Mortar: Mortar is designed to bind two surfaces together. It is used to spread out the foundation, to stick tiles onto the floor, and to keep them in place. Mortar is made of lime, water, sand, and cement, at it has a thick consistency to make it spreadable and adhesive.

Thinset: Many people use the terms thinset and mortar interchangeably, and although their functions are similar, they are different. Thinset does serve the function of helping tile stick to a surface, but you might use it instead of mortar if you plan to tile a shower floor or when using heavier materials. Thinset contains cement, sand, and water.

Grout: Grout is used as one of the last steps when tiling your floors. Once the mortar has had enough time to cure, the grout is used to fill the surfaces and spaces between the tiles. This also helps to keep the tiles in place and prevents scum and debris from getting caught in between. Grout may also contain cement, but it is much thinner than mortar to make it pourable. There are also epoxy or resin grouts available.