Shower Tile Regrouting

Knowing when it’s time to re-grout your tiles and how to get it done efficiently

The process of replacing the grout in your tiles is the maintenance that your overall tiling job will need as a periodic procedure to keep your tiled surfaces in good repair and condition. Just like getting an occasional carpet dry-clean to ensure the carpets are kept in great condition and free from excess dirt and bacteria – re-grouting is often needed for tiled surfaces that see heavy traffic for the same reasons.

Getting a tiling re-grout done is far less expensive than re-tiling, especially if the current tiles are still in good condition and you’re still happy with the design – why replace something that you can easily fix and maintain?

Signs you need a tile re-grout

Over time the grout in your tiles naturally disintegrates or degrades in quality – this is simply an unavoidable fact of house maintenance overall. Having had a professional lay the initial tiles and do a great job of sealing the grout will contribute to the grout lasting much longer than a less thorough job. Some signs that you need to consider tile re-grouting include:

Discoloured, stained or dirty grout

Grout with excessive and persistent mold (comes back quickly even after cleaning)

Grout disintegration – sections make have dissolved or broken away completely

Getting your grout replaced also comes with a tile clean to boot, so that the overall effect of having the job done is tiling that looks brand new again!

What’s involved in re-grouting tiles

There are a few main steps to re-grouting tiles, and though they seem relatively simple they do require some specialist tools and products, as well as plenty of time to complete the job. The main steps involved in the re-grouting process are:

Removing the old grout

This involves using a carbide grit grout saw to remove the old grout. This cuts around 5mm deep into the old grout and disintegrates what it comes into contact with.

Vacuuming grout dust up

Once the old grout has been removed and loosened, the whole area needs to be cleaned, and a vacuum applied to all the small gaps in the tiles to remove grout dust and expose a fresh grouting foundation

Wash the freshly exposed surface

This involves washing down all the fresh surfaces that grout has been removed from with a mix of water and white vinegar which will wash away surface grit, kill any potential mold spores and bacteria, and remove lingering traces of soap scum.

Apply the new grout

This is applied liberally with a specialised squeegee until the tradesperson can be sure the new grout has been filled evenly and in a way that ensures no air pockets in the new grout.

Sealing the new grout

A sealant liquid is applied carefully with a small paintbrush over the new group, wiping sealant from the edges of the tiles as they go. This sealant needs around 2 days to fully cure, and ensures that your grout remains waterproof and in good condition for longer. Over time, the sealant can be broken with the natural shifting of the floors and this is when a slow process of disintegration begins anew.

How to get the best re-grout result

The best way of achieving a smooth and professional looking tile re-grout is of course to hire experienced tradespeople who work for a bathroom specialist like Rila Tile and Waterproofing. Years have been spent by our tilers in apprenticeships to learn how to complete jobs like these with an efficiency and effectiveness that the DIY handyman simply cannot replicate. While talented home renovators might be able to achieve a similar result, it’s really the immense sacrifice of time that makes hiring professionals a far better option. As a business and team dedicated to all things bathroom renovations for over 20 years, we have had time to get really, really good at what we do and that includes getting jobs done within impressive timeframes.

If your bathroom tiles are looking tired and you’re not sure whether you need a full re-tiling job, bathroom renovation or simply need to freshen up your grout – take some pictures and come in and see our friendly team. If you can’t get in to see us, we love it when clients email in their pictures and design concepts to help up give even more targeted advice. Whatever bathroom needs you have, Rila Tile and Waterproofing are here to make sure our clients get the result they want with top-level support – so give us a call today to start planning!