Say where grout stops and sealant starts
A proposal that says only that the tile will be grouted has not said where a flexible sealant replaces grout. Tile and the substrate expand and contract by different amounts, so the scope should name the joints that stay grout and the joints that are sealant, including the perimeter and the changes of plane. That split is part of the assembly. It is not a color chosen after the tile is already set.
Movement is why the split exists
The Tile Council says movement joints relieve stress when the tile and the substrate move differently, and that every installation needs room for that movement. In a small room a gap at the perimeter, often covered by base, may be enough. In a larger area the joints are visible and follow handbook detail EJ171. The proposal should say which of those conditions it is using. A grout color alone does not locate the joint.
Changes of plane
Inside corners, the line where a wall meets a floor, and the joint against a tub, a counter, or a window are places two surfaces meet at an angle. The scope should say those lines are sealant rather than a continuous grout joint, when that is the design. Leaving them unnamed means the finisher has to invent the detail at the end of the job.
Field joints are a separate sentence
Joint width in the field is its own choice. ANSI A108.02 section 4.3.8 asks for joints that are straight and of even width, and it does not set one width for every tile. The proposal should state the width and whether the field joint is grout. That sentence is not a substitute for the movement-joint sentence, and the movement-joint sentence is not a substitute for the width.
Fetched 2026-10-11 from the Tile Council movement-joint placement FAQ and the Tile Council grout FAQ. The standard sentences follow those pages. They are not a company method.
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