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Short Summary
Main recommendation: To repair chipping grout on tile floors, scrape out the old grout and re-grout the joints with epoxy grout, using a dish-soap-coated floor to make cleanup easier. The video notes that epoxy grout is especially useful over floors that flex, such as wood-framed floors, and on shower floors where it can help with waterproofing.
Key Points
- Chipping grout on tile is often linked to poor tile installation; the speaker claims most tile jobs on wood construction have weak bonds because the installer did not wet the floor before laying cement.
- Scraping out the old grout with a grout remover tool (about $15 at a home center, per the speaker) creates a V-groove for the new grout to bond to.
- Epoxy grout is widely sold by most grout manufacturers, so the speaker says brand choice is not critical; the speaker suggests it may be available on Amazon.
- Mixing epoxy grout thoroughly before use gives a consistent color, while over-mixing adds air and shortens working time.
- The speaker's key technique is applying dish detergent to the floor before grouting, which makes epoxy haze wash off more easily and lets you work larger sections.
- Epoxy grout can create waterproofing benefits on shower floors when used with mosaic tile, according to the speaker.
Details Worth Noting
- Concrete instructions:
- Vacuum and wash the floor so the old grout is wet before mixing the epoxy grout.
- Scrape out the existing grout in the joints with the grout remover tool, pushing away from corners (or pulling toward you from the corner) so you do not chip the tile edges.
- Scrape the grout out to create a V-groove in each joint before applying new grout.
- Mix the two-part epoxy following package instructions: pour out the container, leave the lid upside down so the contents collect at the bottom, then combine the parts with a flat mixing bar until the color is uniform, turning the mix over and scraping the sides to confirm it is fully blended.
- Mix in small batches and avoid over-mixing, since extra mixing introduces air and speeds setting.
- Clean the mixing tools right away, because epoxy cleans easily before it cures.
- Apply dish soap to the tile around the grout line and smear it into a thin film with your hand before grouting.
- Press the epoxy into the joints with a grout float held at about 90 degrees, applying firm pressure.
- Use the float to remove excess grout before washing, so the material is not wasted.
- Wipe with a wet sponge (a separate grout sponge for epoxy), using light pressure so you do not pull grout out of the joints, rinsing frequently.
- Dry the surface with a cloth after the final wipe.
- The speaker says the soap method works especially well over flexing (deflecting) floors and for shower floors.
- The speaker warns that unsanded grout is meant for joints around 1/16 inch; sanded grout is needed for wider joints, and the speaker says that topic is covered in a different video.
- Epoxy grout is described as smelly, fast-setting, and harder to work with than standard grout.
Bottom Line
Epoxy grout with a dish-soap-treated floor is the speaker's recommended way to make durable, easier-to-clean grout repairs, especially on floors that flex.
