How to Easily Regrout Your Tiles

Dremel’s Wall & Floor Grout Removal Kit (568) is an awesome accessory to help you remove old grout quickly and effortlessly
  • Difficulty
    Easy

Introduction

Proper grouting is not only key to sealing your tiles and preventing dirt and water seeping in between the cracks, but will also enhance any room’s appearance. Luckily, regrouting shower or bathroom tiles is one of the easier things on the DIY to-do list. This informative video tutorial will show you exactly how to regrout old tiles – perfect if you’ve just moved house. In 7 clear and detailed steps, Dremel will guide you through this project from start to finish, from removing the old grout using the Wall & Floor Grout Removal Kit (568) to getting rid of residue and buffing those tiles until they gleam. Your journey to great grout lines starts here.

You need

Let's go - step by step

Video instructions

Step17

Prepare your Multi-Tool for Regrouting

Setting the correct depth on the Angled Cutting Guide, part of Dremel’s Wall & Grout Removal Kit (568), before you start regrouting your bathroom tiles will ensure the new grout will hold

Start the project by removing your Dremel 4250’s Nose Cap. Depending on the width of the grooves between your tiles, insert either Grout Removal Bit 569 or 570 (we used 570 for this project), and tighten it. Now fit the Angled Cutting Guide over the bit and screw it on. Adjust the Cutting Guide to set the correct depth for removing the grout: the thickness of the tile is a good indicator of the desired depth. You are now ready to start regrouting your bathroom tiles.

Step27

Remove the Old Grout

Before regrouting your old bathroom tiles, it’s essential to remove the old grout first

Before revving up your multi-tool, it’s safety first. Removing the old grout can kick up a lot of dust, so you’ll definitely want to wear a dust mask and safety glasses. Ear protection and gloves are a good idea too. Now start the tool at 20.000 RPM, sink it into the grout and, using a pulling motion, start removing it. A double-handed grip on the tool, combined with the 30-degree angle of the Cutting Guide, will give you full control as well as clean cuts. Meanwhile, the generous window ensures full vision of the grout line and surrounding tiles. Continue cutting until all the old grout is gone.

Step37

Get Rid of Any Dust

A vacuum cleaner is a great aide in getting rid of dust and debris after removing the old grout

Want to know the secret to regrouting your bathroom tiles successfully? It’s all in the cleaning! The new grout will not adhere to the wall and surrounding tiles properly unless all the dust, released when removing the old grout, is cleaned away. A two-step approach is best. Firstly, swipe along the grout lines with a hand brush to dislodge any particles and pieces that might have been left behind. Secondly, use a vacuum cleaner to suck up dust and debris. There you are, let’s move on to the new grout.

Step47

Mix the New Grout

Stir water and grout powder together until you have a smooth grout mixture

First things first: the colour. For this project we chose ivory-coloured grout as it matches the white tiles, but you can pick any colour you find suitable. Measure out the manufacturer-recommended amount of water into an empty bucket and add the corresponding amount of grout powder. Stir the mixture with a putty knife until all the powder has been incorporated. A smooth grout mixture leads to the best results when regrouting shower or bathroom tiles, so keep on stirring until you’ve gotten rid of all the lumps. Leave the grout for 5 to 10 minutes to ‘slake’ or rest. Excellent, your grout is now ready to use.

Step57

Apply the Grout

A rubber grout float is a DIY essential when regrouting shower tiles

Wondering how to properly apply the mixture when regrouting those old tiles? First of all, get your grout float out, then use the putty knife to scoop a dollop of grout onto the rubber side of the float. Now swipe diagonally across the wall while spreading and pressing the grout into the grooves between the tiles. To guarantee a long-lasting grout job, make sure to properly fill up all the grooves by going over the same area from different directions with the grout float. Keep going until all the joints are well filled with grout. Don’t worry if some of it ends up on the tiles rather than in between them – this is normal. Just swipe up the excess and move to the next section to be grouted.

Step67

Clean the Tiles

Clean grout residue off a freshly grouted wall with a lightly dampened grout sponge

After regrouting the bathroom tiles and letting the grout harden (the recommended time for your chosen grout is on the packet), it’s time to tidy those tiles. Lightly dampen a grout sponge – use a spray bottle or rinse it under the tap and squeeze it out thoroughly. Then wipe the grout residue off in a circular motion. If your sponge gets too dirty, rinse it in a bucket of warm water and squeeze it out. Do not rinse under the tap or pour the muddy water down the drain as this may clog your pipes. Now leave the grout to dry fully before continuing to the next step.

Step77

Remove the Grout Haze

Remove any leftover dirt and grout haze from your tiles in no time with a dust-free cloth

No matter how deft you are at cleaning, after the grout has fully dried you’ll invariably find there’s a haze of grout left on your regrouted shower tiles. But that’s okay. By buffing the tiles with a dry, dust-free cloth, such as a microfibre cloth, you can towel off this thin film of grout in no time. Once the haze of grout on the tiles has lifted, it’s time to admire your DIY regrouting handiwork. Well done for mastering this useful, worthwhile DIY job!