Handy Woman At Work

I needed to replace the grout in my Master Bath stall shower, it was really dirty as you can see, I shouldn't have let it go this long.  I've tiled before, but never had to dig grout out. I was a little nervous about doing this, but it had to be done.  It took me about 2 hours to do this project, not too long, and it looks somewhat professional, I hope!

Here is the nasty old grout that I dug out between the wall and the floor, I know, gross right?  I did not remove the grout between the floor tiles, it wasn't bad, I just refilled them.   

 It didn't take too long to remove the old grout with my handy tool.

 Tools I used - My all-in-one, double ended, grout removing and smoothing tool - the orange one (the red tool is also a smoothing tool), a flat rubber grout float, small trowel and pre-mixed grout.  You will also need a bucket of clean water and a big sponge to wipe up excess grout.

I used pre-mixed grout, Home Depot carried the exact color I needed, and it's easier than mixing it yourself and less messy.  It comes in a quart container and the cost was $10.47, all the other tools I had from previous projects.

Make sure your shower is totally clean, free of any dust from removing the old grout, and it must be completely dried out.  We didn't use ours for a couple of days prior to this project.  Plop some of the grout down in a small area, with the trowel, and press it along the wall where the tile meets the floor with the grout float.  Keep pressing it in until all the cracks are full. Then start pulling it towards you to get in between the floor tiles.  Use the smoothing tool to smooth out any rough areas between the wall and the floor.  Wipe off excess with a damp sponge.

 This is the smoothing end of my grouting tool, to make all my edges perfect, so they look professional. I'm not a professional, but I'm cheaper than one, so it has to look good!

 The shower is done, all the nooks and crannies are full of fresh, clean grout.  I don't think I did a bad job, you know, because I'm not a professional.  But I did it, and if I get a few years out of it, it was worth the $10.47 I spent.  Don't be afraid to tackle tough jobs, BE SURE to read directions on products (the shower will take 7 days to dry!), do your research before you start, shop the stores, and find ways to make them easier on YOU!

I also used this product to seal the grout after it dried, it is very east to use.  All you do is aim and spray on the grout, leaves no shine, also protects against stains. Read all directions before spraying.