Grout Removal and Replacement

In this video we demonstrate the various methods of grout removal. We will also demonstrate the grouting process.
Useful tools:
Triangle Tipped Grout Scraper
www.homedepot....
Baker Scoring Tool
www.floorsuppl...
Angle Grinder with Diamond
www.toolnut.co...
4" Razor Scraper
www.maxwarehou...
Oscillating Multi Tool
www.lowes.com/...
Grout Float / Trowel
www.tileprosou...
Safety Equipment:
Safety Goggles
Respirator
Gloves
Vacuum Dust Collector
Rags
Sponges
brought to you by
Grout Rx
3300 W Broad St
Richmond, VA 23230
804-864-0661
groutrx.com

[@mikeybarber5803]

EASY DEMONSTRATION.. I COULD WATCH OVER AND OVER..CLEAR AND CALCULATED

[@groutrx1415]

We really appreciate the positive feedback!

[@lilyabello1919]

Thank you. This was helpful and I particularly appreciated the need to remove soap scum with a tool.

[@groutrx1415]

If the soap scum gets really thick, cleaners really struggle to break down heavy build up. We are not a fan of using razors and sandpaper too often as they are abrasives. The best thing to do once you get your shower clean is to rinse the wall off after every use. This way the soap scum won't build up.and weekly or monthly cleaning requires little to no effort.

[@jakeshort7442]

Great video and detail !

[@groutrx1415]

Thanks!

[@jenblob1065]

Thanks this upload - absolutely what I wanted to know and demo good too!

[@groutrx1415]

Thank you! We also have a video on maintenance and care of shower tile. Let us know if you have any questions. kzbin.info/www/bejne/oae4k4yOmKenf8k

[@Kc-xf3qb]

Very insightful, thanks!

[@groutrx1415]

Let us know if you have any questions. We would love to help out however we can.

[@helmutsecke3529]

Brilliant. Can Microban be added to ready-made grout or only yo the powder/water mix grout?

[@groutrx1415]

Premixed grout should be used as it comes and nothing should be added to it. That being said, it likely already comes with an antimicrobial. Antimicrobial products kill or slow the spread of microorganisms which include bacteria, viruses, protozoans, and fungi such as mold and mildew. Microban is a proprietary name for an antimicrobial that has since fallen out of the 7 year patent window so there are several other products that do essentially the same thing. All this being said, these products do not deliver as much protection as one might think. Most don't actually kill mold, rather they shortchange the reproductive cycle slowing the spread of mold. In order to impede the spread of mold in a tile installation, rinse the walls thoroughly after every use so organic matter does not accumulate. You can also dry the walls off after, but the rinsing is key. Mold needs moisture and organic material to thrive. Take away those two things and it is the best protection money can't buy.

[@helmutsecke3529]

@@groutrx1415 Danke schön!

[@vikimerjos147]

hi great video what spray grout sealer did you use?

[@groutrx1415]

To be honest, when we looked at different brands years back, there wasn't much difference. I usually pick up cans at Lowe's or Home Depot. Keep in mind, sealants do not make grout water proof or stain proof, they just reduce the surface tension making the grout easier to clean. There is a type of sealant that you can apply with a brush which is marginally better, but it can leave a haze on the tile and for the purposes of completing jobs, the aerosol can sealant works much better. We just spray it on and buff it off after letting it sit for 5 minutes. Putting extra coats on doesn't hurt. www.lowes.com/pd/Miracle-Sealants-15-fl-oz-Clear-Ceramic-Porcelain-Tile-Grout-Sealer-Spray-Bottle/1000665951

[@turnberrycourt5719]

Thank you for this video. I'm curious to know what soap scum cleaning tool you are using at 2:05 / I also scratched my ceramic stone tiles and curious to know if you use Faber - Tile & Stone Care or some other product to treat the accidental scratches before re-grouting. Thanks!

