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The grout drying time depends on a few factors. Different types of grouts have different drying times. Many companies provide drying times details with their packaging. Read the details carefully to know how long does grout take to dry. Usually, grout dries completely in 24 – 72 hours.
You can decrease the grout drying time by different methods. The high moisture in your location can increase the expected time to dry.
The more water you add to the formula, the more time it takes to dry. The drying time also depends on the area you are working, whether indoor or outdoor.
Manufacturers recommend protecting grout from moisture for 3 – 7 days for best results.
Grout Drying Time for Different Types
Read instructions on the packaging to better understand the grout drying time. The minimum required time is 24 hours.
Cement-Based Grout
24 – 72 hours are required for the cement-based grouts to dry completely. Its texture is like sand. Make this grout by mixing water with it. When a paste is made, apply it with a plane weeding knife.
Cement-based grout contains a water-retaining additive to keep the grout humid. The humidity will make the drying time slow to achieve hardness.
Popular examples of cement-based grouts are starlike crystal and polyblend plus.
Epoxy-Based Grout
The waiting time for the epoxy-based grouts is shorter because they do not need to be sealed. Its average drying time is one day.
Epoxy resin and hardener in this grout protect tiles from heavy chemicals, such as grease and acid.
A heavy-duty grout withstands cracks, weather conditions, chemicals, and stains. It dries quickly, so it is difficult to apply. Epoxy-based grout is costly but durable.
It can be used sooner than cement-based grout because it cures quickly. Popular examples of epoxy grouts are starlike crystal and starlike classic.
Furan Grout
The advantages of furan grout are similar to epoxy-based grout. It takes 1 day to dry. It is long-lasting and strong because it is made of alcohol polymers.
Furan grout is made of thermosetting resin material, which is resistant to heavy chemicals and high temperatures.
This grout can withstand the tough environment of industries, laboratories, and commercial kitchens.
Different Grout Brands
Drying times for different popular grout brands are given below.
SimpleGrout PreMixed Grout
A minimum of 24 hours are required to dry it. To cure it, the area’s temperature should be above 50°F and leave it for one day. Leave it for 3 days to cure shower walls and seven days to cure shower floors.
White Dry Sandless Grout
For 3 days, you have to spray the grout with cool and clean water. Seal the grout with surface guard stone, grout, and tile sealer to achieve maximum protection.
Use sealer when the grout has 48 – 72 hours left to cure.
QuicTile Frost Pre-Mixed Urethane Grout
Sealing is not necessary for this grout. It takes three days to cure. After curing, you can expose it to water.
Starlike EVO Crystal Glass
When 24 hours pass, you can expose this grout to light foot traffic. However, it needs 5 days to use completely and can resist chemicals. The temperature should be above 73°F.
Low temperatures increase the curing time, while high temperatures decrease it. For example, when the temperature is 60°F, you can use it to light foot traffic after 3 days, and after 10 days, you can use it completely.
Polyblend Plus Bright White Sandless Grout
Temperature and moisture levels affect the grout cure time. For outdoor grout, manufacturers suggest using clean water to spray the area for 3 days.
Protect the grout from rainy weather conditions for a week, and the temperature should be above 50°F.
The temperature should be at least 50°F to install indoor grout and leave it for 72 hours.
Factors That Influence Grout Drying Time
Always follow the instructions of the manufacturer of the packaging. However, some factors can faster or slower the process of grout drying.
Grout Type
The drying time can vary depending on the grout type you use. Let us look at the drying time of some common grout types.
Cement Grout
It takes 72 hours to dry completely. A water-retaining additive allows the cement grout to dry slowly to get hardness. Cement grout has two options.
Sanded Grout: It is ideal for larger gaps and floor tiles, and there is less chance of shrinking and cracking.
Unsanded Grout: It is slicker and easy to apply to surfaces like shower walls. However, the grout joint should be less than 1/8” wide.
Sanded and unsanded grout for shower walls have the same drying time. They dry in 72 hours. If you have to expose it to humidity, the drying time can increase.
Epoxy Grout
One day is required for the epoxy grout to dry. It dries quickly and lasts longer. This grout does not need sealing.
Furan Grout
The drying time for furan grout is one day. When it cures, it makes a thermosetting resin that gives protection against harsh chemicals and high temperatures.
The packaging has all the necessary information about the grout type, and cure timing is also given.
Humidity
The drying time of grout is affected by moisture also. The bathroom grout will take more time to dry than the kitchen because the bathroom is the most humid place.
Outdoor humidity also affects it. In rainy weather, grout takes longer to dry. If there are some indoor plants, the grout may take longer to dry. Philodendron and lily discharge humidity, so they increase the humidity in the exterior of the building.
Humid air also makes the grout dry longer.
Inside vs. Outside
Outdoor weather conditions affect the grout dry time. If the weather is snowy, cold, rainy, wet, or humid, grout will take longer to dry. Even if the weather is normal outside, grout will take longer to dry – at least a week is required to dry outside.
Cover the area with tents in poor weather conditions. Leave only a foot space for airflow. Before grouting outside, the temperature should be at least 50°F for a week.
Seventy-two hours are required for grout to cure inside.
How to Make Grout Dry Faster?
Curing a grout is a chemical reaction, so you cannot increase the curing. However, you can avoid some outside factors that slow down the curing process.
Follow the tips below.
- To keep the air dry, you can switch on the air conditioner. It will decrease the moisture level in the air and will dry quickly.
- Turn on a fan in the area. The air of the fan will dry the grout quickly.
- If there are any plants in the area, remove them.
- Protect the area from outdoor conditions like moisture, rain, and snow.
- Read the instructions thoroughly to understand how much time the grout and sealer need to dry and when they should be exposed to water.
- To avoid damage, do not seal your grout too early.
- Let the cement-based grout dry for 48 – 72 hours, then apply sealer.
- Use the floor after 48 hours because the drying time of some sealers is 5 hours, and some take 48 hours.
- Use a roller, brush, or spray to apply sealer on the floor.
- Sprinkle water spills on the grout line to check whether the sealer has dried. The sealer is dried if the grout does not absorb the water.
FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions
Can Grout Dry in 12 Hours?
Both sanded and unsanded grout takes 1 or 2 days to dry. The drying time can increase due to the humidity level in the air. Epoxy grout dries in one day straight.
How Can You Make Grout Dry Faster?
You can make grout dry faster by turning on the air conditioner or fan to dry the air, removing plants, and protecting grout from weather conditions.
How Soon After Grouting Can I Shower?
When the cement grout cures completely in 48 – 72 hours, wait for 24 hours for the sealing to dry, then you can take a shower. Epoxy grout does not require sealing and dries in 24 hours.
Do I Need to Seal Grout?
Sealing grout is very important for the durability of your tile and grout. Sealing grout is necessary to get protection against weather conditions and damage.
How Soon Can I Grout After Tiling?
Wait for 24 – 48 hours after tiling, then start grouting the tiles.
Final Thoughts
Follow the instructions of the manufacturer while grouting. It is important to check how long does grout take to dry because different grouts have different drying times.
Cement-based grout takes 1 – 3 days to cure. Epoxy and furan grouts dry quickly in a day. It would be best to wait longer than the expected drying time to get better results. I hope this article will be helpful for you.