Do thinset and grout have shelf lives?
I’ve got some thinset that’s about a year old sitting in my basement closed up tight in it’s original bag. I needed a small amount (to re-set a saddle), so instead of buying more, I mixed up a test sample and let it sit for 2 days.
As of this morning, it was still quite soft, so I used some grout to re-set the saddle instead. The grout was also a year old, but was sealed better and still felt like new.
BUT, the grout test sample I mixed up 24 hours ago is also still soft. I just don’t remember either thinset or grout taking so long to set up. Did it go bad? My basement is humid so the test samples haven’t dried yet, but cementitious materials don’t set by drying.
If I’ve screwed up, I’ll need to go back and do that saddle one more time, but I thought I’d better ask here first.
-Don
Replies
I've never had any problems other than humidity making chunks.
Don, you might also want to ask at http://www.johnbridge.com
Pro tiler hangout.
john
Don, you might also want to ask at http://www.johnbridge.com
Thanks for the reminder. I've been there before, but I thought I might find folks who are more "generalists" here.
Anyway, Johnbridge folks seem to widely agree that opened bags of grout and thinset should be tossed unless they're going to get used within a month.
They also say that UNopened bags will keep for up to a year. Somehow, I doubt that the places that sell grout are actively monitoring the date of manufacture and only stocking "new" grout. On the other hand, I'm sure those places aren't as humid as my basement.
I guess there's too many variables for a simple answer.
As for my test samples... both the grout (after 2 days) and the thinset (after 3 days) seem to have hardened pretty well so I guess I won't have to re-visit that job after all.
-Don
Isnt that one h^ll of a site though?
Of course they only do one thing they outta be good.
I lovum, they really took me under their wing. Great folks.
edit ; I asked them how thin I could actually pour a lay over floor. Once they found out I wasnt going to tile, the thread dropped dead. They were done. I figgured they had some hot tricks since they did it every day but I didnt get them if they did .
Tim
Edited 7/8/2006 8:57 pm by Mooney
It is worth checking the dates on bags that you buy from places such as HD and Lowes, especially if you are buying self-leveling cement which costs $20 or so a bag. The tile stores are better about monitoring and rotating stock.
Billy
It's more a matter of moisture than time. Years in the desert vs weeks on the gulf coast, for instance. I saved a bunch of those special nylon plastic bags from when the house was fumigated, and double bag setting material for storage. That plus a dry climate, and I've had no problem with stuff from 4 years ago.
-- J.S.
At $16 a bag, why fool with it? Just toss the stuff. I buy fresh for each job. You can not afford after all the prep and stuff to have it fail. But to answer your question--the bag says a year--I say 3 months.Regards, Scooter"I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow." WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934