No one wants dirty grout in their shower. Because it just looks unappealing. But shower water can damage your grout, making it appear dirty. If you don’t take any action soon, the grout will become dirtier.
Here are our step-by-step instructions on how to regrout shower:
You need to remove the old grout first. Get rid of the old grout from half the tile thickness using a grout rake. Be careful not to damage the edges. After removing the old grout, apply the new grout mixture. You also need to remove excess grout from the wall. Once done, use a grout shaper to neatly finish the joints.
Do you like what you see in the overview? The whole instructions can be found in the section below.
Dive in and learn all there is to know!
Why Is It Necessary to Regrout The Shower?
The bathroom tiles are grouted together with a paste of mortar. The presence of moisture damages or stains the shower tile grout. Sometimes even mold and mildew damages the grout. Plus mold in any part of your home is harmful.
Here are some necessities to regrout the shower-
Protects The Tiles
Over time, the shower tile grout may rot or crack owing to excess moisture. Weakening grouts cause tiles to fall off the spot, resulting in tile breaking.
Prevents Shower Dings
If the surrounding tiles are compromised, the shower may fall at any time. If dropped on the floor, the showerhead will shatter and may harm the tiles. Periodic regrouting may help homeowners avoid this.
Reduces Repair Expenses
The expense of replacing broken bathroom tiles is high for any homeowner. Shower regrouting is considerably less expensive, even if done by a professional.
Simple Restoration
Regrouting the tiles simplifies the bathroom remodeling. The tiles appear brand new after shower regrouting. This gives your entire bathroom a new look.
Environment-friendly
Broken tiles are thrown away if replaced. These scattered tiles damage the environment. Regrouting may therefore save the environment.
How to Regrout a Shower?
To remove grout needs no particular expertise. Only a little time and the right equipment and supplies can do it. Just how you need specific equipment for sealing your grout.
Now, you might still think regrouting is a messy, time-consuming task. Because sometimes a big room’s ceramic floor takes at least a whole day. But allowing the process time is essential. Also, you need to wait before grouting the tiles. Otherwise, you won’t get your desired results.
Nonetheless, to complete the process, these things are a must!
Required Tools
- An oscillating tool
- Carbide Tip grout remover
- Grout removal blade
- Shop vacuum
- Margin Trowel
- Utility knife
- Buckets
- Margin trowel
- Grout float & sponge
- Soft cloths
- Dust mask & eye protection
Required Materials
- Powdered or premixed grout
- Grout pigment
- Grout haze remover (optional)
- Plastic sheeting
Arrange these as soon as you can to get started!
By the way, these tools are also needed if you want to grout between your tile and baseboard.
Anyhow, here are step-by-step instructions on regrouting the shower-
Step-1: Remove The Existing Grout Using a Grinder
Use a grout removal blade on an oscillating tool. Most manufacturers provide blades that are specifically designed for crushing cemented grout.
Turn the tool on and slide the blade perpendicular to the tile surface along the grout joints. Focus when you’re doing this because one mistake may scratch the tiles.
Step-2: Thoroughly Clean The Grout Lines
At this point, the majority of the grout has been removed. But some of them are still there.
This time, the blade should be angled a little bit to get as near to the tile’s edges as possible. The tiles may be damaged if you let water sit in the grout lines.
Step-3: Manually Remove Any Remaining Grout
You can either use the grout remover or a utility knife. The grout remover must be tipped by carbide.
It can cut away any residual grout where the power tool fails to do so. But avoid scratching the tile’s surface.
Step-4: Thoroughly Vacuum The Area
You must have removed the old grout from the joints. In that case, vacuum to remove any dust and debris. Before refilling the grout lines, they must be thoroughly cleaned and dried.
Step-5: Prepare The Grout Mixture
First, fill a plastic bucket half full of water and half full of dry grout powder. If you’re aren’t sure about the ratio, check the product page at the back.
Do it until you have a complete batch. Approximately 3 to 4 feet square, mix well before adding extra water and grout powder.
There may be instructions on the grout package to let the mixture rest (slake) before using. Follow the directions provided by the manufacturer.
By the way, here are product suggestions for purchasing the best grout-
| Product-1 | |
| Product-2 |
Step-6: Seal The Grout Joints
Use a rubber grout float to scoop up a large amount of grout. Spread it over the tile’s surface. You can also grout beveled tiles in a similar way.
Using a float held at a 60-degree angle, push the grout into the joints. Do until it is completely incorporated. The joints should be filled by working in alternate directions.
Apply the grout properly. Otherwise, you might have to fix pinholes in your shower’s grout later.
Step-7: Clean The Grout and Tiles with A Sponge
After the grout has been poured in all areas, wipe away any extra with a damp sponge. Too much water will cause the grout to come out of the joints.
That’s why you’ve to use a sponge that is barely damp. Brush the sponge lightly over the tile’s surface, being careful not to push too firmly.
Step-8: Remove The Existing Grout Haze and Let It Dry
Even after the grout has cured fully, the tiles will still have a slight haze on them. Buff the tile surfaces with a soft cloth to eliminate any lingering haze. Polish the tiles with a haze-removal product if desired.
Don’t forget to seal the grout properly. Or else it will get discolored and expire.
After re-grouting your shower tiles, wait at least 48 hours before using the shower. Let the grout set properly and that’s it!
FAQs
Question: Is it possible to regrout an old area?
Answer: No, it is not. Old grout cannot be regrouted. You can relate grout repair to drywall repair when filling up gaps and cracks in our houses. You’d buy sparkles to fix gaps in walls.
Question: How frequently should a shower be regrouted?
Answer: The regrouting tile should be infrequent. If you care for your tile grout, it should only need replacing every 15 years. Jobs of lower quality may need to be replaced every 8-10 years or so.
Question: Is regrouting or retiling cheaper?
Answer: If you are contemplating a large-scale retiling project, it’s going to be expensive. Regrouting a tiled surface is less costly than retiling it entirely.
Conclusion
That’s all the information we have about your regrouting shower procedure. Hopefully, you’ve found the solutions that you were looking for!
Consult an expert if the issue persists despite your efforts to resolve it.
Good luck!