After learning my lesson of making too large of batches of thin set, I decided to go with small batches of grout. I would start grouting on the sink and stove walls and finish up on the refrigerator/desk side.
First, I needed to remove all the switch and outlet covers and re-mask the cabinets and countertops. Like before, I used paper to cover the countertops.
I got my grout float, putty knife, two buckets of clean water with each sponge and a dry, clean rag. I was ready to grout, but first I needed to mix the grout.
Unlike the thin set, you add the water to the grout, not the other way around. I used my paint stirrer and a smaller bucket to make the grout. At first, it appeared I did not add enough water, but soon the grout was a nice creamy texture. This grout was the quick-drying variety, so I knew I needed to work fast.
I used the putty knife to put the grout on the float. It worked a lot better than trying to dip the grout float into the bucket. With an upward motion, I applied my layer of grout. Most of the grout landed on the counter. So I scooped it up and applied it with a better angle to the tile. I made sure to press the grout in the tile and slid the float at different angles to get the grout between the tiles. I found a couple of nails along the way. Apparently, I did not remove them all. I completed the backsplash behind the stove and the wall under the cabinet.
I waited until the grout on the tile started hazing up. This grout dried fast. I waited only about 15 minutes, and I was ready to wipe down tile. I squeezed as much water as I could out of the sponge before I started the wiping process. It did not take long before I needed to rinse out the sponge and try again. After my first attempt of cleaning the tiles, I used a screwdriver to remove any grout between the countertops and the backsplash. I also did the same with the underside of the cabinet. I wanted to keep these areas clear of grout so I could use the matching caulk to fill in the gaps.
I got too much grout into the mounting bracket under the microwave. I slid my finger along the bracket to remove the excess grout and the sharp edge of the bracket sliced my fingertip. And yes, that hurt! I was more concerned about getting blood in the grout than the pain at that time.
After I cleaned up that wall, I moved the stove back and got ready for round 2. I cleaned up the tools, the grout bucket, water buckets and sponges. I put clean water into the buckets and made another batch of grout. I planned it out to make three batches, so I knew I would have plenty of grout. I did notice I struggled to apply the grout. The grout seemed hard to work with and got worse as it dried out. So, making small batches was working out.
Now I needed to work on the sink wall. Again, I found more nails that I did not remove. I had grout all over the faucet, as I tried to work under the window by the sink. The sponge came out early to wipe down the faucet. I moved steadily from the corner to the countertop overhang, applying the grout. I was getting better at it, but again the grout just did not slide easily into the grout lines. I also found out I did not glue (silicone) down the tiles directly under the cabinet. I removed them for now and would use silicone to hold them in place after I was done with this wall. I would go back later and glue them down and grout them when I do the refrigerator/desk backsplash.
I again waited about 15 minutes before I started wiping down the tiles. As I got to the switch/outlet for the pendant light with the sponge, apparently, I got too close, and the breaker went off. Not only the breaker for the outlet, but the main breaker. All good, I just went downstairs and reset the breakers. I made sure to be extra careful as I cleaned around that electrical box. Soon, I was done with that wall, and I was ready to start round 3.