Any experience with epoxy grout on tile counter of BBQ?

[GoodAndYou]

Just finished tiling my BBQ and now am looking into various options for grout:
1) Epoxy grout - Hear it is bullet proof, especially for outdoor use. Not sure of the texture and it is expensive.
2) Standard sanded grout with sealer mixed in - Hear with the sealer you mix into the grout that it wont need to be re-sealed. Cheaper and easier to work with.
3) Standard sanded grout sealed after install - Probably the worst option because will need to be re-sealed year after year.

Anyone out there have any experience with these options and how well they held up over time?

Is the expense of the Epoxy grout worth it?

 

[Dalandlord]

Looks nice!

 

[frogabog]

The real experts on this subject are at the John Bridge Tile Forum.

Another amazing group of helpful folks there, the industry and DIY experts will steer you right every time.

They say they're the friendliest form and it's very true, but IMO they're par for par with this amazing friendly forum. My two favorites!

 

[GoodAndYou]

Thanks for the referral Frog. I just posed the same question over there.

 

[GoodAndYou]

Well, the consensus came back that epoxy grout was the way to go...so that is the way I went. I got a product called CEG Lite from the Big Orange store. I must admit I was a bit nervous about what to expect but when I started working with it, it was a lot like normal grout. Then I came to the backsplash and got a bit overzealous. I applied the grout about half way down and realized it was starting to set up. It was amazing how quickly it went from going on just fine to getting firm and very difficult to work with. I was able to scramble and get the backsplash wiped down with a lot of elbow grease, but it was rough there for a bit. I mixed up the second bucket to finish it off and it was much easier going with a fresh batch. I wish I knew that it setup so quickly and I wouldn't have worked such a large area. Oh well, all is done now and I am very pleased with the results. We had a decent rain the other night and the water just runs right off of the grout. Here is a pic of the final product.

 

[Brentr]

Nice outdoor kitchen. What make is your grill? Looks like a Summerset.

 

[GoodAndYou]

Thanks!

It is a Jenn Air 4 burner. I got it at the Blue box store a few years back collecting dust. It is one of the older models with the 304 Stainless. No complaints so far.

 

[frogabog]

Sounds like you got the exact advice you needed from John Bridge Tile Forum. Woot!

Looks fantastic. Nice work! So jealous am I... :~}