Tomette Trois

On Tuesday Patrick arrived to joint (grout) the tomettes.

Although they were laid leaving 8mm gaps using modern glue, the joints were quite traditional: chaux blanche (hydraulic white lime) and sand, mixed at a ratio of 1:3.

When Susan and I jointed the tomettes that are under the staircase we used the mothod that is usual with modern tiles: we spread the grout using a rubber spreader and then sponged off the excess. In contast, Patrick made a drier mixture and applied the grout to the gaps using a trowel, forcing the mixture well into the joints before wiping off the excess.

This is a slightly slower process in application (we just poured it on from a bucket) but quicker and cleaner taking off the excess.

After the joints were dry we applied hydrofuge (a water repellant) and the job was done. In just over a week's time Patrick arrives to tile our small dining area - that's only 3 square metres.

After that we will have a bit of a pause while we sort out the kitchen. Then we will start on tiling the laundry and downstairs toilet, before doing the entry hall. This means that we will have the same terracotta tiles for the whole ground floor of the house excepting the salon.

Simon