How To Repair Bathroom Floor Tile Grout

Grout Repair: A Step-By-Footstep Guide for DIYers

Grout repair in your bathroom or kitchen is a low-try way to give these rooms a fresh, new look.

Photograph: depositphotos.com

Over time, tile grout stains, cracks, and becomes loose. If you're noticing that your tile grout has seen better days, information technology's probably time to repair or replace it. The proficient news is that grout repair is an easy and budget-friendly fix to quickly update the expect of kitchen or bathroom tile. Damaged grout can not only brand your tile look old and worn, but it can too be a breeding ground for leaner and mold growth. Grout repair requires a few specialty tools, such as a grout saw and a grout float, merely it as well necessitates some commonly endemic ones, such as eye protection, a shop vacuum, gloves, towels, and a scrub pad.

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Time required: 1 to 3 days, including drying time
Difficulty: Beginner
Estimated cost: $180 to $420, depending on size of the surface area

Tools & Materials

• White vinegar
• Scrub brush
• Prophylactic gloves
• Centre protection
• Dust mask
• Grout saw
• See full list «
• Shop vacuum
• Grout
• Epoxy grout
• Bucket for mixing grout powder
• Paper towels
• Grout float
• Grout sponge
• Scrub pad
• Dry out towel
• Haze remove
• Sealant

Before You Begin

Photograph: depositphotos.com

A very important start step is cleaning the grout before removing the cracked or loose pieces. This way, you can match the colour of the existing grout with the replacement grout.

Tip for Grout Repair

• Buy grout that matches the existing grout color for consistency.

Condom Considerations

• It's crucial to vesture eye protection during grout repair since the grout breaks up into pocket-size pieces during removal.
• Wearing a dust mask is highly brash; this way, you don't breathe in grout grit and mayhap even mold.

Other Considerations

• You'll need to dampen the tile when replacing grout. However, if you lot're using epoxy grout, the surface area needs to be completely dry before application.
• If using epoxy grout, opt for a nonstick mucilage-prophylactic float to apply the grout.

Grout Repair Instructions

Pace 1: Make clean the broken grout with a white vinegar and water solution.

Mix one part white vinegar and one part h2o in a bowl or saucepan. And then, dip a clean toothbrush or scrub castor in the mixture and scrub the damaged grout until all the dirt and grime comes off. Wipe away the backlog mixture with a material.

STEP two: Buy new grout that matches your existing grout color.

To discover the closest color match, apply sample grout chips, which are available from nigh dwelling house improvement stores. If the original grout color is lighter than the color you chose from the chips, lighten the new grout past adding more than water when you mix it. If the original grout colour is darker, use less water. Grout is bachelor as sanded or unsanded. Choose the right type of grout (detailed beneath) based on the width of the tile joints, the location of the repair, and the blazon of tile.

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• Measure the infinite between the tile. If the space is larger than ⅛-inch, utilise sanded grout. If the width is ⅛-inch or smaller, use unsanded grout.
• Regardless of the size of infinite betwixt the tile, never use sanded grout with metal, drinking glass, or marble tile. The sand will scratch the surface. Instead, use unsanded grout.

Acrylic latex grout is comparatively like shooting fish in a barrel to piece of work with, but it requires sealing. Epoxy grout is highly resistant to stains and doesn't require sealing, but it's more difficult to utilize. You tin buy grout powder and mix information technology yourself, or you tin buy premixed grout.

Photograph: depositphotos.com

STEP 3: Remove the damaged grout. With a grout saw, remove the tiptop ⅛ inch of the damaged grout.

A grout saw is a small, handheld blade that fits between the tile. Utilise a grout saw that has a blade with a width that will fit between the tiles you're working on. Place the grout saw over the damaged grout and motion it back and forth, like y'all're scrubbing away the old grout (but be careful not to chip the tile). Continue until the top layer (about ⅛ inch) of the damaged grout has been cleaved up into pieces. Another option is to use a reciprocating saw with a grout remover accessory for quick and easy removal. To prevent any discomfort or avoid wellness bug related to grout particles, y'all'll want to vesture a dust mask and eye protection while you're removing the sometime grout.

Exit the piece of work to the pros

Non everyone is cut out for grout repair. Become free, no-delivery estimates from experts near you.

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STEP 4: Vacuum the remaining grout particles.

Utilize the hose zipper on your shop vacuum to brand certain all the pieces of the old grout are cleared out of the gap betwixt the tiles. This helps to see how deep you've gone and assess how much farther you need to go along removing the quondam grout.

STEP 5: Moisture the tile.

Before you can move forth in the grout repair process and apply any new grout, you need to requite your surface a thorough cleaning. Going over the grout lines once again with a vacuum and wiping down the tiles with a soft wet grout sponge should be all that you really need to do to prep for the new grout. Utilise a paper towel to absorb any water that puddles in the joints. For epoxy grout, make sure the tile is completely dry out before application.

Photo: depositphotos.com

Step half-dozen: Utilize the grout. Use the grout float to fill the gaps with the mixture.

A grout float is a thick rubber pad with a handle that y'all tin can detect at most home improvement stores. Scoop some of the grout mixture out of the bucket using the padded part of the grout float. Be generous, and press the mixture down into the gap you're repairing until it'southward completely filled. Don't worry if grout gets on the surrounding tiles—you'll exist able to make clean it off subsequently. If you're using epoxy grout, a nonstick gum-prophylactic float works the best.

STEP 7: Remove the excess grout.

Hold the float so it's at a 45-degree angle with the floor. Slowly elevate the edge of the float over the gap you filled to scrape up the excess grout and make the grout flush with the rest of the floor. Make sure the joints are completely filled.

Stride viii: Let the grout ready. Let it dry for 30 minutes and use a clammy sponge to remove the residue.

After 15 to 30 minutes, clear abroad any excess grout with a damp grout sponge. Wet the sponge and squeeze out all the excess water before you utilize it. Don't use a soaking moisture sponge or you could harm the new grout. Press down lightly equally yous wipe the sponge over the new grout and any nearby tiles that got grout on them. Rinse the sponge periodically and moisten it with clean h2o until the tiles are clean. With epoxy grout, you may need to apply a scrub pad. Baste or mist some water onto the joints, and lightly scrub the tile. Wipe the haze away with a single laissez passer of a clean, clammy sponge. Follow the manufacturer's instructions to set the grout firmly and let it dry between 24 and 48 hours. Allow information technology to dry until a haze appears on the tile. Polish the tile with a dry towel. If necessary, apply a brume remover to get rid of whatsoever remaining balance.

Photo: depositphotos.com

Footstep 9: Employ a sealant.

If using acrylic latex grout, utilize a sealant after the grout dries completely.

Grout repair is an efficient and cost-effective way to refresh sometime, worn, and damaged tile grout. Remember to wear safe glasses and a grit mask to protect yourself from getting grout fries in your eyes and to prevent breathing in grout dust. To go along the grout repair project looking similar new, utilize a tile grout cleaner to care for your new grout. If the grout continues to fleck or crack after you lot repair information technology, the tile underlayment may exist uneven or exposed to moisture. In this case, you may want to have a professional person check the underlayment and repair it if necessary. If grout repair seems too time- and endeavor-intensive, or if you are truly a novice, you may also desire to hire a professional to do the work for you.

Dealing with dingy grout?

Hire a pro to handle it for you. Receive free, no-delivery estimates from licensed pros near you.

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Source: https://www.bobvila.com/articles/grout-repair/

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