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Home Repair Flooring Bathrooms

Advice on best way to fix shower grout cracks?

8 months ago

Hello! I've noticed a crack/gap in the shower floor grout -- pictures are attached.

Each of the floor tiles is about 2.25 inches long and the grout is about 0.25 centimeter wide. From what I can assess, the gap is contained to what is shown in the picture and appears to go down to the depth of the tile.

I'm wondering if it's OK to scrape out this damaged part and re-grout & seal myself?

Or if this is a more serious issue where I should have a professional look at it and assess if there is any underlying damage and/or mold issues.

It is a new build town house about a year and a half old so it's a little surprising (at least to me) that it's an issue already. Also -- in case this makes a difference -- I had a home inspection done in March for peace of mind and they found that "Shower grout absorbs moisture when water comes in contact, recommend sealing shower grout". I hadn't gotten around to fixing that yet unfortunately :(

I'd be super appreciative of any opinions and/or things to be aware of! Thank you!

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Comments (5)

millworkman
8 months ago
All changes in plane are required to be 100% silicone an dnever grout as they move differently and always crack. That means where the wall meets the floor, wall meets wall (corners), etc.. Remove the grout and replace with caulk is the answer.
Kate C thanked millworkman
cat_ky
8 months ago
I see dark spots on your tile, which makes me wonder if you have a water problem underneath the tile. I might want that checked out before doing anything.
Kate C thanked cat_ky
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I agree. I think that you don't have waterproof cement board behind your tile. You should rip it all out and start over. That sounds bad, I know, but you should be worried about what is growing behind the tile. I'm thinking mold, etc. I would definitely not use any of those people who came in and just regrouted without trying to investigate what was going on behind the tile. Find someone who will do it properly. Before you hire anyone, find out for yourself what the steps are to properly tile a shower, so when you talk to these people, you will know if they are truly experts or not. Good luck. Remember, it doesn't have to cost a fortune to be done properly. Also, make sure whoever works in your home is bonded, insured, and has good references that you have personally checked!
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millworkman
8 months ago
" - I had a home inspection done in March for peace of mind and they found that "Shower grout absorbs moisture when water comes in contact, recommend sealing shower grout" "

Also, grout will always allow water to pass thru and is not waterproof. Sealant is to slow down staining, allowing time to treat/remove any stains.
Kate C
Original Author
8 months ago
@millworkman thank you for the feedback!

To make sure I'm understanding correctly, would you recommend replacing grout with caulk between the shower floor tiles too? Or just at changes in plane?

Also do you have any opinions as to if it's better to just pull up all tile and re-do to have a chance to see if there are issues below with the waterproofing?

I'm kind of tempted to do that because I haven't been impressed with the workmanship in this house generally speaking -- we've had several minor issues despite being a new build.
Fori
8 months ago
I think the dark spot is the photographer's shadow?

I don't think you want caulk in this spot. It should be grout but I am unfamiliar with the procedure for replacing it.

Since it's a new build, you might be able to get someone to tell you about the waterproofing method used--it won't tell you if it was done right but might offer some assurance. Hopefully the guy doing the grout that day just rushed it. Grout is pretty much cosmetic so ugly grout isn't the end of the shower...

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