Grouting is messy. Find a location that it's ok to get dirty and/or cover your workspace with a tarp. Old plastic shower curtain liners offer great protection. It's one more way to recycle them before they hit the landfill. Brown craft paper or old newspapers also work well to contain debris although they do not prevent water from soaking through onto the surface below.
Assemble your tools. You'll need a grout float (this is helpful if you have a large flat project) for most small projects the side of your gloved hand if more than enough. A grout sponge, grout sponges have small “cells” and a smoother surface than kitchen sponges and designed to create a smooth finish when finishing your grout. A large bucket of clean water, rubber gloves (Nitrile gloves are great), clean rags, paper towels, a container to mix the grout in, and a trowel or putty knife for mixing. The size of your tools and the amount of these items will vary depending on the size of your project.
The basement, garage, or carport make good grouting locations. Do not grout in direct sunlight or use artificial means to speed drying time. This will cause the grout to cure too fast, cause cracking and weaken the grout. Remember it is a curing process not drying. This is not the time to rush, nor is a time to run to the store. The grout will harden with or without you and if you get distracted and let it get too hard without cleaning and finishing you’re going to make your job much harder! Make sure to leave yourself enough time.
Do not have fans blowing directly onto your workspace, we do not want the grout powder to be needlessly airborne. Remember grout in its dry state is not something you want to breathe in, It contains silicates which are known to be harmful to your lungs.
For larger pieces, you consider slowing the cure time. Spray mist with water every hour or so the first day and/or cover with a damp towel or plastic sheet. The longer you allow your grout to cure the stronger it will be. Cool, dry places such as a basement, garage, or carport are good places to do your grouting. Small pieces can simply cure out on their own overnight. Direct sunlight and heat vents are your enemies when it comes to getting a good cure for your grout.
Do not grout in conditions under 50 degrees. Check the manufactures instructions as to the temperature range that is safe for the product that you are using and make sure you can maintain that range for the full cure time as they recommend.
