The grout aroudn the tile in the shower/tub stall is cracking. The bottom parts are worse, and there are hairline cracks about half way up. We moved into this house in December, and there was no cracking then.
There us one small bit where the grout fell off, and the crack was filled with silicone beneath.
When we moved it, we found grout patch and silicone in a box. I wonder if there was damage that they just covered up.
What is my next step? Do I need to pull down the tiles?
~ Jill
old grout so you can re-apply new. You don't need to remove any tiles. It's not too difficult. The most important part is to seal the new grout. Visit your local Home Depot or similar place, they can tell you how to do it.
"Jill" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@corp.supernews.com:
It will. We just had to have our shower torn out. 18 year old grout was letting water get past it, and water soaked carpet in closet behind shower got mildewed. I apparently was happening for some time..
If the wall behind the tile is damaged, then the only thing to do is pull it all out and re-do.
In spite of what some told you, you have a major problem. If the joints were solid 8 months ago and now they are cracked open everywhere, and on top of that you discovered silicone in one of the joints that came loose, my bet is the support behind the tile is wet - maybe rotted, and another patch will be just that - a patch.
Tom J
Dang. I think this is the first time I wished we had more than one bathroom. This will be a project that needs to take 3 days, max. I have no idea where to start. I thought the tiles looked nice, but I think I'll look into getting one of those plastic solid piece tub/wall things......and I'll have to hire someone to do it. It is beyond my know how.
~ Jill
No, they don't seem to be loose at all. I suppose I can remove the grout and see if anything icky turns up.....
~ Jill
Jill, While your removing grout it would be a good time to pull just one or two of the tiles and check for water damage. The worst areas are usually the front end of the side wall at the lower levels. If there is damage... you will notice once a single tile is removed other come off easily! Good luck! Mike
I have a different opinion.
The last time I did what everyone suggested.... scratch out all grout and put fresh in and seal it. But in a less than a year, it started looking bad again. Next time I will just keep touching it up until I replace all the tile with a solid surface.
damage.
before going
Good point. Perhaps I can remove a bit to check for damage and if there is none, just patch it up until I can get a new solid shower/tub.
~ Jill
If you are going to try to repair and live with what you have, get one of the grout remover tools that looks like a scraper except the blade is straight in line with the handle, and the blade has carbide or diamond grit on the edge depending on cost. There should only be caulking (silicone) around where the tile meets the tub and up the corners. Where you have the caulk in the other tile joints, work on those especially well to get all traces of the silicone caulk out of the joint. Grout will not stick to the tile if not cleaned really good and to the depth of the tile.
Good Luck Tom J
Thank you for the tips, Tom.
~ Jill
I won't know for sure unless I tear it down and look. I must be wrong in my guess.
~ Jill
The house was built in the late 1960's.
~ Jill
No matter the year. If not mortar, almost surely it's drywall. Guaranteed it wasn't cementious or other tile backerboard, but some dodo could have used plywood. Who knows. Have a tile contractor or builder at least look at it so you'll not have to guess. Or worse yet, re-grout and then it all falls out in 6 months.
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