When working with porcelain, use a grout that’s specially formulated for smaller joint sizes and that complements porcelain’s contemporary look. Discover the best grouts for porcelain tiles, whether it be for patios, driveways or swimming pool surrounds. Includes the best brush-in, slurry and epoxy grouts for use with porcelain.
New to working with porcelain?
Porcelain tiles are one the UK’s most popular paving materials. These smooth, slim pavers are loved for the stylish and contemporary look they add to any outdoor area.
As a form of ceramic tile, porcelain tiles are extremely durable and hard wearing due to the higher firing temperatures they are subjected to during manufacturing.
It is this manufacturing process that also makes porcelain tiles less porous than other tiles or pavers. Incredibly, they have an absorption rate of 0.5% or less, which makes them less susceptible to stains and damage.
Another bonus of working with porcelain is that sealing the tiles is not necessary. Again, this is due to the material’s extremely low absorption rate.
Another feature of porcelain tiles is their thinness. Consequently, specialised paving grouts are recommended that are more suited to working with narrow and shallow joints.
These grouts offer a smoother, more contemporary finish and many contain smaller aggregate sizes that are designed for smaller joint sizes.
Generally, a 3mm gap is required between porcelain tiles. But some of these reviewed grouts can work with even smaller joint widths.
Best grouts for porcelain tiles
Every project comes with different requirements. Which means that it’s virtually impossible to name one best overall porcelain grout for all types of projects.
So we’ve outlined the best porcelain grouts for the various types of projects that may come your way.
Ultimately, which one you choose depends on the intended use of the area, how much weight the paving needs to withstand, and your personal preferences in terms of installation, finish and ongoing maintenance.
Best for driveways
Joint-It Dynamic – for permeable driveways
Can porcelain be used to pave driveways? They certainly can!
You just need to use a grout with the compressive strength that can withstand vehicle traffic (not to mention a suitable sub-base and bedding mortar).
Joint-It Dynamic grout is a great option for driveways.
Manufactured with best-in-class resin and hardeners, it features exceptional durability and is suitable for high traffic areas.
Another great bonus about Joint-It Dynamic – and especially for driveways that need to meet drainage requirements in the UK – is that it can be used to create a permeable driveway.
All you need to do is ensure you use a permeable bedding mortar for the job.
Joint-It Dynamic is made for joints from 5mm wide and 20mm deep.
Read on for more bonuses about Joint-It Dynamic and epoxy grouts in general.
Choose Porcelpoint for non-permeable driveways
If you’re creating a non-permeable porcelain driveway, one with bound, rigid joints, another option for you is Porcelpoint grout.
New from UltraScape, Porcelpoint (available in Limestone and Stone Grey) comes armed with all the benefits of the incredibly popular Flowpoint – including extra-strength, fast-setting AND meeting BS 7533 British Standard – but in a specialised formula for porcelain tiles.
Just like Flowpoint, Porcelpoint is a cementitious grout that’s applied as a wet flowable slurry. But this premium porcelain grout is perfectly suited for smaller joint sizes, with widths from 2–50mm and depths of 20–200mm.
Note: when using Porcelpoint or other non-permeable grouts on a driveway or front garden patio in the UK, you will need to build-in drainage features to comply with UK SUDS regulations.
You’ll also need to use a non-permeable bedding mortar, such as Eco-Bed.
As with all paving projects, a slurry primer is also essential to securely bond the tiles in place. Use Pro-Prime Slurry Primer, which is also from the UltraScape range.
Best for swimming pool surrounds
When creating paved areas around swimming pools, you need a grout that’s fit for the job.
Joint-It Porcelain Epoxy grout
Our first grout of choice is Joint-It Porcelain Epoxy grout due to its waterproof nature, anti-mildew properties and minimal maintenance requirements.
Just like other Joint-It grouts, this specialised, super-strong porcelain grout has incredible bonding.
Plus, as an epoxy resin grout, it is non-staining so ideal for grouting swimming pool or spa surrounds that would otherwise be more prone to developing mould and mildew.
