mixed with water to make a spreadable glue...yes applied with a trowel.

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loganab13 t1_j9s8jic wrote

Quarry tile comes in everything from a dull white to a deep red in sizes from 4x4 up to 12x12. It is used everywhere from commercial kitchens to K12 educational environments to commercial automotive shops. I have dealt with literal tons of quarry tile in schools and homes built in the 1950’s to the early 2000’s and can confidently tell you it isn’t limited to red 6x6 tiles.

Just because you sell tile and have attended a handful of TCNA courses doesn’t make your knowledge the end-all, be-all. We’ll agree to disagree on this one.

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lit19 t1_j9saeck wrote

Hey man. These are not quarry tiles by any definition. You can always tell a quarry tile because it's been extruded and will have a slight sandy texture on top - as opposed to a porcelain which remains smooth.

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WittyWest t1_j9sa78c wrote

All good, a quick Google image search is enough to understand the difference between the 2 shrug. I've seen how calling products the wrong thing can cause a 10k repair bill when a shower has to be ripped out so you aren't the first and you definitely won't be the last.

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