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Grout Repair
Repairing Grout in Ceramic and other Tile
There are times when grout is so dirty and dingy that no amount of scrubbing will get it clean. Grout can also become damaged and cracked, and when either of these two things happens, the grout needs to be removed by regrouting grout lines, or even color sealed. Fresh grout will help with restoring grout to keep your tiles looking great for your floors, countertops, and backsplashes looking like new! Grout removal can be a fairly easy job if you have the right tools and the right know-how.
Grout removal should always begin by properly preparing the area. This involves covering any floor space with a drop cloth so that the floor will not become damaged from things falling from higer areas being repaired. Masking tape should also be applied along the edges of the tiles so that they do not become damaged while you are repairing the grout. For your own personal protection, you should always wear a dust mask and goggles to protect yourself from the dust and bits of grout that may be in the air while you are working. The next thing you may need to use when repairing grout is a grout saw. These saws are carbide tipped and relatively inexpensive. This handy tool will make the job of grout removal much easier. Another inexpensive grout removal tool is a grout scraper that will also help to make this a much easier task!
The grout saw should be used to first cut a rut into the old grout. Porous grout will be easy to cut but for grout that is more set, you may need to pass through it with the grout saw a few times before the rut becomes visible. The scraper can then be used to help widen the rut or groove and will actually pull the grout out of the rut. If you don't have a scraper, grout repair can also be done with a chisel and a hammer. Simply place the chisel against the groove and gently tap it with the hammer so that the old pieces of grout start coming up. When using this method of grout removal, be sure that you are chiseling towards open space and not towards the tiles. You certainly don't want to damage them in the process! Continue cutting ruts into the grout and chipping or scraping them away until all of the grout has been removed.
Replacing and restoring grout is something that needs to be done if you want to remove ceramic tile, marble tile, or repair porcelain tile. When removing ceramic tile, how they have been installed will determine how it can be removed. It may be as simple as breaking up the ceramic tile, grout removal, with a hammer and then scraping away at the edges. Removing ceramic tile that has been set into concrete could take a little more time as you need to remove the grout around each individual tile and then pry the tile up. After the ceramic tile has been removed, make sure that the area is kept clean and level so that any new grout will adhere more easily. Porcelain tiles can be removed, repaired and restored in the same way as ceramic tiles. This is because ceramic and porcelain tiles are very similar with the only difference being that ceramic tiles have been coated and sealed for protection and porcelain tiles are a solid substance through out its composition.
Grout removal and tile repair can be a very big job that requires some elbow grease. Before you take on the task yourself, it's important to know what is involved so that you can be fully prepared. For very big jobs, you may want to seek the help of a professional who will be able to do the job much more quickly and efficiently. They will also have the experience and knowledge to keep installed tiles in good shape as they work on grout removal. Ceramic and porcelain tile repair and removal can be especially tough jobs, so you may really want to consider hiring a professional Grout Cleaning Contractor for this type of work.
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