So be sure to check your surrounding tiles to make sure none of them have been affected. Apparently you need a specific blade designed just for grout removal. Good to know since we completely ruined another blade by using it the wrong way on our tiled fireplace makeover. This blade was more curved and much rougher than the other attachments and it helped with grinding into the grout at angles rather than straight down where you risk breaking or lifting up a tile.
One awesome bonus with this multi-tool is the handy built-in flashlight it came with. I seriously think these multi tools are like the Swiss army knife of DIYers. They really have everything you could need for small odd repair jobs. Before you can remove the cracked, crumbling grout you need to grind it down far enough to remove all of the loose pieces. Use your blade to grind down the grout along each side of the adjoining tiles. Continue working through the grout in small sections grinding down the larger broken pieces.
Any jagged and uneven edges will make it harder for the new grout to get into all of the crevices and set. In the small broken sections of our master bathroom we probably repeated this step several times so that we could see how much farther we needed to grind along the edges of the tile. You can see from the original photos of our cracked tile grout and when we were finished grinding that we actually had to remove more grout than just the broken pieces.
Before you can apply any new tile grout you need to give your surface a thorough cleaning. Going over the grout lines again with a vacuum and wiping down the tiles with a soft wet tile sponge should be all that you really need to do to prep for your new grout. I personally prefer the pre-mixed version for small odd repair jobs like this one, even though it is a tad more expensive. Plus, you can just close up the lid and save it for another future project.
Using your tile float, scoop a small section of grout onto the edge of your float and apply it into the open spaces of your tile. Be generous with the grout and work into the open grooves. You can always wipe away the excess grout. I actually plan to freshen up and paint over the grout as part of our budget bathroom makeover.
The last thing you need to do is clean off the fresh grout from the surface of your tile. Use a clean wet tile sponge to wipe down your tiles, being careful to just glide over the fresh new grout lines. You may need to rinse and repeat this step a few times to clean off your tile surface. Moreover, after some time, this grout also cracks and goes missing. So does that mean you need to scrub off this mold every week to maintain your surfaces?
Well, no. With so many advanced technologies coming up every day, there are new inventions in the cleaning industry too. A different type of grout sealing material called Caponi has been invented that gives ever-lasting results. Whenever grout gets deteriorated or discolored, people get regrouting done. This is nothing but adding another layer of the same grout on the lines. This grout too will deteriorate within a few months causing you to get them rectified again.
This procedure gets you into a continuous loop wasting both time and money. It covers the grout lines in just one coat. It never peels off from the surface and nor does it appear bulky like other sealers. Caponi is available in more than 40 colors, which can be matched to your tile color. It is also the only shower approved grout sealer.
Grout first needs to be restored from places it has cracked or gone missing. To repair grout, you can use Sentura — 2-part flexible epoxy resin adhesive. Built on psi adhesion, this strong formulation never pops from the surface. Sentura can be pigmented with Caponi to match your grout color. After filling in the gaps with Sentura, you can find seamless grout lines free from cracks and gaps.
Sentura is best used for shower grout cracking. It gives a very natural look to the corners and does not appear bulky. It is also a very efficient shower caulk replacer as it has totally eliminated the need for caulking in showers. Caulk tends to peel or crack after a few months and this leads to the corners looking dirty, stained and moldy. Paul — Thanks for being such a colorful guy. If you look at the article, it was focused on hairline cracks. The last part of the article mentions wider cracks and gives a link to another article that shows how to grout tile in new construction.
Sorry you felt the information was lacking. Good luck. Paul; You must need glasses. He said this problem with the grout happens with new construction and I only read it once! Hey Todd. I was wondering if you have any info on repairing grout on a pier and beam sub-floor. The tile went on nicely, but about a month later, the grout started coming out in chunks around the tiles. I did not put down any hardy backer. Do you think that could have been the problem, or do I just need to try a silicone based grout that comes in a tube?
Thanks, Scott. Can you be more specific? Sounds like a deflection issue to be honest. Some grout has eroded in a very small area on one wall in my shower. Can I just put some grout in those areas ot will I need to regrout the entire shower?
Lonnie — You can grout just small areas. Before you do it I would clean the joint in that area and be sure that all the loose grout is removed. Once you know that the remaining grout is sound then apply the new grout. Hi: I had ceramic tile put down on my kitchen counter—they removed the old counter and placed the tile, just as your description states, where the wall and counter meet, there are now cracks, I think those will be easy enough to fix but what I found troubling is that where the cracks are in the grout, they have entered the actual tile.
