Grouting tile is a job I need to tackle before my home is ready for guests. What type of grout should I use for my ceramic floor tile? Is mixing grout difficult? How much should be mixed at one time? Can you share some tips?

Although grouting tile isn't exactly like laying heavy concrete blocks, I can think of easier jobs to do. If you protect your knees, back and the skin on your hands, you should survive the job with few aches and pains.

Grout used for ceramic tile is available in many different forms, but the two most common are wall grout and sanded floor grout. Wall grout is usually colored Portland cement. It's a fine powder that sometimes has dried acrylic modifiers that help it to stick to ceramic tile. Wall grout should be used on tile joints that are 1/8 -inch or less in width.

Ceramic floor tile is often installed with grout joints much larger than 1/8 inch. It is not uncommon to see grout joints as wide as 3/8 inch. Wall grout can shrink when used to fill joints this wide, so sanded grout is used. Sanded grout is a blend of wall grout and fine particles of silica sand. The silica sand makes the grout very durable, and it takes up room within the grout so as to prevent shrinkage cracks as the grout dries and cures.

Both kinds of grout are fairly easy to mix. The trick is to mix only about as much as you can fit into a half-gallon milk container, maybe less. You may discover that when grouting a floor you can mix two or three times this amount, but for the first batch, mix little until you learn how to grout. If you are doing this job solo, keep in mind that removing excess grout from the floor tile and striking the joints with a grout sponge takes time. As you do this tedious work, the mixed grout can harden in the bucket, causing some waste.

Mixing grout to the right consistency is very important. You want the grout to be workable, so it can be spread with a rubber float, but it should not be so wet that it resembles moist, runny cake icing. At their right consistency, both sanded floor grout and wall grout should be stiff enough that the grout can be formed almost into a ball and hold its shape.

When the grout is this stiff, it fills the joints to the top without sagging or creating small depressions when wiped with the grout sponge. Grout joints that are fully filled look better, are easier to clean and offer protection to the fragile edges of the ceramic tile.

For beginners, the most important tip I can give is to practice grouting on a piece of tile backer board in your garage. Lay the backer board on the garage floor and attach some scraps of your floor tile. The next day, mix some grout and apply it. Wait a few minutes and remove the excess grout and grout film with a sponge. Get a feel for the process before doing your real floor.

Always pull the rubber grout float across the grout lines at a 45-degree angle. This prevents the edge of the float from dropping down into a grout joint and scooping out grout from the joint. Remove as much excess grout from the tile surfaces as possible with the rubber grout float. When removing the grout film from the tile, use a grout sponge that has rounded corners, and be sure to squeeze out all excess water. Change the rinse water frequently.

Expert home builder and remodeling contractor Tim Carter has 20 years of hands-on experience in the home industry. He is a licensed master plumber, master carpenter, master roof cutter and real estate broker. If you have a question, go to askthebuilder.com and click on "Ask Tim."