House is 12 years old. Ceramic Tile shower. Have never had a problem but now it’s looking kinda stained (brownish) at the junction of the floor and wall. Not 100% all around, just here and there.
I suspect the grout in that 90* joint is weak and starting to absorb moisture. I’m thinking – only thinking- of removing the grout (using my fine Fein MM), and then regrouting. I think I read somewhere that if I do that, I should use “sandless grout??? Because of the small / narrow joint? Your advice is greatly appreciated (as long as you don’t recommend laying in caulk!!!!) There was no caulk for 12 years and I really don’t care to use that…
If I remove the current grout, how deep do I go? Just 1/8 in? or more?
Thanks for your time….
Dick
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start by just cleaning it with a stiff brush and vinegar, then dry it with a hiar dryer or heat gun, and look close to see if it has any cracking happenning.
If not cracking, then a sealer is all it needs, and keep it clean and sealed going forward.
If you see micro-cracking fissures, then scrape or use the MM ( Aw - go ahead and do it,you were just dying to try that blade out anyways) and clean it as deep as you are comfortable doing. a deeper gully with let the new bond better. Then regrout. anything less than 1/8" to 3/16" is unsanded grout.
Then caulk after it is cured with colourmatched shower caulk.
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Thanks for the advice. The current grout is white. so If I DO this, I won't have to use caulk.
Now I finally get to use that mean looking MM grout blade!!!!
Personal: are you in Maine? My favorite place. I was born in Portland, lived in Rockland, had a "camp" up near Van Buren and now I'm in the witness protection program in Omaha NE ;>)
You DO need to caulk! This is the joint that suffers the most stress and will eventually crack and leak and lead to deterioration of other joints.I am in the midcoast area of Maine. Islesboro ferry leaves from Lincolnville, about 10 miles north of Rockland
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Piffin,
Do you know the Lobster Pound? is it still in existence? Spent a few summers on Nortons Pond as a kid/teenager and still visit on occasion, but not in a few years....great place Lincilnville!! Camden's not to bad to visit either..
Geoff
It's a fixture of the beach. My grandmother recalls eating there while on her honeymoon in 1927 and looking across the water at Islesboro.My (deceased) MIL loved their french onion soup, and so do I, so every year, when I take my wife there on Mother's day, I order it in honor of her.There is actually a better place to eat right across the street now. Chez Michelle.
Michelle is a fantastic chef and businessman both, and the service is great.
But it isn't lobstah on the beach.
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Hi Piffin,Regarding grouting/caulking the corners...do you only caulk? Or do you grout the corners and the caulk over? I was thinking of grouting all joints and then caulking over the corners. Figured it would just be easier than trying to keep grout out of the corners as well as add some further strength to the joint. I've read caulk first/grout second vs grout first/caulk second is usually based on how someone was taught to do it. Thanks
I wasn't taught - I just learn along...So here is my take. I would not know how to caulk first and then grout. I would have to wait for grout to kick a day before I ould grout, and that time is expensive.Grout alone can crack easily in the corner joint so I use caulk. I am also not good enough at grouting to be able to grout everything else and not have grout in the corner joints, so I do grout it too.But then as I am doing my final clean of the grout as it sets up, I drag the corner so my caulk has something to fit into. Then I caulk
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" would have to wait for grout to kick a day before I ould grout, and that time is expensive. "So you don't wait till the grout fully sets/cures (~5 hours) before caulking?
No, not alwayss - never had a problem.If I am on a long running job where i will be around for other things, then I give it plenty time, but if it is a tile job only I am OK with that. Latex caulk seems to bond in with damp grout OK, and since grout is a chemical reaction between the portland and the water ( or with epoxy grout, with the resin) it kicks even if under water - something important to know before you flush the leftover grout into your trap under the sink
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Re the type of grout: You can generally tell what kind of grout you currently have by simple testing. Scrape your fingernail along a joint. If it feels fairly smooth (just a little bit of roughness) then it's probably unsanded grout. If it feels like sandpaper then it's probably sanded grout. Similarly, looking at it, if it's visibly smooth then unsanded, if it looks like sandpaper then sanded.
But consider that that joint may actually already be caulk instead of grout. Many installers prefer to use caulk at joints between tile and other surfaces, and in tiled corners.
If you grind out the old grout you'll need to remove approx 2/3 of the grout depth.
And you DO need to caulk all the inside corners with "tile caulk" of the matching color!
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well if you invested in a fein tool you must know something !! no desrespect it is a great tool !! anyway to the point of your question i had an issue on my counter top with chaulk yellowing ( i know you said you had grout) what i did was made a paste of comet and bleach took a tooth brush and rubbed it into the chaulk joint it came out like i just rechaulked it ! ialso sprayed the comet paste with bleach after i had it on the joint waited about 10 minutes crubed it with the tooth brush 1 more time then washed it with clean water. TRY it a hidden spot
Just be careful you don't go so deep as to lacerate the membrane.
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