Safer grout option?
Carfar96
| Posted in Green Products and Materials on
Our tile contractor wants to use TEC power grout. Since this is an epoxy grout, I am concerned that it contains BPAs. I would really like to avoid BPAs in our home as much as possible. Is there a safer grout option out there? Preferably no VOC and BPA free. Thank you!
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Replies
Carolyn,
The GBA Product Guide recommends products by Laticrete or Mapei.
Information on Laticrete products: "Laticrete offers a wide range of low-VOC thin, medium, and thick bed mortars. These include Greenguard Children & Schools certified products for interior or exterior adhesion of ceramic tile, stone, glass, brick, and other materials to a variety of substrates."
Information on Mapei products: "Mapei offers low-VOC mortars for a wide range of applications. Many of the company’s products meet California’s Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) emissions criteria, including Kerabond, Keralastic, Granirapid, and Ultraflex LFT thin-set mortars."
Here is a link to a web site with more information on Laticrete grout.
Here is a link to a web site withmore information on Mapei grout.
Are you planning on eating off of your grouted walls? I am skeptical that BPA in grout could possibly pose a health hazard for the user of the shower. Do you have information that absorption via skin contact could be an issue? Is there a problem with BPA becoming volatilized and winding up in the air?
Joshua. There may be little actual risk, as you seem to be suggesting. But why take the risk if there are safer alternatives?
I think that BPA in shower grout is safe for the users of the shower. However, I still think it's admirable to avoid products made with toxic substances when there is a good alternative, even when the toxics don't pose a threat the end user--there may be exposure to workers or releases to the environment at various points in the lifecycle. I don't know whether that is likely in this case, but in the absence good evidence, and with alternatives available that are likely to be better in that regard, I applaud the effort to choose something else.
And I thank Martin for providing links to some alternatives. I'm sorry I don't have any additional suggestions or information.
We are talking apples and oranges. The low VOC versions suggested are not epoxy grouts. If you want epoxy, which is much harder, less porous and has superior resistance to staining and mold, it's going to have some nasty stuff in it.
As Charlie alludes to, the VOCs in grout off-gass quickly. Its manufacture may pose a threat to the environment, but I've never seen any evidence that epoxy grout can affect the occupants of a finished house.
This company has no VOC epoxy grout, but it has a lot of BPA (http://www.epoxysystems.com/225.aspx). Of course, Carolyn may not need this type of product in a residential application.
Durable low VOC stain resistant cement based grout. I've used this grout on a couple showers with good results.
https://laticrete.com/our-products/tile-and-stone-installation-and-maintenance/grouts/cementitious-grouts/permacolor-select
Hi Everyone! THANK YOU for all the responses! I am always happy with the help from GBA users. I actually found out the product my contractor is using (TEC power grout) is a no VOC cementitious grout. It has no BPAs. I plan to use it since that is what my contractor is most comfortable with and it seems safe. Thank you!