Small holes in grout lines

[deano]

I would have preferred to buy specifically formulated grout, rather than using Wickes General Purpose Tile Adhesive and Grout for both the sticking and grouting. However, funds being low at the moment, and with plenty of the stuff left in the pot, I had to resort to using it for both jobs.

Now I have found that small "pin holes" have formed in the grout lines as it dried out... most probably due to shrinking and cracking!

How can I remedy this? I was thinking about using some Acrylic sealant to go over the problem areas. Not every line is affected and I could concentrate on the shower cubicle alone as the rest of the room won't get such a soaking.

The stuff also doesn't buff off like normal grout does and is proving a right bugger to remove from the faces of the tiles. I'm using a window scraper at the moment which is taking some time. Is there anything else that could make this easier... household products already to hand would be useful as money is scarce.

cheers, deano.

[The3rd Earl Of Derby]

Stop wearing binoculars in the shower and you wont notice the tiny pinholes

[Christian McArdle]

Use brick acid. The proper stuff, not the wussy non-acidic, non-functional variants. Test on a spare tile first. Rinse quickly.

Christian.

[deano]

Yeah, I think I under-described there... its not pin-holes, it's actually a crack line right in the middle of each grout line, and it is on lots of them. So, each grout line has cracked whilst drying out and I'm worried about water getting behind as the shower-room is without windows and there will be considerable condensation in the space.

Should I go over the lines with acrylic or get some 'proper' grout and go back over the job?

cheerz. deano.

[Guy King]

The message from "deano" contains these words:

Sounds like you made the grout too runny.

[The Medway Handyman]

Spontex (or similar) Tough Scourer

Brilliant for removing dried on grout without scratching the tiles.

[deano]

It was ready-mixed in the pot (see my OP) Wickes General Purpose....... However, maybe wiping with the grouting sponge made it too wet?

I used a Wickes grouting sponge and a grouting tool (Plasplug I think) to do the job. I thought they worked perfectly until I started seeing the holes/crack appear!

On the last bit of grouting, I used my finger instead of the grouting tool and this produced a prefect finish to the grout line, so it seems that the plasplug thing was a gadget not an asset!

Looks like I'll be going back over the joins with my ever-faithful forefinger :)

d:)

[deano]

Wow, there really is a product for everything! I bought a grout sponge from Wickes which looked useful as it had a course side and a soft side... better than the much abused, general purpose one, I knew was "knocking around somewhere", in one of my sheds. But the Tough Scourer makes the Wickes sponge look like something the missus would use in the bath.... phnar phnar!

Maybe I'll suggest it ;-)

deano.