Tiling

Grout never dries in shower area and produces what looks like white salt on the grout

Anonymous user 03/03/2024 - 3.06 PM

We had a 'professional bathroom installer' put in a tiled shower floor. There is under floor heating under the whole floor, including the shower area, which is a walk in, flush floor. The grout never dries in the shower area and produces what looks like white salt on the grout if this shower is not used for a few days. Water bleeds up through the grout in the shower area. We have been told that the tiles have not been 'buttered' correctly when they were laid & that the floor is not considered to have failed until a tile/s actually lift away from the adhesive. Company refuse to acknowledge fault on the basis 'it works and functions' Any opinion or advice appreciated. Additional Hello, The tiles are Porcelain, the grout is brown. We were told it was Mapei but the Mapei Regional Manager says it is not their grout (he showed us their colours & it's nothing like their colours). We live in the Lake District, so a very soft water area. It was the Mapei Manager that showed us that water is coming up through the grout. He also demonstrated that there are hollow areas under the tiles. We think the grout is Granfix but have reason to believe a substance called DT1 was added to the grout. Additional Thank you for your advice. If the shower floor tiles require lifting and re-installing, would the whole floor need to be relaid? Wherever water is on the tiles we get the salt substance on the grout. We didn't specify Granfix grout and were in fact told it was Mapei Ultracolour. Since the Mapei Manager has inspected the floor and informed us the grout is not theirs, we were then told it was Granfix grout. We need to understand if this problem is isolated to the shower area or affects the tiling to the whole floor making it all compromised. As there is a below tile shower tray and underfloor heating, how far will 'lifting the floor and re-laying the tiles need to go? I do really appreciate the answers that have been sent. Additional Yes, the floor was tanked before tiling. As to the underfloor heating being screeded before tiling, I'm not really sure. I do know that the tiler found it difficult to lay the tiles over the underfloor heating wires, he complained that it was a """ ache to get the tiles level because there was under floor heating on the slope of the tray, causing 'lumps and bumps' Not sure if this indicates it was screeded or not! Also, if the shower area alone can be relaid, how can a match to rest of floor be made with new tiles or would the same tiles be re-usable? Replies are very much appreciated