[@groutrx1415]

Accidental scratches are unfortunate. If it is in the glaze, sometimes it can be buffed out. You might try going over the scratch with a clear coat. Feel free to email me a picture at [e-mail]. In terms of soap scum removal, check out this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oae4k4yOmKenf8k

[@seadog9298]

Your statement about grout removal on a shower floor not being recommended took me aback. That’s exactly what I need to do but had planned to use my other shower to actually allow for proper drying times for both demo and regrout in the shower floor that needs the work. Was your statement made assuming that people couldn’t or wouldn’t set aside enough time, whether it be hours or days, to allow for proper drying time?!

[@groutrx1415]

Mortar beds are notorious for water saturation and deep mold penetration. When we re-grouted them in the past, we would actually take the grout out and come back weeks later after the floor had been exposed to a fan, space heater or both. The grout will always go in, but if there is still moisture in the bed, it will cure a darker color (the color it is when it is mixed) in the area where the moisture is present. If the floor has significant mold, it will likely come back within 6 month to a year. There are no hard and fast rules on any of this, but one thing to do to let the floor dry more quickly is to make sure all the weep holes in the secondary drain are cleared so the mortar bed can dry.

[@Zorak2319]

@@groutrx1415 the shower floor of the house we just moved into obviously had this problem and someone tried to go over the grout with an epoxy product, which has chipped away. Short of putting in a new shower floor, I'd like to try and remove the epoxy and grout and regrout to see if this will work first, is there a tool you'd recommend for removing the epoxy?

[@groutrx1415]

@@Zorak2319 Do you know if you have a mortar bed or is the shower floor built on a foam core pan? Round drains usually indicate traditional mortar beds and square drains are akin to Schluter products. Also, where are you geographically located? You can message me at [e-mail] if you like. This is a bit more complicated than a KZbin thread answer.

[@groutrx1415]

@@Zorak2319 This is a tough question to field without first seeing pictures. Please email me at [e-mail] and I can take a look. My first instinct is an angle grinder, but if you are not sure handed, this can be a disaster. There are other options...

[@Zorak2319]

@@groutrx1415 sorry I didn't see your comment until now., I don't know if it's a foam core or mortar bed, but the drain cover is square while I can see the drain below it is round. Believe me, things in this house were done on the fly. Thanks for your email, I will respond to that.

[@thelittleredbarn174]

Do you remove all the grout down to the thinset or just enough for the new grout to adhere? Thanks

[@groutrx1415]

We go about 3/4 of the depth of the tile to get good hold for the grout. The more you can remove, the better, but with standard field tile with 1/16" grout lines it is difficult to go all the way to the substrate with scoring tools.

[@kostaspanayiotakis]

How much time approximately needs to regrout one medium sized bathroom? And if I hire technician how much should I pay him?

[@groutrx1415]

It depends on what you mean by a medium size bathroom, tile size, amount of tile, etc. If we re-grout a standard tub surround it usually runs around $550 for labor and materials. The process requires 8-9 hours total with a return the next day for sealing the grout (this takes 10 minutes) and 24 hours dry time. If you are Re-grouting something for the first time, it can be frustrating if the grout is particularly hard and will likely take longer. what you may do is buy a triangle tool and try scraping the grout out in a few places to see how difficult it is. In showers, grout is often harder due to the absorption of hard water. If you get a company to do it, I would pay more attention to what the person says during the estimate and if they come highly recommended. Do your homework and hire a person you feel like you can trust.

[@alexsandoval5946]

Donde la puedo conseguir

[@vickg]

Is caulking required at the bottom where side tiles meet the floor tiles on all four sides?

[@groutrx1415]

It depend. On all of our new shower installations and when we do floor overlays, we employ epoxy grout which is ver stable and rarely cracks. In older installations and around tubs, we often caulk because cracking does occur where two planar surfaces meet do to expansion and contraction. Keep in mind though, if a shower was built properly, the waterproofing is underneath the tile and it doesn't matter if there is cracking in the grout lines or not, it is purely aesthetic.

