Tuesday 6 May 2014
Having taken it easy, with a bit of boaty stuff to do, over Sunday and Monday, by Tuesday we were keen to try a bit of grouting. Dave was holding firm to eco-principles and wanted to make the grout himself. We had some fine sand, which we put through the kitchen sieve (sigh!) to make it even finer, then mixed with lime and a touch of PVA glue. The fine sand is almost black in colour, so the grout was going to be grey.
Dave made a little mix measuring everything in yoghurt pots, just enough to do a few lines accessible from the doorway. Our one remaining problem was how to apply the grout. The internet was saying we shouldn't apply in the same way as on ceramic tiles, where you just wipe the grout over the tiles, instead we had to squeeze out lines using something like an icing bag.
In the UK you can buy Grout Bags for this. In Greece you can't. This was our first attempt to make one. Rubber glove with cut off end of a funnel taped into the finger. It was okay for a while, but then kept jamming. We worked out there were little unsaturated lumps in the lime so it had to go through a sieve too.
Then Rowan called in unexpectedly, with our new door for the music room. We had designed a more interesting shape than a square, and Rowan had also made this guitar cut-out blue glass panel. He's going a way for a few weeks, so no more for a while. Very nice to have this one though.
Having taken it easy, with a bit of boaty stuff to do, over Sunday and Monday, by Tuesday we were keen to try a bit of grouting. Dave was holding firm to eco-principles and wanted to make the grout himself. We had some fine sand, which we put through the kitchen sieve (sigh!) to make it even finer, then mixed with lime and a touch of PVA glue. The fine sand is almost black in colour, so the grout was going to be grey.
Dave made a little mix measuring everything in yoghurt pots, just enough to do a few lines accessible from the doorway. Our one remaining problem was how to apply the grout. The internet was saying we shouldn't apply in the same way as on ceramic tiles, where you just wipe the grout over the tiles, instead we had to squeeze out lines using something like an icing bag.
In the UK you can buy Grout Bags for this. In Greece you can't. This was our first attempt to make one. Rubber glove with cut off end of a funnel taped into the finger. It was okay for a while, but then kept jamming. We worked out there were little unsaturated lumps in the lime so it had to go through a sieve too.
The homemade grout bag - and a handful of tiles experimented on.
Then Rowan called in unexpectedly, with our new door for the music room. We had designed a more interesting shape than a square, and Rowan had also made this guitar cut-out blue glass panel. He's going a way for a few weeks, so no more for a while. Very nice to have this one though.
I have been meaning to get a new door for our garage. I am thinking of doing so this weekend. I think the outcome of this was nice; I love the blue guitar cut out glass panel on the door. It is also relieving when you get a project done and it goes the way you want it to.
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