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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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!!!
hey...did I or did I not tell you to go fishing???If Blodgett says, Tipi tipi tipi it must be so!
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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!!!
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!!!
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!
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!
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.
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.
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
Been there....no luck!
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
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.
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.
What kind of tile?
F
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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.