Joint-It Porcelain Epoxy can be used for joints between 1–5mm wide and from 10mm deep.
ProJoint Porcelain Paving Grout
There is another grout to consider if you’re concerned about mould and mildew.
ProJoint porcelain grout is another professional-strength grout for narrow joints, and one that contains clever anti-mould growth technology.
With added silicone, the grout has been manufactured to limit mould growth and repel water, and actually allows vapour to pass through the surface of the grout.
ProJoint Porcelain Grout is specially formulated for joint widths of between 2–20mm.
Before installing each slab, apply a healthy amount of ProJoint Porcelain Primer to the full underside of the pavers to secure them in place.
Best brush-in grouts for porcelain
Brush-in grouts are incredibly easy grouts to install and often celebrated for their eco-friendly credentials.
Even though they are not as robust as cement-based or epoxy grouts (the majority cannot withstand vehicle traffic), they can still be a great choice for permeable patios.
Most brush-ins on the market are suited to wider joints and more rustic slabs. But there are great ‘sanded’ options for working with porcelain paving and smooth stone that still offer exceptional durability and weed-free, power-washer resistant joints.
Joint-It Elite brush-in grout
Joint-It Elite offers a smoother finish for porcelain joints and smooth-finished natural stone, and has been formulated to work in smaller, narrower paving joints from just 2mm wide.
Incredibly easy to install, and available in three colours, this brush-in grout hardens within 45 minutes, dries within four hours and can be walked on 24 hours later.
ProJoint RapidFlow brush-in grout
If you’re looking for more colour options with a brush-in porcelain grout, then try ProJoint RapidFlow.
Equally suited to natural stone paving, RapidFlow has been formulated specially for use with porcelain and offers weed-free and frost-resistant joints.
This grout is suited to joint sizes from 3mm wide.
Best cement-based porcelain grout
Flowpoint Fine
Cement-based grouts are known for their robustness and longevity, creating patios that really stand the test of time.
Along with Porcelpoint mentioned above, Flowpoint Fine is another formula suited for porcelain paving jobs with rigid or bound joints – in other words, non-permeable projects.
As part of the Flowpoint range, Flowpoint Fine is one of the most popular cementitious grouting formulas on the market.
Simple to apply once you know how, Flowpoint Fine is fast-setting, hard-wearing and can last up to 40 years when installed according to instructions.
Another great benefit of Flowpoint is that it meets and exceeds the strict demands of British Standard BS 7533 when applied with Eco-Bed and Pro-Prime.
Flowpoint Fine is suitable for joint widths between 2–50mm.
Save money through our special bulk deals on Flowpoint Fine grout.
The team at UltraScape offer training in using Flowpoint for small teams of landscapers and paving contractors. Drop us a line if you’d like to express an interest in organising a session for you and your team.
Fuga-Pave Flex CH grout
Another great option for a high-performance grout with porcelain paving is Fuga-Pave Flex CH grout.
This flexible paving and patio grout can be used with porcelain, sawn limestone and slate, and fills joints from 2–20mm wide.
Available in five non-fade colours, Fuga-Pave grout is easy to install with a sponge float, pedalo bucket or sponge machine and the manufacturer is confident about their claims to zero efflorescence.
Also in the Fuga-Pave range is Hybrid Bedding Mortar Cement and Hybrid Slurry Primer.
Save money with a Fuga-Pave Patio Pack Kit.
Best porcelain grout for versatility
Joint-It Dynamic
If you’re a professional contractor, you can save money each year by buying your grout supplies in bulk.
But how can you foresee the types of jobs that will come your way over the next 12 months?
We covered Joint-It Dynamic earlier, but we’ll cover it again for its sheer versatility.
This epoxy resin grout can be used for both permeable projects (100% SUDS compliant) and non-permeable jobs that require rigid or bound joints.
You just need to change the bedding mortar you install to achieve the project you need – use either a permeable or non-permeable mortar.
