Fusion Pro and Curing mistakes - Need Advice

8 years ago

Hello, I would love to hear advice from people who have worked with Fusion Pro on this issue. This past weekend my walk in shower was finished by using Fusion Pro to grout the floor, and Prism was used to grout the walls. My reasoning for requesting FP on the floor was to avoid staining issues over time, and I knew it was difficult to work with so I only requested it on the shower floor. I knew I could not take a shower for a week, but did not realize until a problem occurred that it could not get wet at all for a week. My plumber came in today 48 hours after grouting, and started to install the shower trim. When he did, very rusty water came out of the pipe, and he gave me some explanation, that it needs another part, and will return tomorrow. When I see that my brand new marble hex floor has rust stains all over it, I panic, and rush to get a cup of water to rinse, and then a toothbrush with Dawn to start cleaning. I am not getting very good results of cleaning this up, so then I call CBP (maker of FP), and they tell me my entire floor has to ripped out because it has got wet before the proper curing time. Never mind my hex tile is also stained. Question: Will a little water before the 7 days really cause me to have to rip the shower floor out? Should the plumber have done something to protect the floor before he tested the line?

Featured Answer

PRO

Cinar Interiors, Inc.

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

Yes it will cause problems. I have been down this road already. I no longer recommend to use an upgraded grout for shower wet floors, the wet floor has to breath properly and allow moisture to escape. Standard sanded grout works best for the wet floor.

Some water, when draining, will escape into the pan of the shower, below the tile. Upgraded grouts do not allow moisture or gas to pass through them. This in turn traps the moisture in the pan. After so many years the moisture will build up and force its way out. I have seen it push grout out and cause tiles to pop loose. Total gut of the shower and retile expenses.

Fusion grout or any other upgraded grout should not be used on the wet floor of a shower. All other applications; floors and walls, are suitable.

Also, cleaning of the tile falls back on the plumber. His mistake, his fix.

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Comments (8)

millworkman
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Did you have a GC? If you did then he should not have scheduled the plumber for when he did and the redo should be on his dime. Unfortuantely while the grout may still work and function properly since it needed this time to cure, the stains will obviously never come out. If you scheduled the plumber to instal the shower fixtures then unfortuately this comes on you as testing the shower abviously includes running water and is essentially "using" the shower.
sunnyinga thanked millworkman
sunnyinga
Original Author
8 years ago
Thank you millworkman for your comment. I do have a GC, but had to hire my own tile guy after his did such a poor job the first time around. It was not communicated to me that it could not get even a little wet for testing otherwise I would have asked the GC to reschedule the plumber. CBP has told me to try one of their Aqua cleaners on the marble. Thank you.
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PRO
Avanti Tile & Stone / Stonetech
8 years ago
Yeah...the plumber screwed up. I've used Fusion Pro and Flexcolor CQ extensively and it works just FINE in showers IF you follow the rules about curing. AT LEAST a week to ten days with no water to allow proper curing....longer if possible.

You may need to regrout. Depends on how much damage was done.
sunnyinga thanked Avanti Tile & Stone / Stonetech
sunnyinga
Original Author
8 years ago
Dear Avanti Tile, thank you for your response. Can I have it regrouted with the same FP? Do you think this is a complete floor gut job if I got 2 cups of water on it which is what I brought over from the sink? The plumber did not drown the shower but only a spray. It is not soft anywhere today that I can feel. Luckily this afternoon, I've been working on the marble curb with baking soda and lemon juice, and having very good results getting out the rust from the curb. I will not touch the shower floor until the 7-10 days is up. The things you learn.....
PRO
Mint tile Minneapolis
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
@OP.

stop touching it ?

Lemon juice is acid, acid and marble big NO NO.

Im sorry your stressed out its a big investment, one which you should not have touched period until the work is done. Youve essentially taken liability off the plumber and tilers plate at this point, id suggest getting them involved and be open and honest as to what youve done. If they are good folk they will take care of you.

Lemon juice typically a ph 2.0
sunnyinga thanked Mint tile Minneapolis
PRO
Avanti Tile & Stone / Stonetech
8 years ago
You can touch up Fusion Pro after the fact. If you need to scratch out a bit of it...no problem. It WILL adhere to itself with no ill effects. Go forth and sin no more....
PRO
Cinar Interiors, Inc.
8 years ago
If any moisture becomes trapped between the tile and pan liner from the drain, expect issues with your wet floor anywhere between 3-7 yrs.
sunnyinga thanked Cinar Interiors, Inc.