1 1/4" travertine over gypcrete

[tbump]

any advise would be appreciated. i am planning to install 1 1/4" travertine pavers, tumbleded edge over gypcrete (radiant heat) 1/4" grout lines. i will be using thinset. best way to grout??? bag or gun (1000 sq. ft of floor). i do not want to screet grout as that would fill-in all the pours of the stone. i will probley have to use a pointing tool. any help?? thanks in adavnce. by the way, i will be doing a french pattern.

[Bud Cline]

No real tricks or secrets in grouting that I am aware of. Grouting of "tumbled" travertine isn't as difficult as grouting "chiseled-edge" travertine.

The use of a bag would probably be the way to go but have never used a gun. Go slow and don't get too far ahead of your ability to "dress and clean" the joints as it relates to the curing of the thinset.

More often than not, people that buy unfilled travertine are in fact buying the holes that occur naturally, and of course want to maintain the voids as a finished asset of the tile. My school of thought on that is that (with floor tile) these "holes" will in time collect undesirable alien matter. If moisture routinely gets into the holes it could be a source and breeding ground for mold and bacteria. I personally like to see the holes also grouted. The contrast of the grout is in my opinion enough to still "show off" the holes and they remain an asset of the appearance.

[cproader]

Bud Cline said No real tricks or secrets in grouting that I am aware of. Grouting of "tumbled" travertine isn't as difficult as grouting "chiseled-edge" travertine. The use of a bag would probably be the way to go but have never used a gun. Go slow and don't get too far ahead of your ability to "dress and clean" the joints as it relates to the curing of the thinset. More often than not, people that buy unfilled travertine are in fact buying the holes that occur naturally, and of course want to maintain the voids as a finished asset of the tile. My school of thought on that is that (with floor tile) these "holes" will in time collect undesirable alien matter. If moisture routinely gets into the holes it could be a source and breeding ground for mold and bacteria. I personally like to see the holes also grouted. The contrast of the grout is in my opinion enough to still "show off" the holes and they remain an asset of the appearance.

I'm with ya on that Bud. I had a request last year to install and leave the holes. I must have looked at them kindda weird, cause they said well maybe not. It don't make any sense to leave a little hole fer vermin to live in.

[Ceramictec]

definitely fill the holes.
I went to a Beach condo that had Travertine set 3 years ago and the holes were so dark with dirt and grime it was disgusting. the people were clean, but when they mopped and cleaned the water still gathered and dirt build up occurred.

[Bill Vincent]

One other thing you might want to do is prime the gypcrete with pure latex additive. Any time I go over gypcrete, the day before, I'll come in with a paint roller and either Mapei's Keralastic or Laticrete's 333 additive and roll a coat over the whole floor so that it doesn't powder out under the tile. Maxxon actually has their own primer, as well.

[Daniel Wachtel]

Gypsum - Introduction - Schluter-Systems

you need an uncoupling membrane over gypcrete

[Bud Cline]

The Maxxon Corporation (makers of Gypcrete) has guidelines for installing tile over their product and it does require the application of a membrane. One of their recommendations is the Noble Company CIS product.