# grout removal and replacement



## EricTheHandyman (Jan 29, 2008)

I'm putting together a bid to re-grout a tub surround and I can't even begin to imagine how long it might take to remove the old grout. It's a standard 5' tub, with 4" tiles and 1/8" grout joints.

I searched another thread about various bits and machines and decided to give it a shot with a rotozip or dremel and carbide bit.

I've set and grouted plenty of tile, so I'm not concerned about the re-grouting. For those of you that have done this before, how long did it take to grind out the old grout?


----------



## E39S62 (Feb 18, 2008)

too long and too dusty to imagine.

I assume the tiles and backing material is in good shape, and that's why the HO is keeping the tile, ie no repeated cracking. If so, then why not just seal the grout with colored sealant, will go right over the dirty grout.

if not, my labor to re-grout will almost be as much as re-tiling.


----------



## skyhook (Mar 17, 2007)

EricTheHandyman said:


> I'm putting together a bid to re-grout a tub surround and I can't even begin to imagine how long it might take to remove the old grout. It's a standard 5' tub, with 4" tiles and 1/8" grout joints.
> 
> I searched another thread about various bits and machines and decided to give it a shot with a rotozip or dremel and carbide bit.
> 
> I've set and grouted plenty of tile, so I'm not concerned about the re-grouting. For those of you that have done this before, how long did it take to grind out the old grout?


Machine grinding out the old grout will probably also mess up the tile (your liability) one nick and you bought it. Why not sell them a new tile job. There are small little hand held grout saws that will remove some off the top so you can grout over the old. Painting the grout is another option if they just want a color change.


----------



## EricTheHandyman (Jan 29, 2008)

skyhook said:


> There are small little hand held grout saws that will remove some off the top so you can grout over the old.


This is essentially what I'm trying to do. Some of the grout has chipped out. The tiles and backer are still in good shape, so she doesn't want to re-tile if she can avoid it.


----------



## platinumLLC (Nov 18, 2008)

The dremel and roto zip bits don't work that well. They work good for about 2 minutes and then they burn up or snap. I tried it and went threw about 100 bucks in bits before I decided that it wasn't going to work. Resorted to the hand saws and LOTS of elbow grease. Wish I would have saved my money on bits and bought a fein multi master to try and remove the grout. Never tried it but seems like it would work better than a spinning bit. Save your money and don't waste your time with the roto zip and dremel bits.


----------



## PrecisionFloors (Jan 24, 2006)

EricTheHandyman said:


> This is essentially what I'm trying to do. Some of the grout has chipped out. The tiles and backer are still in good shape, *so she doesn't want to re-tile if she can avoid it.*


I want to avoid taxes too, but whattya think my chances of that are? Explain, by way of price comparison, that re-tiling will actually be cheaper....hint, hint. A plain white 4x4 ceramic wall tile will cost all of what $25?? 3 sheets of CBU are what $35. You've got 80 bucks in material....whats your labor for a day? 

Now figure up the aggravation of re=grouting that flimsy, brittle, tight jointed crap....what's that worth :whistling


----------



## jarvis design (May 6, 2008)

While I agree with the above posts about re-grouting vs. re-tiling, if your customer is adament about not re-tiling, the only tool I would use is a Fein MultiMaster with carbide grit blade. You will find you will use this tool for a lot more than grout removal, but, it is not a cheap tool and the tooling is also pricey - but it will work and you won't need to replace bits every few feet like the dremel. I paid about $450.00 for a Fein Kit which includes the tool and an assortment of attachments including the carbide grit blade. You can probably buy them cheaper in the States (I'm in Canada)


----------



## PrecisionFloors (Jan 24, 2006)

jarvis design said:


> While I agree with the above posts about re-grouting vs. re-tiling, if your customer is adament about not re-tiling, the only tool I would use is a Fein MultiMaster with carbide grit blade. You will find you will use this tool for a lot more than grout removal, but, it is not a cheap tool and the tooling is also pricey - but it will work and you won't need to replace bits every few feet like the dremel. I paid about $450.00 for a Fein Kit which includes the tool and an assortment of attachments including the carbide grit blade. You can probably buy them cheaper in the States (I'm in Canada)


Agreed If you _must_ re-grout the Fein is the tool for the job. My Supercut is one of the most used tools in my arsenal....it has gotten my ass out of a sling many a time.:thumbsup:


----------



## MattCoops (Apr 7, 2006)

Is the grout loose or cracking?