[@groutrx1415]

It depends on how much expansion and contraction you have and what type of grout you use. When we install new floors or perform shower floor overlays, we use epoxy grout and it rarely cracks. Even if grout is cracked this is not a cause for concern as water will penetrate the grout invariably and make its way into the mortar bed (where mortar beds have been employed as a means of construction). when you caulk seams, it's basically cosmetic because the waterproofing should be in the substrate. If you do use caulk, silicone caulk, while messy and cannot be cleaned up with water, has more elasticity. Acrylic or water based caulks will likely crack over time. Hope this helps!

[@hao11oah]

Are the corners/seams (where two walls meet at 90 degrees) grouted & also caulked? Please share your thoughts on that.

[@groutrx1415]

While I am not a fan of caulk in general, we do use it in most instance where there are seams. When two surfaces join, you often get small amounts of expansion and contraction of materials which cause cracking at the seams. In new construction, some form of seam tape should be used in these areas to help mitigate this and prevent leaking, but cracking can occur regardless. In terms of the look, we often grout the seams then caulk with a clear silicone caulk (more elastic than acrylic). While we may sometimes use a caulk of a different color, it can be difficult to match the color exactly which then highlights the seams. If you grout, then caulk, the color of the grout will come through and you will get the benefit of caulk holding the grout in place IF it cracks.

[@groutrx1415]

They are grouted and then caulked whenever we go over and re-grout existing installations. Depending on if seam tape was used for the original installation of the substrate, whenever you get two surfaces meeting, there is invariable cracking from expansion and contraction. This is normal and if the substrate is waterproofed, the cracking is purely aesthetic. Grout mixed with a flexible admix or epoxy grout may not be as prone to cracking, but does have the potential to crack. Whenever possible, a clear bead of silicone caulk is never a bad thing.

[@MAGAMAN]

Caulking is a crutch used by most people to make up for poor workmanship. I lived in a house for 30 years with no caulking in the corner of the shower or tub and it was fine. The only place it is really needed are places that have movement from each other, like between the tub and tile because they tend to move separately and the grout will crack. If you bought a new home, it was probably done by someone who can't speak more than 2 words of english and has no education on doing the work. I lived in a brand new home recently (renting) and every single door in the house was crooked. EVERY SINGLE ONE! When the stairs started to creak, the builder sent a guy in who cut out all the nails under the stair treads.

[@karunapant4700]

Hey my mason used white cement as grout is it okk.।।

[@groutrx1415]

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you on this. All grout is a blend of Portland based cement and has slightly different properties than traditional cement. Basically, if it's working out, it's fine, but here are the details on what's what. Cement is a powder of oxides, dioxide and sulfate, which powder is mixed with aggregates and water (sometimes with other additives) to make a cementitious mix used to create solids in construction in molds of many differing shapes. Those aggregate and cement shapes are sometimes reinforced with steel to enhance the structural properties of the concrete formed. Mortar is a mix of sand, water and cement, used as a kind of “glue” matrix to allow structures to be built out of individual units of fired brick, adobe, hay bales or concrete, subsequently used to build other structures. Grout is a mix of fine sand aggregates with a cementitious base, used with water and other additives to form a dense injected voids packing in soils amendments, as sealing between tiles and as a seal against water movement.

[@ranveersinghhunjan7125]

Where from we buy ???

[@groutrx1415]

