Wondering how to regrout a shower? It might seem like a daunting task, but trust us, it’s not that hard! If your shower is showing some signs of its age, or if you just want to freshen it up a bit, regrouting your shower is an easy way to make your shower look nicer and get rid of grunge and mold buildup.
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A regrout isn’t going to magically make your shower brand new again. However, it will restore it to its former glory. In this blog post, we’ll show you how to regrout a shower, from start to finish.
What is regrouting? How to repair grout in shower
A regrout is the addition of a sealant between the tiles in your shower. This can make the shower look nicer but also has some practical reasons. In a shower, the grout and tile are the most likely places for mold and mildew to grow. Mold is dangerous to you and your home and should be avoided at all costs. The grout also keeps the tiles in place.
This is a process that doesn’t have to happen that often. Regrouting generally only happens every 7-10 years. It can take a few hours but can really improve the look of your shower. Some people paint shower tiles as well to give them a completely different look. A new shower door or a faucet can also give it a brand-new appeal.
Tools you’ll need for a regrout
In addition to the power spray gun and power washer, you’ll need the following to get the job done right.
– Putty knife and box cutter. You also need a sponge, corner tool and a scraper. If you don’t want to do manual work, you can use a multi-tool or angle grinder.
– Grout brush – Grout brushes are designed to clean hard-to-reach places.
– Rubber gloves and protective goggles – Rubber gloves are a must when handling bleach.
-Grout is made out of a mixture of water, sand and cement. You can often get mixes to make it easier.
-A trowel
-Plastic bags, a bucket and old towels
-Silicone can be used to fill some other holes.
How to regrout a shower
Now that you know what to expect, let’s get started with the regrout.
– Start with a clean surface. If there’s dirt or grime on your surface, that will complicate things later. Instead, start with a clean surface to ensure that your regrout is a success.
Once the shower has been cleaned, we can add plastic bags or old towels on the floor. This will make sure that grout doesn’t stick to the shower pan. Shower pans are white and dirt can easily leave spots.
Before we start, we have to make sure that the shower is not damaged. Inspect the shower tiles. Make sure that there are no broken tiles.
The next step is to remove the old grout from the wall. If there’s any grout left on the tiles, you’ll need to remove it before regrouting. A grout scraper, putty knife, or multitool makes this quick and easy. You break the grout by scraping it. This can release a lot of dust so have a brush, wet wipe, and vacuum handy.
Mix the grout and have it in a bucket. Check the color of the grout so that it matches your tiles. Mudding is done by stroking the sealant over the grout. Grout often has to be mixed up by yourself and this is quite easy to do as you just have to add water and mix it.
Now we can finally regrout the shower. This is generally done with a trowel. It can be quite challenging to fill a grout completely. You shouldn’t make a turning movement. This is quite similar to waving to someone.
You can scrape excess grout from tiles with a scraper. You can also use a sponge to clean it further. Finally, go over the grouts with a wipe once it has settled. Check the manual of your grout filler for more details on this.
The grout should rest for at least 24 hours before you use the shower again.
After the shower regrouting
Now that your shower is clean, you can use the cleaning solution to maintain your shower.
Inspect the shower grout. Inspect the grout after the rinse to make sure it’s clean and all the holes are filled.
Now is also a great time to add silicone around the shower pan as well. Water can splash while you take a shower. The silicone makes sure that it doesn’t get under the shower pan and creates mold. You should also have a special material behind the shower walls.
This makes sure that the water behind it, flows away. Mold is a big problem in a bathroom and especially a shower. Make sure that there is enough ventilation to avoid this. Mold can be dangerous to you and your home and should be avoided at all costs. While you are regrouting, it is a great moment to finish the other parts of a shower as well.
Adding silicone requires a lot of cleanups so prep the shower before you start working. There are silicone removers that make the process easier. Use plastic scrapers on parts that can get scratched. Once the old silicone has been removed, it is quite easy to add a new layer with a silicone kit. Just don’t rush it.
Let the grout dry for a few days and don’t use the shower. Once this is done, you can give the shower a final clean and use it again.
Conclusion
A regrout is the removal of old grout between the tiles and adding a new one. In a shower, the grout and tile are the most likely places for mold and mildew to grow.
A shower is a pretty used asset of most people’s homes. With daily use, your shower can quickly become dirty and build up mold and mildew. It’s important to clean your shower regularly and make sure that everything is sealed properly. Showers can last quite a long time if they are properly maintained.
We have discussed the differences between grout and mortar here.
