Fix damaged grout and sealing in a shower

Leaks in or around a built-in shower can cause damage to surrounding walls and encouraging mould growth if not attended to.

 

 

 

Even a small break in the grout can lead to water damage in the walls behind or floors below a shower.

 

Leaks in or around a built-in shower can cause damage to surrounding walls and encouraging mould growth if not attended to. Small gaps in grouting or where silicone sealer has degraded might not seem like much, but when paint on surrounding walls starts to bubble or peel, or mould starts to appear, this is a sure sign that action needs to be taken.

When was the last time you took a close look at your shower? Even a brand new built-in shower might not be one hundred percent waterproof. Over time improperly bedded tiles can become lose, especially in a shower cubicle, and this leads to grout cracking or breaking away. Where grout shows signs of damage this should be repaired as soon as possible. It's not a difficult task if done before the damage becomes extensive.

 

 

 

The best way to fix up a shower where grout has started to crack or break away is to remove the old grout and replace with new.

 

 

If it's only a small area of grout that needs to be removed and replace, you can buy a manual grout removal tool at your local Builders. These tools have diamond chips embedded in the edge of the tool that allow for fairly easy grout removal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leaks in or around a built-in shower can cause damage to surrounding walls and encouraging mould growth if not attended to. Small gaps in grouting or where silicone sealer has degraded might not seem like much, but when paint on surrounding walls starts to bubble or peel, or mould starts to appear, this is a sure sign that action needs to be taken.

 

 

If you have a large area of grout to remove you might want  to consider investing in a Dremel MultiTool and Grout Removal Attachment. You will find a selection of Dremel Tools at Builders.

 

 

With a Dremel MultiTool and Grout Removal Attachment you can remove large areas of grout easily without too much hard work.

Once the damaged grout has been removed mix up a new batch of grout to a creamy paste. Use a paint scraper or squeegee to press the grout into the gaps and wipe away any excess. You will find the TAL range of tiling tools at your local Builders.

 

 

Where there are gaps between the aluminium or glass shower frame, or around any fittings or fixtures, use sanitary silicone to fill these gaps. Don't use grout to fill in around these as a flexible sealer is required. You also need to use a sanitary silicone that is formulated to prevent mould growth.