Grout drying time can take up to 72 hours; prepare accordingly
It takes grout 24 to 72 hours to dry.
Grout sealer further protects your tile job but adds to the drying time.
Epoxy grout dries the fastest; cement grout takes the longest.
Installing new tiles can give your bathroom or kitchen an immediate facelift. But whether you hire a pro or DIY the installation, you need to make sure the tile is correctly grouted to protect against debris, staining, and water infiltration. Here’s a look at the factors that affect how long it takes for grout to dry.
Waiting for grout to dry is essential to the success of your tiling project. You could take advantage of the latest bathroom tile trends, making your bathroom feel sleek and modern, but if you don’t wait the time it takes for grout to dry, you could end up with damaged tiles and other problems.
Before understanding how long it takes for grout to dry, here’s a look at the different stages of grouting a tile floor:
Setting - If you’re still learning how to install ceramic tile, setting the grout is the final step. It sets the tile in place.
Drying - When grout feels dry to the touch, it's in its drying phase. Spoiler alert: It's not fully dry yet or ready for use. At this stage, it may resist dust and debris but won't yet resist moisture.
Curing - When the grout goes through its molecular changes and cures, it is ready for regular use and can resist moisture, preventing damage and mold growth.
The three stages of grout drying typically take 48 to 72 hours, depending on the various factors that affect how long it takes for grout to dry.
Many factors affect how long it takes for grout to dry, including the type of grout, humidity levels, and temperature.
Each type of grout takes a different amount of time to dry and cure. Here’s what to expect.
Sanded grout: Sanded or cementitious grout is the most commonly used grout for residential projects. It gets mixed with water, takes the longest to dry (usually 72 hours), and requires a sealant. However, sanded grout is easy to work with, especially if you overapply it, as there's plenty of time to scrape off the excess.
Unsanded grout: Unsanded grout also takes as long as 72 hours to dry and requires a sealant. It lacks large sand granules and is best for narrow grout joints.
Epoxy grout: This grout is more expensive than sanded and unsanded grout but is durable and takes only 24 hours to dry. Epoxy grout does not need a sealer.
Humidity levels in each room differ. Bathrooms typically have much higher humidity levels than kitchens, so you'll need to allow for a longer time for the grout to dry. In addition, anything in the room that can increase humidity levels, such as plants, could affect how long it takes grout to dry.
In general, the warmer a room is, the faster grout dries, assuming low humidity levels.
The ideal way to let grout dry is to let it sit for the suggested amount of time, usually 24 to 72 hours. If you need to access the area sooner, these tips may help, but use them at your own risk.
Dry with a hairdryer: Since the idea is to evaporate the moisture in the grout, heat from a hairdryer may help speed up the process. If you have a large area to dry, this may not be the most feasible option.
Use a fan: Helping the air circulate can improve the grout’s drying time.
Use a dehumidifier: If you installed grout in a humid area such as a bathroom, adding a dehumidifier may help the grout cure more quickly.
Remove plants: If you have plants in the room where you installed the tile, remove them while the grout dries to reduce humidity levels.
You might wonder why you should wait for the grout to fully dry. Can't you use the area if it's dry to the touch?
Here’s why: Grout helps protect your tile from chipping, cracking, stains, odors, and water infiltration when properly installed. But it can’t do its job correctly if you don't wait for it to dry completely. Since the cost to install a tile floor is quite an investment, you want to do everything possible to lengthen its lifespan.
The best way to ensure your grout is completely dry is to follow the manufacturer’s instructions to the letter. The typical cement ground found at most hardware stores takes 48 to 72 hours to dry. It’s tempting to touch grout to see if it’s dry, but try to resist.
That said, you’ll likely notice that wet grout is much darker than dry. For example, look at the area you first grouted, and compare the color of the grout to an area you just finished working on. You’ll likely notice a difference.
Grout sealer offers further protection from water retention and mold growth. Don't skip this step. When calculating your tile installation cost, be sure to factor in the cost of sealer. The manufacturer of your grout will likely have a particular type of sealer they recommend.
Never apply grout sealer immediately after applying grout. Instead, wait until the full grout drying time has elapsed, and then apply sealer. The sealer is like the 'insurance policy' on the grout.
Even though you’ve patiently waited up to 72 hours for your grout to dry, you may need another 72 hours for the sealant to fully cure.
Avoid using the shower or walking in the area while the sealant cures. During this time, you could brush up on how to clean floor tile grout so you know how to keep your new tile job looking fresh.
Like any DIY project, there are common errors to avoid when it comes to laying and grouting tile. Having the right tiling tools is a start, and if you’ll be tiling inside a shower, you’ll want to take extra tile shower waterproofing steps, since the area is exposed to large amounts of water.
Knowing how to mix grout correctly is essential; otherwise, it won’t cure properly. The biggest mistake many DIYers make is adding too much water. This makes the grout weaker, setting you up for problems like loose grout, cracking, and crumbling down the line. It can also appear blotchy once it’s dry, as opposed to having a uniform color.
On the flip side, not adding enough water makes the grout very difficult to work with.
You can eliminate the guesswork by hiring a tile expert near you to do the job.
Waiting 72 hours can be challenging, but exposing new grout to water too soon can lead to major issues.
Prematurely wet grout can weaken and eventually crumble. You also run the risk of water seeping underneath the tiles, putting your bathroom structure at risk of mold growth.
Even though grout may look dry and ready to walk on, you should until it’s fully cured before you walk on your new tile job. Otherwise, you risk smushing the grout or embedding it with debris.