Joint-It Dynamic resin grout boasts a 12-month shelf life and comes with a manufacturer guarantee.
Reassuringly, the materials are stored in quality vacuum-packed bags that, according to the manufacturer, last for five years.
Contact our team for discounted prices on bulk orders of Joint-It Dynamic and other paving supplies.
Best low-maintenance porcelain grouts
Joint-It Porcelain Epoxy and Joint-It Dynamic
As mentioned earlier, with its incredibly low absorption rate, porcelain tiles are – in themselves – a great choice for a low-maintenance patio.
Given the option, many homeowners would also be keen to choose an equally low-maintenance grout that minimises their ongoing cleaning.
That’s where epoxy grouts come in.
Cement-free and water resistant, epoxy grouts are loved for minimal ongoing cleaning requirements. Essentially, the grouts do not attract mould spores or mildew.
Joint-It Porcelain Epoxy grout and Joint-It Dynamic are two great options for low maintenance grouts, and for other reasons already mentioned.
For the best results with Joint-It Dynamic when working with porcelain, you should keep both the surface of the pavers and the product saturated with clean water. This is to allow the grout to flow into the joints more easily.
Joint-It Porcelain Epoxy grout is formulated for porcelain and applied via a twin-action tube.
Also use Joint-It Anti-Bonding Wax with this specialist porcelain grout to ensure any excess product can be easily removed from the paving slabs.
Best for concrete bases
Porcelpoint grout
The lightweight nature of porcelain tiles may have completely put you off laying them directly on a concrete base due to the risk of them popping off (or ‘de-bonding’ as we say in the industry).
Use Porcelpoint porcelain grout from UltraScape for porcelain tiles laid on a flat concrete base.
Crucially, before installing the tiles, you’ll need to apply a decent amount of Slipbond adhesive to the concrete base and the underside of each tile, for wet-to-wet contact.
If you are laying them on a wet bed, remember to apply a paving primer to the back of the tiles and the bed itself to help the bond and prevent staining and efflorescence.
Our recent article on Porcelpoint covers what to do when installing tiles on a concrete base.
Check the manufacturer’s instructions or get in touch if you need any further advice.
Best for indoor and outdoor use
EasyGrout
For those modern porcelain projects where you’re looking to create a seamless flooring design between an indoor and outdoor space, you’ll need a paving grout that can also be used indoors.
EasyGrout is a flowable slurry porcelain grout that can be used to grout both indoor and outdoor areas.
Impermeable and frost-hardy, this grout is super-fine and suitable for joints between 5–25mm wide and from 20mm deep.
Joint-It Porcelain Epoxy grout
Finally, another great choice for inside/outside living spaces is Joint-It Porcelain Epoxy.
Easy to install, this waterproof and long-lasting formula is applied in a no-fuss dual tube with nozzle (gun dispenser not included).
Professional paving advice
Our team is here if you still have any questions about choosing the best grout for porcelain paving.
We also can advise on any of the other supplies you may need, such as suitable bedding mortars and primers, and techniques such as creating a suitable foundation.
Get in touch with our team for more info and sign-up for our newsletter to hear about the latest news and tricks of the trade.
2 thoughts on “What are the Best Grouts for Porcelain Tiles?”
need advice to water seal joint between porcelain pavers and aco drain which is installed on a balcony terrace and leaking badly. Easy grout was used but gap is 1mm and grout is cracking allowing water through the balcony.
Hello Steve, can you give us a call tomorrow on 0330 122 1025. It’d be better to discuss this to understand the issue in a little more detail, there’s more we’d need to know in terms of what is under the terrace, is it a suspended terrace etc. There aren’t many grouts that are completely waterproof – Fuga Pave, UltraTile Fix ProGrout, Nexus ProJoint Porcelain, Joint-It Epoxy and Joint-It Dynamic are all suitable for wet areas, but non of these go down to 1mm, the closes you get is 2mm. Give us a call if you can between 9-4 tomorrow and we can chat it through with you and see if we can come up with a solution. Cleo