Remember when we tiled the floor out back earlier this month? It feels like that project took forever, thanks to a mix of cold weather and rain, but we finally have a mostly finished outdoor floor. Don’t let some photos make the grout look light — the color is actually charcoal gray, and I’ll explain how it turned out.
We’re really pleased with the result, especially compared with the stained concrete that was there before. We chose to tile instead of paint or stain the cement, and we also spent time selecting a slate-like porcelain tile that’s durable and less slippery when wet. The whole process had its fair share of hiccups, so here’s a concise, practical account of how we installed, cleaned, and grouted the outdoor tile, followed by the project’s budget and time breakdown.
On the day I started tiling, I had already prepped the floor with a self-leveling concrete. For setting the tiles we used thinset, created by mixing mortar powder with a liquid admixture. Because our tiles are large, I mixed big batches of thinset in a large bucket with a paddle mixer. A 1/2″ notched trowel worked best for spreading the thinset to the correct depth for these big tiles.
I spread a thin layer of thinset and then combed it with the notched side of the trowel held at a 45-degree angle so the bedding was even. I worked in small areas so the thinset wouldn’t skin over before I could set the tiles. We used 1/8″ spacers for narrow grout lines and a brick-lay pattern, which meant each tile met six neighbors and kept leveling a persistent concern.
Large tiles demand attention to level. If one tile sits higher or lower than its neighbors it’s very noticeable, so I “back-buttered” tiles when needed — applying extra thinset to the back of a tile to raise a corner. That helped a lot, but working solo meant carrying boxes of tile, mixing more thinset, and cutting pieces at the wet saw took a full day and then some.
I finished setting the tiles the next day, working long hours to get everything laid and cleaned as I went. The porcelain tile we chose performs well outdoors: it’s textured enough to be slip-resistant when wet and pairs nicely with the deck. We also added a border to elevate the look and define the transition between surfaces.
Then came the delays: I planned to grout within a couple of days, but a week of rain and a subsequent cold snap set us back. Rain left dried thinset smears across the tile surface that I hadn’t noticed while the tile was wet. The tile’s textured finish helped trap bits of thinset and the wet thinset’s color blended with the tile, so the residual spots only became obvious after the tiles dried.
I tackled that residue with a 50/50 water and vinegar solution to remove haze, plus a mix of scraping, scrubbing with a nylon brush, and gentle rubbing with cheesecloth for stubborn spots. That took time and elbow grease; test any method in an inconspicuous spot first, especially on glossier tiles. After a few sessions the tiles cleaned up nicely and the surface looked much better.
Once the tiles were fully dry for several days and temperatures allowed, we began grouting. For this exterior space we used sanded grout in charcoal to match the darker thinset, plus a flexible grout admixture for added durability. Because most of the thinset raised the tile bed, grout volume was low, so I mixed small batches and worked steadily.
- Sanded charcoal grout
- Flexible grout admixture
- Mixing bucket and trowel
- Grout float
- Sponges and a bucket of clean water
- Towels and paper towels for cleanup
Grouting is satisfying because a space visibly comes together. I packed the grout into the joints with the float, wiped excess with a damp sponge, refreshed my rinse water often, and continued until the whole area was grouted. It took about three hours to complete the grouting stage.
After the grout dried a bit, a light haze covered the tiles, which is common. I went over the floor later the same day with a damp sponge and towels to remove as much haze as possible. The charcoal grout color is exactly what we wanted, though early photos can sometimes make it look lighter; the final cured tone should darken slightly once fully set.
There are a few finishing tasks left around the room, including boxing in wires along the brick, adding sconces around the columns for better lighting, dealing with an old intercom, and replacing temporary furniture with outdoor-safe pieces. Still, this is the closest the sunroom has looked to finished since we began the makeover in August.
- Boxing in wires that run down the brick
- Hanging sconces on the columns
- Addressing the intercom on the wall
- Adding outdoor-appropriate furniture
Here’s the budget breakdown for the project so far:
- Wood to finish raw sides where sliding doors were removed: $194
- Contractor to remove ceiling beams: $200
- Electrician to move wires and create two fan fixture boxes: $318
- Tongue-and-groove planks for the ceiling: $297
- Plywood to fill large triangles on either end: $85
- Trim, paint, primer and caulk: $197
- Fans and downrods: $260
- Self-leveling cement and supplies: $150
- Tile: $680
- Thinset, grout and other tiling supplies: $490
- Total: $2,871
That total feels substantial, but replacing the old extra-wide sliding doors alone would have been even more expensive, and we chose to invest in longer-term solutions rather than quick fixes that would have limited future options. In the end, we’re happy we did the job properly.
Roughly tracking our time over these last two and a half months, here’s how the hours add up:
- Removing old sliding doors: 5 hours
- Trimming and caulking openings: 3 hours
- Ceiling demo: 3 hours
- Coordinating with contractor and electrician: 1.5 hours
- Adding panels and trim: 6 hours
- Priming, painting, installing and caulking the ceiling: 21 hours
- Installing fans: 1.5 hours
- Prepping the floor (scrubbing, self-leveler, pattern planning): 2 hours
- Tiling, cleaning and grouting the floor: 26 hours
- Total: 69 hours
That number is approximate and doesn’t include errands, shopping, or photo prep, but it shows this has been a time-intensive project. Despite the effort—and the thinset on my hands—it’s been worth it. The space already gets lots of use and we haven’t had any tripping incidents at the transition to the deck, so the tile and metal edging are doing their job.
For the metal edging: I set the metal pieces in place, embedded them in thinset, and then installed the border tile. The edging is aesthetic and creates a clean transition; it doesn’t mechanically hold the tile in place.
So that’s the tile story — from prep to grout, with weather, drying times, and cleanup shaping the schedule. We’re pausing the project for the season to wait for better weather and new furniture funds, but we’re very happy with how the sunroom is shaping up. What projects are you hoping to complete before winter? Have you had weather or other delays affect your progress recently?
