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tiling trouble

wisfrau | Posted in General Discussion on June 18, 2006 01:52am

I totally goofed! Due to raw bloody hands, I quit before removing all the grout from stone tiling I installed.  Now I have a complete mess!  After trying a few different grout removers, I found some success with a wire brush attached to a drill.  this method removed some character from the stone and created a huge dust storm.  Anyone out there know of a better way?

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  1. User avater
    IMERC | Jun 18, 2006 02:09am | #1

    Rotozip with a grout bit and a hooked up shop vac...

    grout saw...

    buff - blend the character back into the tile..

    tear it all out and do it again...

    Bosch demo hammer...

     

    Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming

    WOW!!! What a Ride!

    Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!

    1. andybuildz | Jun 18, 2006 07:32am | #2

      hey...did I or did I not tell you to go fishing???If Blodgett says, Tipi tipi tipi it must be so!

      TipiFest 06~~> Send me your email addy for a Paypal invoice to the greatest show on earth~~>[email protected]

      1. User avater
        IMERC | Jun 18, 2006 07:50am | #3

        I was headed there till the Ford became uncoopertive...Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->

        WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->

        Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!

      2. User avater
        IMERC | Jun 18, 2006 08:46am | #4

        beside it's past the bed time of the fish..Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->

        WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->

        Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!

  2. Notchman | Jun 18, 2006 09:08am | #5

    If you have a 4 1/2" angle grinder, there is a hook and loop attachment that will take a round pad (can't remember the exact nomenclature) thats like a short knap brillow pad.  The pads come in a selection of courseness.

    I get them through a local industrial supply and use them mostly for cleaning rust off of machined surfaces, but I have used them to clean up grout that has set on the surface of tile where it shouldn't be.

    They will throw some dust, but are less likely to damage the character on your stone;  I've used them on some slate that had a "rust" patina without damaging the color (easy does it!).  Much better than the wire brush!

    Good luck!

     

     

    1. wisfrau | Jun 18, 2006 11:05pm | #7

      Great idea!  I would think I could throw some H2O on the project to help keep down the dust with that kind of material.  thanks!

    2. BryanSayer | Jun 19, 2006 02:36am | #9

      One brand is 3-M Sandblaster, but it isn't hook and loop. Gator has a match for the 3-M pad also. These thread onto a special back. they are very handy, but do create tons of dust.

      1. Notchman | Jun 19, 2006 07:16am | #10

        There was a thread here a couple of days ago about a variable speed angle grinder.  I didn't see much application for my needs, till I got to thinking about these pads.

        I doubt it'd help much with the dust, but a slower speed might be helpful for control and reducing heat build up.  As it is, you have to kind of touch and go with a light touch or the pad gets burnished pretty quickly.

  3. User avater
    jarhead | Jun 18, 2006 07:05pm | #6

                 I have had good luck in the past using muratic acid. But this may have been the active ingredient in the grout removers you have already tried.

                                      Semper Fi

    1. wisfrau | Jun 18, 2006 11:05pm | #8

      Been there....no luck!

  4. JulianTracy | Jun 19, 2006 07:40am | #11

    I did the same thing when I was in a rush and had to leave early.

    The tool that saved my butt was my Fein Multi-master with the carbide-rasp grout blade.

    No blowing dust and it cleaned out the 1/4" joints in about a 20th of the tile it would have taken me by hand. A grinder would have been a mess as well as it would have been near impossible not to accidentily grind a bit of tile edges in the process.

    JT

    1. wisfrau | Jun 22, 2006 04:32am | #15

      Thanks for the tip.  That's another tool I'll try, but my trouble is the grout is all over the tile, and the tile is natural stone.  If and when I clean the face of the tiles, I'm putting a heavy duty sealer over the stones.

  5. AJinNZ | Jun 19, 2006 03:30pm | #12

    My tiler uses a masonary disc for an angle grinder. Holds it by hand and uses it to scratch away the grout. Works best if the grout isnt 100% set.

     

    Only need to remove a small amount. Then regrout with a different colour...like it never happened.

     

    Not an exponent of the DILLIGAF system.

  6. Frankie | Jun 19, 2006 07:11pm | #13

    What kind of tile?

    F

    Exasperate your vegetables until exhausted; disturb your chestnuts in milk until queasy, then disappoint.

    Arabella Weir as Minty Marchmont - Posh Nosh

    1. wisfrau | Jun 22, 2006 04:16am | #14

      The tile is natural stone.  I've completely tiled a shower I put in a half bath.  Floor to ceiling to floor, and that is all covered with tinted grout.  And yes, I did put a sealer on the stone before grouting.  The stone shows through the grout when wet.

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