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About two years ago we had a contractor tile one of our bathrooms. Pretty nice job for the most part, except that he wiped too much grout out of the floor tiles. I can tell because I feel the tile edges all too well with my feet.
The grout is about 1/16th” too low. Can anyone recommend a method and materials for re-grouting? I’m afraid that because the groove is so shallow and he used a silicone sealer that the new grout will chip out easily. Any thoughts on using an add-mix with the grout?
By the way, it’s one inch hex tiles – so please don’t recommend that I use a grout saw to make the grooves deeper!
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How about a dremel tool with carbide bit - and a steady hand. 1/16" is not really enough material and with a sealer, which will inhibit bonding, you have sure failure. I believe most will recommend removing as much of the old grout as possible, even if you have to use a dental pick to do it.
*Wait a minute! You saying you walk across a floor of 1" hex with grout 1/16" low and you can feel that??? Well, here's my solution: go on a week long hike through the forest barefoot.Really! Some people just get it in their head that the installation is defective that they'll go off on any little thing. What about the exterior siding on the south wall? See how that joint is 1/4" misaligned twenty feet up?And another thing, this job has been eating at you for 2 years, right? Everytime you walk across that floor you feel a little something gnawing at you inside, right? You can't stand it no more, besides you promised the wife you'd do something about it, right? Buy a rug.Why the venom? Can you believe it, 5 years after I installed this guy's kitchen countertop, he called me saying I needed to get over there right now and fix the grout staining around the sink area. Never mind he wouldn't spend for epoxy grout and that he had some of the rankest tap water on God's green earth.Sure I got my money but I'll bet he's been outthere trashmouthing me. Some people you just can't tell nothing to.
*What about a good stripper and then regrout? With such small tiles regrouting will be a tedious job even with no sealer, but nontheless, think about a chemical stripper for the sealer. Your first choice would be a water based stripper, see what that removes. If not, you could use a paint stripper to more effectively remove it if you are willing to wear a respirator and take appropriate precautions.As for feeling the edges of those little tiles, I would seriously consider living with it. My two scents..Jon
*Rich,It sounds like you've had worse customers than me. I think that I'm really fair and don't have expectations of perfection. After all, my house was built in 1926. Lots of things are not perfect about it. But I like a good job. Another installer did the tile in the other bathroom and the floor feels much better. I'm really just asking if anyone has practical ideas for fixing this. My tender feet aside, the floor picks up dirt faster and is much harder to clean.
*Jon,Interesting idea. Are you aware of a stripper made especially for sealers? Or are you talking about water based paint strippers?
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About two years ago we had a contractor tile one of our bathrooms. Pretty nice job for the most part, except that he wiped too much grout out of the floor tiles. I can tell because I feel the tile edges all too well with my feet.
The grout is about 1/16th" too low. Can anyone recommend a method and materials for re-grouting? I'm afraid that because the groove is so shallow and he used a silicone sealer that the new grout will chip out easily. Any thoughts on using an add-mix with the grout?
By the way, it's one inch hex tiles - so please don't recommend that I use a grout saw to make the grooves deeper!