How to tile grout repair

Tiles are used to create a beautiful surface over the cement base. Tile increases the beauty of your home and a proper installation of tile can give the peace of mind to enjoy your floors for years after years. Grout is an important product that should be used after tile have laid properly. When you finish your tile with grout, you will see that the grout is juicy and sponge-like in appearance. Grout looks this way because it is porous, which means that it will absorb moisture. In order to eliminate the porous properties of grout, apply a grout sealer. Applying the grout sealer will eliminate the effects and appearance of staining. You will never have to do the bleach of stains. Sealing grout will eliminate the rate of moisture absorption on the tiled surface. The grout sealant prevents moisture from lifting up the tiles. This is very important in areas which are in contact with water, steam and humidity, such as bathrooms and kitchens. The benefits of grout sealing are quickly diminished if you use harsh chemicals sealed surface. Ongoing maintenance with mild cleaning agent is recommended.

Grout is available in four types, they are sanded, unsanded, acrylic latex or epoxy. The types has different purposes and are good for different application. Before you the type for yourself you must understand their characteristic and ability. Choose the correct type of grout based on the width of your tile joints and where the repair is being done. Here is general idea for grout type that you can select for specific purpose. Measure the space between the tiles you have installed. If the space is more than 1/8 of an inch, use a sanded grout. If the width smaller than 1/8 of an inch, use an unsanded, acrylic latex or epoxy grout. Never use sanded grout for marble tiles because the sanded grout will scratch the marble. Use an unsanded or acrylic latex tile grout for your marble flooring

Grout needs repair because water passes through cracks and can ruin the adhesive base or may even damage the underlying subfloor or walls. Thus tile grout repair is very vital to keep the tiles in good shape.

How to Repair Tile Grout?

To start with your project of home improvement of tile grout repair, make sure you have brought the necessary equipment with the right kind of grout removal tools and materials. Materials you need:

·         hand grout saw

·         old paint brush

·         tile grout

·         grout float

·         spray bottle

·         large sponge

·         and rag

You should wear hand gloves, goggles to protect your eyes and mask to protect yourself from the dust and particles of the grout. The steps to repair tile grouting are given below.

Step#1: The first step starts with proper inspection of the cracked grout to find the severity of the damage of the grout. To check it properly put light pressure on the grout, if you find a spongy feel, that means there may be deep crack. In case the grout is firm even after pressure, it means a slight crack has developed.

Step#2: Take the hand grout saw to break the loose and damaged part of the grout from the tile. You must proceed carefully with this task so that the tile does not get cracked. Then clean all the grout chunk and powdered grout from the area using a mop. Make the newly formed hole completely dust free use a brush and rub it well. This ensures a great bonding between the new grout and the tile.

Step#3: Now you have to prepare the tile grout. Select a grout color that matches with the existing grout of your floor. If there is a variation of shades, then you can adjust it with water and get a shade closer to yours. Read the manufacturer's instructions to mix the grout, do it carefully and mix the grout according to that.

Step#4: Now apply the new grout mixture into the empty grout line. Take some grout on a grout float to put into the joint. This joint will prevent the grout from falling on the next adjoining tiles. Spread the grout mixture properly all over the joint so that they are formed uniformly. Once the empty lines are filled completely, try to smooth up the grout line using dowel.

Step#5: Once you are done keep the whole area untouched for about an hour and then remove all the extra grout from the surface. Use the sponge and get it wet in a way it does not have extra water on it. Then stroke the sponge lightly over the tile to wipe out the grout. Now let it dry for more 48 hours and keep the whole area untouched.

 Step#6:After 48 hours you will find that the grout area is left with hazy residue on the tiles. Take a dry rag and rub it over the floor to remove the dust.  you will get the polished look after cleaning. Finally, it is time to apply a grout sealer on dry grout. This is done to stop water absorption into the grout.  .