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Re-grouting or "coloring" grout in shower

stir_fryi SE Mich

8 years ago

We own a rental condo and, on a recent review from the property management company, were told to "re-grout shower walls and floor". Tile is original from the late 70's. It is small, white tile -- very neutral and in good shape (no cracks). Ideally, I'd love to tear it out and replace, but it is not in the budget.

How easy and expensive is it to have someone regrout? Is it even going to make that much difference in the appearance.

Isn't there another option like painting the grout? Grout lines and very small though, does that make a difference?

Unfortunately, I am not there to take a picture but I am wondering what to do.....

Comments (6)

PRO
Cabot & Rowe
8 years ago
If you are very lucky you can find someone with severe OCD to regrout. The steps will be to remove the old grout to at least half the depth of the tile thickness, vacuum, re-grout, seal. Staining the old grout will just as painful / expensive. After recovering from the pricing you are getting, buy a dremel tool and 40 or 50 grinding wheels to remove the grout yourself. If using a cement based grout read this. We prefer the new single component grouts such as FUsion Pro or Flexcolor CQ
sunnyca_gw
8 years ago
You asked about painting the grout. That would be a mess. Probably some mold or mildew has weakened the grout & with constant moisture the paint would likely peel off or mold. There are also 50 or more shades of white so likely would look dingy with the white tile. Also try getting fine lines of paint only on grout & not on tile would need a super steady hand.
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It doesn't all need to come out, but you have to get enough of it out so the new grout can hold on. I'd try to get out as much as you can for best results.
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Thank you so much! I have had the window open and closed (open when warm and closed when it has been raining) since Friday. I hope I have not harmed anything by doing that. I closed the window, have the AC on, the exhaust fan running (which it has been the majority of the time), and I put a fan right outside the shower!
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Here is two tone grout installed out in UBC Vancouver. The floor is a mix of Italian White and Black Marble. To insure this was done perfectly I advised my clients (under my setter's recommendation) to allow the black grout to cure and be sealed. We left the black grout for over a week I think and then I installed three coats of enrich in seal. Then we taped off the floor a couple days later and did the white. Same process. Be careful with two tone grout installs. There is no room for error. And a mistake is set in stone sort of speak. Make up that test board and don't practice on your new floors. Good Luck. JW .
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Since the cracks are purely cosmetic you can use caulk to cosmetically fill the cracks. Do a small test to make sure the caulk visually meets your goal.
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PRO
Cabot & Rowe
8 years ago
common cleaning products that are acidic will also greatly weaken the grout
rwiegand
8 years ago
you can use a product like {this} to color grout. It sinks into the grout and wipes off the tile, so application is not particularly painstaking.
lego9lego
8 years ago
You sure they didn't mean recaulk instead of regrout?
stir_fryi SE Mich
Original Author
8 years ago
The rep from the rental company came out and said "this does not need regrouting." Great! We cleaned it (especially the floor) with bleach and it looks pretty good (maybe outdated, but clean).

lego9lego -- I think fresh caulk would even make it look better so next time we are down there...

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