How Often Should Grout Be Replaced?
Most of us know that grout is the substance you see between the tiles in your tile installation. It is used mostly as an aesthetic accent to your tiles while giving the floor a look of symmetry since rooms are almost never a perfect rectangle or square. Regrout Bathroom Tile
Grout can be purchased in a powder form to be mixed with other elements before use, it can come premixed or come in 2 to 3 part mixtures of aggregate material and bonding agents. Grout can be purchased in a powder form to be mixed with other elements before use or it can come premixed. It also comes in many different colors and textures to help add to the beauty of your tiles. There are different types of grout, including epoxy grout and cement-based grout.
Primarily cement-based grouts are porous and can present all kinds of issues after installation. Cement-based grout is more prone to the absorption of dirt and liquids and can make it difficult to remove mold and other contaminants. This can require extensive grout repair or even grout replacement. How often should grout be replaced? That depends on a couple of factors. Let’s look at them:
Environment – The environment around the grout will affect the integrity of the grout. Bathrooms, kitchens, basements, laundry rooms, and other areas of your home or business that are damp and humid can harm the integrity of your grout. These conditions can cause mold and dirt, particularly when the grout hasn’t been properly sealed or if it is porous.
Improper Maintenance – Not maintaining your grout can lead to grout cracking and falling off from the tiles. This can lead to water seepage behind or under the tile resulting in expensive repairs or even replacement. Not sealing grout properly can also decrease the lifespan of the grout and lead to prematurely requiring a regrout of the tiled area.
Inferior Products – Using grout and grout maintenance products that are inferior can necessitate grout replacement. As mentioned earlier, cement-based grout that hasn’t been sealed or hasn’t been properly sealed can also lead to a situation where your grout needs to be replaced.
Can Grout Be Replaced?
Absolutely, but the good news is, you don’t always need to replace the grout in your home. We’ve already mentioned that proper grout sealing can keep your grout in good shape for years. The higher quality grout you use and the more consistent you are with grout maintenance, the longer your grout will last. No matter how good the grout is. By its very nature, grout can easily become dirty and damaged over time.
How Do You Know When to Replace Your Grout?
Cracks, staining, and black mold are some of the signs that your old grout may need to be replaced; but, with skilled professionals can often be renewed. However, grout that is beginning to crumble, break or wear down is more likely in need to replacement. The more of these issues you have going on, the more likely it is you’ll have to completely replace your old grout. It may still be possible to have the grout repaired in spots if these issues aren’t extensive, but if these issues are prevalent, complete grout replacement is a good decision.
When you’ve determined your grout needs to be replaced, you will want to decide if it’s a job you can handle on your own or if you need professional help. If you have any doubts about whether or not you can effectively and properly do the job yourself, it’s always best to call professionals in to do the job for you. This will save you the time and expense and trouble of having to redo the job if you were not able to perform the task correctly on your own.