Whenever grout and tile begins to show age, homeowners are often times inclined to replace everything. However, if you are having this problem on your walls or floors it would be best to attempt to do a regrouting project, as this will save as much as seventy percent of the price for replacing.
Regrouting is actually a procedure which involves removing the current grout from the lines in the tile. This can be a difficult procedure but could be carried out effectively with little perseverance and patience.
First of all you have to determine if it is necessary to regrout or not, simply by checking if the grout is sanded or non-sanded. This is very important since this task must only be carried out on the non-sanded grout. When you determine this, then it is time to collect the necessary tools in order to get the job done.
You can find a wide variety of tools for this purpose, but because the process is tedious it is best to find the right one if you want to get outstanding results. It is recommended to remove about one-sixteenth of an inch from the existing grout and this will allow the fresh grout to set easily, if not this will cause it to flake after cleaning.
As soon as you complete the removal process you are now required to deal with the corners and the edges by using a tile cutting bit. Once this is finish, you can remove all remnants of existing caulking using your razor scraper. At this point, you should be prepared to apply the fresh grout.
You should now fill a spray bottle with roughly 75% of water and 25% of phosphoric acid and then start to work in different areas beginning from the bottom if working on vertical surface. Afterwards spray on the acid, scrub with a brush and then thoroughly clean the tile using water and scouring pads to get rid of soap scum. In the event that you can see remnants of the caulking, you can remove this with some acetone and then get ready to apply grout.
When choosing the color, ensure that you do this carefully because there are several types on the market. Let’s assume that you are using the regular dry white grout which is non-sanded. You should mix the grout in a bucket and use a margin trowel to form a paste and then spread evenly across the tile using a grout float. Next, take the grout float and then hold in a forty-five degree angle in order to get rid of the excess grout and fill the joints.
Additionally, ensure that have protection gears such as ear plugs, dust masks and rubber gloves which is chemical resistant. As soon as you are finished with the regrouting process, you should then wipe off the area smoothly using a slightly damp sponge. In the end, you should caulk all the necessary areas like the base of the tub, sink or the stall shower if you are working in the bathroom.