STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Hermes

fixing up old tile

Elle · Hermes

They sell caulk-stripping tools at home improvement stores just for this purpose, and it depends on how 'full' your grout spaces are already. If it's not a room that gets very heavy traffic you'd probably be able to get away with removing the busted areas only and regrouting the whole floor, and then I'd probably seal the grout as well (should help keep the thin areas of new-over-old from chipping as easily.

I'm not sure if you should clean it first and then regrout, or regrout and then clean. Maybe call a company that does that sort of thing and ask?

Hermes

I would imagine you clean the tile first. so you don't embed any dirt under the grout.

Now, what color? I'm thinking I'd like to do a tan or something. One bath has toffee walls, and the other bath is going to have brownish/yellow walls.

thoughts?

Elle · Hermes

I personally prefer white grout with white tile, and assuming that's what's already there I'd stick with it. Especially when you're just skim-coating over existing grout, a colored grout isn't likely to look uniform and any chipping would be immediately apparent.

I think, as a buyer, I'd prefer to have a floor look clean and fresh, and would want the character/specialness of your home to shine throw in other more widely appealing ways. White tile isn't going to be a show-stopper any way you slice it, and I think adding a colored grout would just draw attention to that. I'd much much much rather walk into a house and see a floor and think "Nice and clean, perfectly serviceable, not a drawback" than "Ooh, I don't much care for this floor, it will have to come out before too long, subtract $500 from asking price". KWIM?

FashionPrincess · Hermes

Oh, I definitely say go with tan or some color. We have white tile countertops and black/white tile floor and we did black grout. Best decision ever! I don't have to worry about scrubbing the white grout, that IMO never really looks white, it always seems to have a yellow, dirty look to it... and it's a pain to keep clean. I also like the way color grout gives white tile some interest. Just my two cents :)

Hermes

FashionPrincess wrote:

Oh, I definitely say go with tan or some color. We have white tile countertops and black/white tile floor and we did black grout. Best decision ever! I don't have to worry about scrubbing the white grout, that IMO never really looks white, it always seems to have a yellow, dirty look to it... and it's a pain to keep clean. I also like the way color grout gives white tile some interest. Just my two cents :)

that's what I was thinking. The grout is currently light greyish/brownish from age, and I thought I would just go with it. I think it might make the visual transition from floor to wall more integrated as well...