I was now down to grouting the refrigerator/desk backsplash. Again I noticed how quickly this grout would dry up when I was doing the sink side of the backsplash. This time, I would add a little bit more water to the grout mixture just to loosen it up and maybe extend the drying time.
Applying this mixture of grout worked so much better. The grout slid easily over the tiles and I did not need to work hard to get the grout between the tiles. This round went so much faster. As I was wiping down the tiles, Efiwym came home and checked on the progress. I had an LED utility light on to see better under the cabinets. The LED light would create shadow lines of the few tiles that were not flush. I noticed it when applying the grout. I was upset about not catching it when I was installing the tiles. Nonetheless, Efiwym, with the help of the light, started touching these tiles and asked me, “What is happening here?” Why are all these tiles sticking out. Well, first, there were NOT a lot of tiles STICKING OUT. Second, depending on the angle of the lighting, it created the allusion of shadow lines. The few that were obviously protruding out were more prevalent. It wasn’t something I did not want to hear, since I already knew about the issue, but I was not going to remove those tiles. You would not notice them under normal lighting.
I needed to wait 48 hours before I could seal the grout. I was planning to finish up on the tiling the next day, but I would have to wait until Monday, so that was the plan. On Monday after work, I applied the sealer with a rag instead of the mini roller. I had a used roller cover, and I was afraid the paint residue might transfer to the tile and grout. The instructions recommended a cloth anyways, so it worked find. I could work the sealer into the grout lines and I had less drips and less of a mess. I did notice the sealer darkened the grout lines, but the grout returned to its original color once it dried.
The following weekend I applied the matching caulk between the backsplash and the countertops, the upper cabinets and the window trim. I was extremely impressed how well the colors matched. Unfortunately, one tub of caulk was not enough, which I suspected when I purchased it. So back to the home improvement store to get more caulk and return a bag of grout I did not need. I was officially done with the backsplash. I still needed to install the shelf and do some paint touch-up before I could say my DIY projects were done, but I was getting close.