Problems With Grout & Aluminum

Swelling Caused By Corrosion

• Corroding metal typically swells. Flakes of rust on ferrous metal are the easiest to visualize; a rusted pipe will typically have a much larger diameter than a sound pipe of the same original size. Aluminum also swells when it corrodes, and if an item made of aluminum -- perhaps a grab rail above a tub -- is installed through or on a tiled surface, the increase in it’s size can disrupt the grout. Broken grout can allow moisture ingress and a host of attendant problems.

Destabilization Caused By Corrosion

• The process of corrosion can also present as a white powder that forms between the aluminum and the grout; if this powder becomes sufficiently thick it can separate an aluminum post, for instance, from the concrete in which it is set, rendering the post unstable. The powder can also cause so much expansion that the concrete could eventually spall, destroying the setting’s load bearing capacity and rendering the aluminum component at best weakened and at worse dangerously loose.

Disintegration Caused By Corrosion

• Corrosion can also present as pitting in the surface of the aluminum; pitting weakens the material, and again the eventual result can be an unstable or broken aluminum component.

Run-off from Aluminum Siding

• Run-off from aluminum products such as building siding can stain the grout between tiles and flagstones located along the drainway. Such stains are impossible to remove chemically, instead requiring a mechanical process such as pressure washing or sand blasting.

Avoidance of Future Problems

• Once aluminum stains have been mechanically removed from grout, future reoccurrence of the problem can be abated by the use of a sealant on the grout. Sealants work in two ways; they first retard the ability of the run-off water to stain, then -- if a reduced amount of staining still occurs -- they facilitate easier cleaning.

  Some tile cement and grout is formulated so as to not contribute to the corrosion of aluminum. A grout of this specialized family is recommended for use as part of future tile installation processes where aluminum components are being co-installed.