# Another Regrout question -!



## plazaman (Apr 17, 2005)

I have 20 of these to Regrout in a busy commercial gym with a 5 hour window time from start to finish .

I plan on using grout saws and elbow grease . 

What's the best type of saws to use ?

Any new clever grout removal inventions ?


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## GO Remodeling (Apr 5, 2005)

What type of grout are you using?

How many men? I can't figure anyway to complete this job in 5 hours.


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

olzo55 said:


> What type of grout are you using?
> 
> How many men? I can't figure anyway to complete this job in 5 hours.


My previous employee worked for a professional grouting outfit and they would tear out and regrout with epoxy on average 4 hours per shower 2 men. Most of them the grout was ripped out by hand with these:


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## duburban (Apr 10, 2008)

I would get a multi master if you don't have one. There may never be a better excuse.


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## dan-the-man (Dec 16, 2013)

what about this:
http://www.contractorsdirect.com/Ti...ut-Saw-Blade?gclid=CN_Gn4y1jrwCFSvxOgodoSAAKw

less elbow grease:thumbup:


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## [email protected] (Jan 3, 2014)

I use a dremel with a tile cutting blade in it. The tile cutting blades are kind of expensive but man it will rip through that grout no problem. Wouldn't remove grout any other way.

Only down side is its dusty as all hell. But if speed is the name of the game, I've found no quicker way. +The dremel can get into all the nooks and crannies at corners and in niche's.


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## GO Remodeling (Apr 5, 2005)

Inner10 said:


> My previous employee worked for a professional grouting outfit and they would tear out and regrout with epoxy on average 4 hours per shower 2 men. Most of them the grout was ripped out by hand with these:


But the epoxy grout has to dry.


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## charimon (Nov 24, 2008)

Okey. Has one of these been regrouted before? How "chippy" is the orange tile and how chipped is too chipped for your client?
Talk with several epoxy providers about work time/ cure time to find the formula that you need to be ready for water in five hours? Or are you saying that you have a 5 hour work day from when you roll on to the job til you must be cleaned and out? The first one is a serious constraint which will likely mean that you get a custom formula from an epoxy supplier read $$. It will then be a work day based on your epoxy cure formula. 3 hour cure = you will grout only what you have cut and prepped by minute 70. minute 70-75 mix epoxy, you now have 45 min (min 75-120)to grout and clean up. As tile setters we are slaves to the process.


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

olzo55 said:


> But the epoxy grout has to dry.


Yeah he said they would be done faster on hot days...with epoxy you don't have a lot of time to screw around. Now I'm not talking it was ready to be used, I'm talking they would roll out at that time.


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## plazaman (Apr 17, 2005)

Guys to clarify , all 20 does not have to be completed in 1 night . I figured 1 man per shower per night . The showed are 10 in a row , glass partitions on both sides , tiles above , except the end stalls have a side wall .

If I work Friday nights, I get extra hours to complete this . 

They just informed me of wanting to use epoxy grout now . How difficult is epoxy to work with?


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

plazaman said:


> Guys to clarify , all 20 does not have to be completed in 1 night . I figured 1 man per shower per night . The showed are 10 in a row , glass partitions on both sides , tiles above , except the end stalls have a side wall .
> 
> If I work Friday nights, I get extra hours to complete this .
> 
> They just informed me of wanting to use epoxy grout now . How difficult is epoxy to work with?


Getting the gummyness off certain tiles is certainly more work than cement based grout....and you really don't have that much time to screw around.


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## GO Remodeling (Apr 5, 2005)

If using epoxy, you should ask for extra time. Spectralock is installer friendly but requires multiple washes and set/rest time between washes. I would say it doubles grout time.

So you only have one wall per shower. Are you doing the ceiling, too? Keep in mind, overhead work always takes longer and wastes material.

Regardless of what grout you use, it still needs to cure before use.

Ditto what Inner just said.


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## plazaman (Apr 17, 2005)

olzo55 said:


> If using epoxy, you should ask for extra time. Spectralock is installer friendly but requires multiple washes and set/rest time between washes. I would say it doubles grout time.
> 
> So you only have one wall per shower. Are you doing the ceiling, too? Keep in mind, overhead work always takes longer and wastes material.
> 
> ...


I actually watched the video for spectra lock this morning and it does look user friendly. ceiling is also included, but i don't mind doing that another day if i need to or even first. 

What does spectra lock cost?


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

plazaman said:


> I actually watched the video for spectra lock this morning and it does look user friendly. ceiling is also included, but i don't mind doing that another day if i need to or even first.
> 
> What does spectra lock cost?


Depends on the size of the kit, but the one that would do that shower is about 75 bucks in the people's republic of Canada. You're going to want to do it all in one shot. Save any un-used grout and throw it in a freezer or cooler with dry ice to slow the reaction then use that for touch-ups after the fact. I don't know how long it will keep frozen but you may be able to use the leftovers for the next stall etc.


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## GO Remodeling (Apr 5, 2005)

Inner10 said:


> Save any un-used grout and throw it in a freezer or cooler with dry ice to slow the reaction


:thumbsup:

I' ve used it the next day but don't know how long it lasts for extended times in the freezer.

you'll need a scrubby and extra sponges. hot water helps too.


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## plazaman (Apr 17, 2005)

So if I decide to use spectra lock ,soupy think it's enough cure time ? These are showers have to be ready in the morning .


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

[email protected] said:


> I use a dremel with a tile cutting blade in it. The tile cutting blades are kind of expensive but man it will rip through that grout no problem. Wouldn't remove grout any other way.
> 
> Only down side is its dusty as all hell. But if speed is the name of the game, I've found no quicker way. +The dremel can get into all the nooks and crannies at corners and in niche's.


Too aggressive for me. The tile cutting bits will knick and cut into the tile pretty easy. Multi tool and a grout removal blade.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

I like epoxy grouts. I have never used spectralock but have used Mapei Opticolor. Easy clean up as long as you work in small areas. I followed the directions and used a lot of clean water. Never had to do much clean up or had too many gummy tiles, but a razor removed any that I did have.

I have started using urethane grout, Bostik. A few here and on other forums, along with a call or two to Angus and most of the kinks are worked out of my system. Dampening the tile prior to grouting was the key. But also using an epoxy scrub sponge and a soft grout float helped. The one thing that you have to watch for on urethane is sagging. Don't use too much water on any of the steps or you will have to repairs to make.


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## Floormasta78 (Apr 6, 2011)

I'm regrouting 3 bathrooms in a target area, I've done big commercial re grout jobs. For flooring I use the alpha and for walls and tight spaces the multi is perfect.


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## Floormasta78 (Apr 6, 2011)

Urethane sucks . And angus was getting paid too much money to say it was good . LOL ! 


I personally only use epoxy grout on commercial jobs and spectralock is my only choice. No sag, easy to spread and clean with very little if no residue.. take from me. LOL


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