Floor tiles without grout - possible?

[kitkats]

I have a typical Victorian hallway - staircase on one side. Originally, the staircase side was floorboards, and the other side was 4" quarry tiles over lime mortar over earth. The staircase side has the basement underneath, eg the basement is about 2.5 ft less wide than the ground floor.

It looked a bit weird with half tiles, half timber. We took up the tiles. The floorboards have been replaced with caberfloor green chipboard, and the lime mortar was replaced with DPM and 3" of concrete.

I would like to put the tiles back (with some reclaimed ones that match) as they were but over the whole floor, both concrete and chipboard. Its all fairly level. BUT I specifically want the tiles to have that tight, victorian lay - the ones we took up had no grout and any water could just soak into the lime, I guess. Now that it's concrete, I'm thinking they ought to be more sealed against water accidents / mopping ??? I also don't know what adhesive would be best - the tiles do have slight variations in depth so it needs to accomodate that, and I guess be flexible as well?

If I HAVE to use grout I guess I will, but I really want them as close to each other as possible.

Any advice? I'm not sure how to progress and the builders are the same

Thanks

 

[tpt]

You do need grout. Even the originals did have it, even if they were narrow (and it was fine sand mortar not grout.

That said, it can be very fine. With those tiles you need a specialist tiler thats done it before, there is very little room for error. Use a single part flexible adhesive, and a fine floor tile grout, Seal them with an impregnating sealer before grouting