I’ve got a mold issue in a tub surround with subway tile on the fixture side of the tub.
Is it possible to remove the bottom run of tile surrounding the tub and reset and regrout new tiles to old?
I guess my question is whether or not it is possible to grout new grout to old in a moisture prone area.
Thanks for any insight.
Replies
If I understand the question ... you want to remove and replace a row of tile from a bathtub surround, and you are concrned about the grout joint.
Well, replacing tiles happens all the time, and you certainly don't replace all the grout just for a few tiles. Cleann out all the old grout from the repair area, scrape off the old thinset. Make the edge of the remaining tile a sharp cutoff, not tapered. You want the new grout to be as thick as possible, and if the old grout is still there you will get a thin veneer layer which will spall off easily. After the new grout is cured for a week, seal it well with a good grout sealer.
If I understand correctly this is wall tile near the fixtures on your tub surround? Any idea what kind of backing there is? Replacing shoulden't be a problem if they used a good backerboard (hardi, or durarock) if they tiled over MR drywall then you could have a rotten mess.
To remove and replace one row, i take an old 3/4 '' wood chisel and cut around the groutline...careful not to damage the other tiles......then use the chisel to pry up the tiles, if they are over 6'' then you might wanna break them up. Clean up the old thinset, put down new and regrout---48 hours dry time minimum and seal. The hardest thing is finding the same grout color, but when you bust out the old, bring a sample with you to the store and match it to the sample dot that they have on the label of most grout bags (not the mix color--it changes)
If you just wanna regrout, you gotta sprape out the old.....use a screwdriver or a old butter knife--HD also sells grout removal tools, one type has a little spinning diamond wheel kinda like a pizza cutter. I have no idea as to how well they work, as i have alway done it the old fashioned way. Clean the area reall good (use a shopvac to suck out the dust) before regrouting. Typically ceramic needs new grout (depending on use) between 8 to 15 years. Heavily used areas sometimes as often as every 6 years, so it might not be a bad idea to re-grout it all.
Thanks for the tips. There is Durock behind the 3 x 5 tile. The mold area is very small in the corner, right up against the tub lip.
The odor is very powerful making me think the plumbing connections may be leaking on the sub floor underneath the cast iron tub.
There is an adjacent closet behind the plumbing fixtures, so I was thinking of removing the 7'' 1/4" base moulding and cutting the drywall to have a look with a mirror and flashlight.
If you have a strong smell, it would be a good idea to open the wall in the closet. And try to do any plumbing repairs from the closet also ... it will be a lot cheaper than removing and replacing tiles.
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt