I did the grout myself—couldn’t stomach the quotes I got for such a small space. Not gonna lie, it was way more tedious than the caulk, and my knees still hate me. Inspectors do have eagle eyes, but as long as you keep the lines straight-ish and wipe off the haze, you’re probably fine. I used painter’s tape along the edges, which helped a ton with cleaner lines...plus fewer accidental grout blobs on the tiles.
Painter’s tape is a total lifesaver for grout lines, but I’ll admit, I’ve had mixed results with it depending on the tile texture. Sometimes it’s like the tape just wants to let the grout sneak underneath anyway… but maybe that’s just my technique (or lack thereof). For anyone else reading along, I’d add: if you’re using eco-friendly grout or sealant, double-check the drying times. Some of those low-VOC formulas take longer to set up, and if you wipe too soon, you’ll end up smearing haze everywhere. Ask me how I know.
I’m with you on the knee pain. I finally caved and bought those foam gardening pads after my last project—game changer. Not exactly glamorous, but neither is limping around for a week.
One thing I did differently was use a grout float made from recycled rubber. It’s a bit softer than the standard ones, so it doesn’t scratch up delicate tiles as much. Plus, it’s nice knowing it’s not just more plastic junk. After grouting, I always go over the lines with a damp microfiber cloth instead of a sponge. Microfiber grabs more haze and uses less water, which is better for both the finish and the planet.
I’ve noticed inspectors in my area are pretty chill about minor imperfections as long as there’s no obvious cracking or gaps. Straight-ish lines seem to pass muster, especially if you keep everything clean and sealed. The only time I got dinged was when I tried to skip sealing the grout to save time—big mistake. Moisture found its way in within a month, and I had to redo a section. Lesson learned: don’t skimp on the boring steps.
If you’re ever redoing caulk, by the way, there are some plant-based options now that don’t smell like a chemical factory. They’re not quite as bulletproof as silicone, but for small jobs, they hold up surprisingly well.
Anyway, congrats on getting through the permit maze. It’s never as scary as it seems once you’re on the other side... just a lot of paperwork and patience.
Totally hear you on the painter’s tape—sometimes I swear grout has a mind of its own. I’ve had better luck with the blue “edge lock” stuff, but it’s still not perfect, especially on textured tiles. And yes to the microfiber cloths... way less mess and way less water waste. The recycled rubber float is a solid tip—I’ll have to try that next time instead of my ancient plastic one.
I learned the hard way about skipping grout sealer too. Thought I could get away with it, but nope—mold city within weeks. Now I just put on a podcast and power through the boring bits. Eco caulk is a game changer for small fixes, though I still keep silicone around for shower corners. Not sure anything beats that stuff for waterproofing, but at least my bathroom doesn’t smell like a tire store anymore.
Not sure I’m sold on eco caulk for anything that gets real water exposure. Tried it around my tub once and ended up redoing it with silicone after a couple months—cracked way too soon. Silicone’s a pain to work with, but at least you can trust it to hold up. As for painter’s tape, I just skip it half the time now and clean up the edges after... seems faster, honestly. Guess I’ve just given up on perfect lines.
Not sure I’m sold on eco caulk for anything that gets real water exposure. Tried it around my tub once and ended up redoing it with silicone after a couple months—cracked way too soon.
I get where you’re coming from—silicone’s definitely the gold standard for wet areas. But I’ve had decent luck with some of the newer eco-friendly hybrids, especially if you let them cure fully and keep the area dry for a few days. They’re not all created equal, though. As for painter’s tape, I still use it for sinks and tubs... my hand just isn’t steady enough to skip it, and I hate scraping dried caulk off tile. Guess it’s a trade-off between speed and cleanup.