If not, why not use a grout colorant.:thumbsup:


----------



## thom (Nov 3, 2006)

I've never tried it but, I've been told an old beer can opener (the pointy kind) will do the trick.


----------



## BACKWOODS (Sep 10, 2007)

I did a 3 sided tub not long ago, I used 2 different grout saws, standard and a triangle shaped scraper. It took about 4 hours to get it all out. @ 65.00 per hour and another 2 hours to regrout the area, I went back with the same white grout. Take some music with you as it is boring as hell job! Also a shop vac to help clean up.


----------



## wopachop (Feb 12, 2008)

ah perfect timing two threads on removing grout.

been reading alot....seems lots of long time pros say 'just scrape by hand'. 

i dont have the skill to bust out the grinder in one hand and the shop vac in the other like bill. you do that on walls too bill or just long floor runs?


----------



## MattCoops (Apr 7, 2006)

It takes too hands to keep the grinder steady for me.
I don't like using the grinder for grout removal, because if you nick the tile a bit, good luck if that tile is discod


----------



## wopachop (Feb 12, 2008)

just checked out little shower lady wants grout removed from. she hired one guy..he did a horrible job..never came back for his money.

its those little 4" white tiles with the smooth bumpy texture you cant find anymore. i dont think they even use grout spacers for those tiles they have the build in little bumps that keep them spaced apart. 

so the grout line is barely 1/16 inch...and not very deep.

what would you guys use if i break a tile im screwed?

are there different quality/brands of hand scrapers you guys can recommend....i start tom morning any advice would sure help a guy out right now....peace


----------



## Bill_Vincent (Apr 6, 2005)

wopachop said:


> ah perfect timing two threads on removing grout.
> 
> been reading alot....seems lots of long time pros say 'just scrape by hand'.
> 
> i dont have the skill to bust out the grinder in one hand and the shop vac in the other like bill. you do that on walls too bill or just long floor runs?


I'll do it on walls as well. It's not as easy, though, and usually I'll have someone else handling the vacuum. I can't remember the last time I had to grind out wall joints, though.


----------



## GO Remodeling (Apr 5, 2005)

use a woodworking spade bit for small grout joints. You can get a few or grind them when they get dull. Keep it sharp so you don't slip out of the joint.

olzo


----------



## EricTheHandyman (Jan 29, 2008)

*Update*

Well, I couldn't convince my client that a new tile job was the way to go, so I reluctantly set about removing the old grout. Here's what I did, and I have to admit, it went pretty well, despite the fact that the  moron who did the intial install did a crappy job--uneven joints, lippage, using caulk on top of the grout in some areas :furious:

1. Scrape out uppermost grout using a triangle scraper hand tool--this also created more of a "groove" for step 2

2. The hardware store had a set of 10 diamond coated imitation dremel cutters on the bulk tool table for $10. They were made in China and didn't appear to be very good quality, but I decided to give them a shot. They did great!!! They pulled along nicely in the grout joint and chewed up the grout pretty efficiently. I held the shopvac nozzle alongside the cutter to minimize the dust. I ate up 4 of the diamond bits for this job.

All together, it took about 6 hours to remove about 2/3 of the grout from all the joints. If I ever have to do this again, I would try to find more of those diamond bits. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't any fun crawling around in a bathtub all day, but the customer is happy and I made a few bucks in the process:thumbup:

Thanks to everyone for their input on this project.


----------



## JFM constr (Jul 26, 2014)

wow ,i have never been able to stick this out .tried a 100$ diamond fien disc ,that was way to tedious .went with the ugly colorant you paint over and moved on .impressed with those who stuck this out .


----------



## Robie (Feb 25, 2005)

> impressed with those who stuck this out .



Thank you. Thank you very much.

Used this and a razor blade. Very tedious.


----------



## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Robie said:


> Thank you. Thank you very much.
> 
> Used this and a razor blade. Very tedious.
> 
> View attachment 487333


You might want to add a brick scoring tool to your Arsenal. I mostly use that, triangular carbide scrapers, and angle grinder with diamond blade if there is room. The grinder puts out a ton of dust.


----------



## Robie (Feb 25, 2005)

hdavis said:


> You might want to add a brick scoring tool to your Arsenal. I mostly use that, triangular carbide scrapers, and angle grinder with diamond blade if there is room. The grinder puts out a ton of dust.


Yeah...got the triangle carbide scraper...too wide.
These tiles were tight...hardly any grout line.


----------

