everything

John Smith wrote on Feb 21^st, 2014 at 8:16am:


We must be related, so do I.

Actually, I don't play with house wiring, but Carpentry is my trade, and cos of Renos, you soon learn to do lots of things pretty well. I paint as good as all but the very best trade painters, I tile better than most tilers, plastering is monkey work, any imbo can do that, but I must admit to being a pretty crummy bricklayer.
Oh well can't be great at everything, it makes ordinary people feel way to inferior.

mozzaok wrote on Feb 21^st, 2014 at 9:16am:


You're just the man I want a couple of hints from:

I will pay GOLD to anyone who can point me the way to grouting for the shower cubicle ceramic tiles that don't attract mould and darken-up to look bloody awful.

GOLD.

Hint: Don't even think of directing me to the tile section of my local Bunnings. I've used every damn grouting product they have there ~ with all of them failing. I even painted that liquid stuff onto fresh grouting which absorbs into it and crystalises to form a hard shell that's supposed to prevent mould forming.

Useless as tits on a bull.

I used special silicones besides the usual grouting. Mould forms under the silicone ... so all the silicone has to be removed again.

I went to Bunnings to get some of that special shower cubicle waterproof panelling that is embossed to look like tiles ... good stuff but it would cost me $400 for two sheets plus a $75 delivery charge.

I've been taking showers in my bath for months now while I decide what to do.

Lord Herbert wrote on Feb 21^st, 2014 at 9:20am:


Yes, the wind can take them easily also.

Lord Herbert wrote on Feb 21^st, 2014 at 9:31am:


Good Luck Herb, but so far nothing works really well against mould.
Ventilation and trying to maintain a dry environment is the theoretical answer, but if you live in tropical climes, you've no chance of ever achieving that.
Tea tree oil and Vinegar are good for cleaning mould.
Proprietary anti-fungal additives are not worth a pinch of poop in my experience, like they reduce growth by some small amount probably, so it lasts 6 weeks before mould grows, instead of 5, at least that is my experience.
If it is bad, you have to remove all the old grout and sealant, and wash down well with sugar soap, or bleach, or white vinegar with tea tree oil mixed in, the tea tree oil being the agent that seems to kill mould spores best. Then redo with new grout, then wipe over with tea tree oil vinegar regularly to stop it coming back.

Using Grey Grout can look nice, and give you a chance of looking decent for longer between cleans, and not showing up minor stains when they do appear.

Sorry there is no magic bullet for this problem I know of.

mozzaok wrote on Feb 21^st, 2014 at 1:34pm:


Armstrong on the moon ... (in a back-lot of the 20th Century Fox studio in Burbank, California) ... and STILL the boffins can't invent a grout that is toxic to fungi.

Guess wot? I don't believe it. I think they have a commercial interest in keeping grouting needing replacing every 3 to 5 years.

I'm going to buy the waterproof panelling... cut it to size ... Liquid Nail it to the existing ceramic tile walls, and then ceremonially chuck out all my bottles of 'EXIT MOULD' and etc.

Lord Herbert wrote on Feb 21^st, 2014 at 1:59pm:


In some paradigms, waste can be a good thing. Not seeing it in this one though, more like race to the bottom.