If you are interested in buying any of the tools discussed, here are links to a few places to purchase them: Triangle Tipped Grout Scraper www.homedepot.com/p/QEP-Grout-Removal-Tool-with-3-Durable-Carbide-Tips-10020/311331831?source=shoppingads&locale=en-US&&mtc=Shopping-CM-F_D23-G-D23-023_014_FLOOR_TOOLS-NA-NA-Feed-SMART-2996251-WF-New_Engen_PL3&cm_mmc=Shopping-CM-F_D23-G-D23-023_014_FLOOR_TOOLS-NA-NA-Feed-SMART-2996251-WF-New_Engen_PL3-71700000084477446-58700007168062760-92700064419903686&gclid=Cj0KCQiAjc2QBhDgARIsAMc3SqReZgZCBy6p7adCBhB0bADcMiu5CpI7oZyedLIOicVd-NLMiRnfiEAaAgA-EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds Backer Scoring Tool www.floorsupplies.net/products/marshalltown-28272-scoring-knife?variant=32067951919236&currency=USD& Angle Grinder with Diamond www.toolnut.com/makita-ga4030-4-angle-grinder.html? 4" Razor Scraper www.maxwarehouse.com/products/qep-62900q-4-stripper?variant=35005782342&JEN-2712-2100 Oscillating Multi Tool www.lowes.com/pd/ROCKWELL-Sonicrafter-31-Piece-Corded-3-Amp-Variable-Speed-Oscillating-Multi-Tool-Kit-with-Soft-Case/1000677709?user=shopping Grout Float / Trowel www.tileprosource.com/products/primo-tools-trublue-3-x-11-1-2-offset-grout-float?variant=36762460422295&gclid=Cj0KCQiAjc2QBhDgARIsAMc3SqQnE13wt3nYXCfXHp99qwrCe4pDOC5nm3h9e6-yQCZtSXLYPuZOgMoaAl--EALw_wcB

[@Marcoosianism]

Any opinion as to which manual removal tool works best? ... Diamond-shaped (or v-shaped) tips VS saw blade type with serrated teeth VS blades coated in coarse diamond grit ?

[@groutrx1415]

We don't really use the blade type tools. I've tried those on a few occasions and always go back the the triangle (or diamond) scoring tools.If you have thin grout lines, 1/16 of an inch, the diamond tool works best followed by the backer scoring tool. Hope this helps.

[@jpadilla2354]

What type and how much microban do I add?

[@groutrx1415]

Grout Admixes you can buy at local hardware stores have all sorts of antimicrobial additives and the mixing is as easy as what they state on the label. Keep in mind, these do not prevent mold from growing completely, they just shortchange the reproductive cycle, hence they are referred to as inhibitors. Rinse your shower off thoroughly after each use to avoid protein build up on walls which leads to the proliferation of mold.

[@groutrx1415]

Email me with further questions on maintenance at [e-mail]

[@easyrider4649]

Gave the video thumbs down because of the music too freaking loud.. Next time lower the music so everyone can hear you much clearer of the music.

[@TrueBoricua]

Are you deaf? Audio is balanced fine.

[@helmutsecke3529]

Well Karen, you know what you can do with the other thumb then.

[@joeymc5272]

I apologize but you did not remove enough grout imo for the new grout to hold long term. You need to remove a lot more than that in order to get a longterm hold and bond

[@groutrx1415]

There is no need to apologize and we appreciate your input. That being said, the backer scoring tool that we suggest 1 min 14 sec in takes the grout out to a depth of 3/16" of an inch in a standard 1/16" wide grout line. This is 3/4 of the depth of the thickness of a standard field tile. In many instance we are scraping down to the thinset mortar that the tile is set on.

[@joeymc5272]

@@groutrx1415 oh gotcha just showing in video completely understand either way my apology for stepping forward on that one. My company grouts a lot so just wanted to make sure. Your good 👍. Good content

[@groutrx1415]

@@joeymc5272 No problem and thank you for your feedback. I've produced these videos mainly to help customers understand how we go about performing the work or to help empower them to do the work themselves if they so choose. Regarding this particular video, my first, we were delving into the type of tools we might use. For field tile set within the past 20-30 years, the triangle tool and a backer tool suffices, but I have since started scoring the line with a third pass using a utility knife with Irwin blades which brings the line a bit deeper. Because those standard field tiles are so closely set, it is difficult to get much deeper without using an angle grinder, but those tend to distort the edge of the tiles and the blades are often slightly wider than 1/16". You also have to be pretty sure handed. It might be good to do an updated version of this video and go into more detail. I really appreciate your feedback.