Do I use grout or mastic around the borders of my floor tiling?

[abenn]

Just finished laying and grouting the first section of my utility room floor tiling, and I have one last (I hope!) question: Is it 'best practice' to use tile grout or silicone sealant around the borders, where the tiles meet wooden skirtings, a wooden door threshhold, and a plastic tile edging strip? I've left a nominal 3mm gap all round.

 

[Diyisfun]

Is the skirting on top of the tile or do the tiles butt up to the skirt?
If tile goes under I would use anything unless there is a big gap.
If they butt I think I would use silicone.

 

[abenn]

They butt up to the skirting, because I didn't want to go to the hassle of removing it and then making good.

 

[Diyisfun]

I would wipe silicone round the edge, to stop water running down & then being soaked up by the skirting.

 

[abenn]

Thanks Diyisfun.

 

[opps]

Is the skirting on top of the tile or do the tiles butt up to the skirt?
If tile goes under I would use anything unless there is a big gap.
If they butt I think I would use silicone.

And as a decorator, I would then come along, tut loudly, then waste ages trying to remove the silicone and then run a bead of a MS polymer, eg CT1, before being able to actually paint the skirting.

Paint and silicone do play nicely together...

Sorry about the rant- have just spent 12 hours trying to remove the silicone that was applied to skirtings in a bedroom by a twit builder/decorator. He used the stuff everywhere, including the gaps around electrical sockets. Took him 5 minutes to apply it and me 12 hours to chisel it out and make good.

 

[JohnD]

do

don't?

 

[opps]

don't?

*blushes*

Thanks, I meant to write "don't"

 

[abenn]

And as a decorator, I would then come along, tut loudly, then waste ages trying to remove the silicone and then run a bead of a MS polymer, eg CT1, before being able to actually paint the skirting.

Paint and silicone do play nicely together...

Thanks opps. I shouldn't have specified 'silicone' in my original post, for I was simply thinking of some kind of flexible filler/adhesive, not any specific chemical composition. I see that CT1 comes in many colours, so I may even be able to get a close match for my grout.