Use A Margin Float to Grout Tight Spots

by Peter Bales | 20th August 2010

When I’m grouting, I’m typically using a tool called a ‘float’ to move the grout around and shove it into the gaps between tiles.  When doing a larger area like a kitchen floor, I normally like to have the largest float I can find.  However, when you’re working on a smaller area, it can be really hard to get a float into every place where grout is needed.  I found a tool that has been a big help.  It’s called a margin float.

The margin float is the one in the picture that is the smaller foat with a handle extending off of it.  It was actually an impulse buy for me at Lowe’s one day because it was only five bucks or so and I thought it would come in handy.  It has!! 

I grouted a tile backsplash the other day only using this float.  Backsplashes can be especially hard to grout with just a large float because space can be so limited under those cabinets.  The margin float was also perfect for getting grout spread under the cabinets on a tile floor I was grouting a couple weeks ago.  As you can see in the picture, this tool helps me get grout all the way back to the toe kick.  Without it, I would have to use my fingers or a putty knife to do it because my larger float just wouldn’t fit back there under the cabinets.

By the way, I also have two margin trowels that I use all the time.  The are similar in shape to the margin float, but one is just a straight blade and the other is a 3/16″ v-notched trowel.  All of them cost under $8 each, but really help when you are tiling in tight quarters.

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