Tile With Grout
There are only a few types of tile that can be used with no grout. Some dry-stack materials can only be used in dry wall applications, such as fireplace surrounds. Others are vinyl tiles or other soft-material tiles that are meant to butt up to one another.
Why Grout is Necessary
If you're thinking about installing tile without grout, you may want to reconsider. Grout serves a few purposes besides dividing the tiles. It acts as an expansion joint between tiles. If a house settles over time, grout keeps the tiles from rubbing against one another and being damaged. Grout also keeps debris and water from seeping in between tiles. No matter how close you butt two tiles together, there will be a gap water can leak into, damaging the area behind the tiles. In addition, most tiles are not perfectly square or identical, and even a few millimeters of difference in size can throw the lines and joints between the tiles off, if grout is not there to make up the difference.
Groutless Floor Tiles
If you decide to avoid grout in a floor application, you must use vinyl tiles. Vinyl tiles are soft tiles that adhere directly to the substrate. Many are self-stick, with a paper backing you pull off before pressing the tiles into place. A razor blade can trim the tiles to size, and you can set the tiles right next to one another. Vinyl tiles are suitable for kitchen and bathroom floors, but take care to wipe up spills quickly, as the water can seep between them.
Groutless Wall Tiles
Wall tiles available without grout lines include rustic stone installations using slate and quartzite. These stones are pieced together of thin strips of stone in varying heights, thicknesses and widths. They are used in dry-wall applications only, and can be installed in various directions with no grout for a rustic look. To install these tiles, use white thin set and rake the thin set with a trowel until the ridges are uniform in height. Press the tiles into the thin set until the wall is covered.
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