Like some of the tiles are cracked now, can that be repaired without removing them? For instance, where the crack is present in the grout, it makes a zig zag crack in some areas which extends the white grout and then the actual beige tile has some crack.
I have no idea why this happened. I hope I can fix it. I was worried there was water leaking someplace but I think the moisture as you state is the issue and it just continued like a crack can and went on to include not just the grout line but the tile itself. I almost had a heart attack when I saw it. Kathleen — This actually sounds like a bigger problem.
Grout typically cracks from two things, movement due to material shrinkage pretty normal and what I wrote about or too much movement in the sub-base. Because your tiles are cracking I think the later is the problem.
Without knowing the specifics it sure sounds to me that the plywood sub-base that supports the tile is probably not stiff enough. Do you know what the supporting sub-base is constructed of?
The grout in my standing shower has cracked? Could it have nit meen sealed wirh sealent? And after I fill the cracks can I seal it even if it has already been saealed? Elissa — Grout does not crack due to lack of sealant. You should be able to repair the grout, then seal it again.
Hi Todd. Our house is about 40 yrs old. We just did over the entie bathroom right down to the studs. We had radient heat put in the floor and hired a professional tile guy who tiled the entire bathroom. After only a few months, he grout is cracking around the tub, window and walls.
On the floor it has even come out in small chunks. Do you think that the larger floor chunks could be due to the radient heat? Also, would hairline cracks appear only after a few month? However, in most situations extensive cracking and failure of grout on flat floors is a result of an inadequate sub-floor. Radiant heat is not causing this issue unless the heat is causing a poor sub-floor to move too much under thermal stress.
What is the sub-floor? A couple of years ago, I had a cermaic tile floor put in my 1st floor. The grout lines now look terrible.
How do I fill in all these pitted spots? I really need some help. Sounds like the grout needs to be removed and re-installed. It appears on the perimeter of my Powder Room- the grout gives off a ghosted feel looks like baby powder on it Grout color is cocoa.
Cannot afford to have someone come in to do right now. The floor is honed marble rosa verona Many Thanks! I just wanted to say thank you Todd. I found this very informative and just what I needed to know! Keep up the good work! Hi Todd, While I found your site extremely informative I am wondering… A little background, my home was built in 83, I think the bathroom is original to the house.
Well the grout is chipping and is cracked. We will be renovating the bathroom next summer. Do you think clear bathroom caulking woould do the trick? Aimee — Are you asking what you can use between now and next summer? Will be touching up some small cracks in the grout, but wonder how long I should allow to dry prior to regrouting.
One, two, three days? Keep in mind the small cracks have been there about 6 plus months and we are just now getting around to regrouting…. Any suggestions? Not sure I understand your question. Would this grout fix also apply ti outside tile? I have developed grout cracks in my patio tile, house built 5 years ago. I believe we have one overcast day a year lol! My biggest concern is water intrusion, rainy season coming soon I hope Thank you.
I have a huge brick-walled patio. Had porcelain tile laid over cracked aggregate.. Moisture coming from under the tiles — grout coming up — lot of the tiles loose — other than taking up all the tile and putting down another liner and tile — what can I do? From the sounds of it you likely have a couple potential problems. Also, tile is typically laid over a more stable base like a poured concrete slab or a wood framed floor system.
Lastly, if moisture is a problem it sounds like the surrounding drainage is an issue as well. My husband bought caulking for it but should we use that? It is only small areas.
But we do have extra grout what should we do? Our tiles are 18 inch squares. The instructions said not to walk on it for 24 hours.
It would be no problem for me, I am small and can just step on the tiles and miss the grout, but my husband has had a stroke and is not agile enough to stay only on the tiles. Is there something I can lay on the floor…cardboard, plastic sheeting, etc…that will allow repair and still use the bathroom.. As you walk on the tiles they flex and that prevents the grout from curing properly. If you could do it in the evening and let it stand at least 12 hours that would be helpful.
Dads bathroom is about 40 yrs old. It has only recently having small cracks and some grout coming out. I would only like to fix those small areas. Can I use a non sand grout, or caulk. Thanks so much for the article. My standing master shower was part of a huge reno that was professionally done.
We are getting tiny hairline cracks in our grout between tiles on the floor of the shower not at the 90 degree wall joint. Is that normal? Does it need to be repaired?
Is grout water proof anyway? John — How long ago was it installed. My white bathroom tile with white grout is original to my built home. All the walls are tiled 6 feet high. All the walls have been cleaned and the grout bleached, but 75 years of ingrained dust is hard to get rid of completely.
I just recently put up a backsplash and after apply non-sanded grout I am noticing a lot of hairline cracks all throughout.
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