REGROUT A SHOWER
OR RETILE?

Stained, crumbling or moldy grout makes a whole shower look old. Sometimes new grout is all it needs, which costs a fraction of retiling. Sometimes failing grout is a symptom of water damage behind the tile, and regrouting just hides it. The checks below tell you which.

REGROUTING IS ENOUGH WHEN

• Tiles are firmly attached; none move, crack or sound hollow when tapped.
• The wall behind feels solid when you press on the tile.
• Grout is stained, discolored or has small cracks, but the tile is fine.
• There are no signs of leaks below, like ceiling stains under an upstairs shower.

RETILE WHEN

• Loose or hollow tiles anywhere in the wet area
• Soft or flexing wall when pressed, especially near the valve or the bottom row
• Grout keeps cracking in the same spots after repair
• Leaks or stains below the bathroom
• The shower was built over plain drywall, common in older DMV homes, without a waterproof backer

In those cases the wall behind the tile is usually wet. See our shower waterproofing guide for how it should be rebuilt.

HOW PROFESSIONAL REGROUTING WORKS

1. Old grout removed with an oscillating tool to a consistent depth.
2. Joints vacuumed and cleaned.
3. New grout packed in; urethane or epoxy grout for showers resists stains and mildew.
4. Corners and the tub or pan joint caulked, not grouted. Here's why: caulk vs. grout in corners.
5. Cementitious grout sealed after curing.

WHAT IT COSTS

Small mosaics and hex tile have far more grout lines and cost more to regrout. Full numbers: shower remodel cost.

RELATED READING

Planning a project? See our Bathroom Remodeling service page for scope, process and recent work.