How Long After Tiling Can You Shower (And Why)?

Exact Answer: Minimum 24 hours

The thumb rule of any construction company would suggest its customer is to wait at least 24 hours after grouting, and if not extremely urgent it is better to wait longer. Even though it may look dry after sealing, it is better to wait some more time, as else it might cause a premature failure. After tiles are set in place, it is important to wait for one or two days before grouting and then waiting at least a day for the grout to dry out, and then finally the customer can use it. It is important to wait after sealing the grout or else it might lead to damage of the tiles when the water seeps in. 

How Long After Tiling Can You Shower?

Generally, there are two stages of setting the tiles, first is tiling, and then is grouting. In the first step, when tiling is done the floor is cleaned thoroughly, their proper placement is chalked out and then the mortar is applied. After this, the tiles are laid and the odd tiles are cut to perfection. Then the grout is applied, this step is really essential as it not only imparts to the aesthetic but also waterproofed the tiles and increases their stability. The grout itself requires at least 24 hours to cure however most cement-based grouts require at least 48 hours after which a penetrating sealer is also used. 

This whole process may be long, but every part of this process is essential for the tiles to last long, and it should be allowed to cure at least for a period of 24 hours before taking a shower. Grouting is necessary to prevent food, dust, and even bacterial infestation from forming between the tile gaps. Grout is essentially a dense fluid and it can be a mixture of sand, cement, and water it is the most basic type of grout for more challenging cases where acids or oils are involved epoxy grouts are used where sealer is not needed. The colors of grout are mostly grey while in recent times it is blended and mixed with different colors to make it more attractive.  

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Why Wait Before Showering After Tiling?

The advantage of grouting depends upon the type of grout used like cement-based grouts are used to fill small gaps, while sand-based grouts are meant for larger gaps, polymers are used to increase the flexibility of the structure. Epoxy grouts are stain-resistant and are used in areas that are prone to grease, acid, oil, and similar material. The major reasons to grout as mentioned earlier are to maintain uniformity that is the tiles look aesthetic, are uniform in size, great a finished look, the gaps are filled and no water seeps down through the gaps. Most important is to prevent damage or accidents due to movement of the tiles, which may get loose from the mortar after long use. 

The whole process of tiling and subsequent grouting should be allowed to dry at least 24 to 72 hours else wet tiles can come off from the mortar, move around causing accidents and thus mess up the entire work done for the flooring. If grouts get wet they can crack and crumble which defeats the whole purpose of grouting. Wet grouts can cause the gaps to get exposed, which can cause percolation of water into the gaps which can cause bacterial or yeast infestation. 

Conclusion 

In conclusion, it is important to wait for at least 24 hours for the grout to dry after a wet of 24 hours for the tiles to dry. So it comes to a waiting period of 48 hours at least to take a shower in the newly furnished bathroom. Tiling and grouting are mostly done by construction companies now while people wanting to cut down on the cost of construction do it themselves. Even though it may not be as good as the professionals, it can be up to the mark if the person can follow all of the rules of tiling, grouting, and sealing. 

Reference 

1. https://search.informit.org/doi/abs/10.3316/INFORMIT.185817805992636
2. https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/508530.508534