Grout Renovation Archives - Greater Manchester Tile Doctor

Ceramic Tile Grout Before and After Renovation Levenshulme

Flaking Grout Renovation in Levenshulme Bathroom

We were contacted by a client from the Levenshulme area of Greater Manchester who had just purchased a property there and hated the state of the grout which despite cleaning did not improve. The owner said she could not use the bathroom in this state as it looked disgusting and unclean and was keen to have it renovated. The rest of the house was being redecorated so whilst that was going on, I was called over to have a proper look at the grout and quote for sorting it out.

Ceramic Tiled Bathroom Before Renovation Levenshulme

It didn’t take long to understand the issue, is seems the previous owner in an attempt to improve the appearance of the grout had touched it up by applying another thin layer of grout on top of the original. Now both the new and old was starting to flake off making a real mess.

Flaking Grout Levenshulme Bathroom Before Renovation

I explained to the client we would need to scrape out the new layer, clean the original and then apply a grout colourant to improve the overall appearance. I gave her a price for the work, and she was happy for me to go ahead with the job.

Cleaning a Ceramic Tiled Bathroom Grout

My first task was to scrape off the new layer of grout, so I had a stable grout line to work from. I then started cleaning the grout up using a Tile Doctor Grout Colourant Pre-Treater cleaner, this cleans up the grout and being acidic it etches the surface to provide a better base for the grout colourant to adhere to. The dirt was rinsed off and then the area was dried using a heat gun.

Once dry I used a Tile Doctor Grout Colourant in Charcoal Grey (one bottle was sufficient). This product is equally effective for interior or exterior applications including bathrooms and kitchens and it is available in ten different colours. The client had requested to darken the grout and give it a completely new modern look. The colourant is painted onto the grout with a small brush and any excess which gets onto the tile is removed with a cloth before it dries.

Ceramic Tiled Bathroom During Grout Colouring Levenshulme

The best thing about the grout colourant is it forms an easy to clean seal over the grout which ensures the grout is protected. Given Ceramic tiles are glazed and therefore don’t need sealing the new combination should ensure the tiles keep their appearance for a very long time with minimal cleaning. The silicone sealant between the bath and the wall tiles looked in good condition and had not discoloured so there was no need for this to be replaced.

Ceramic Tiled Bathroom After Renovation Levenshulme

The bathroom now looked clean and inviting and I’m pleased to report my client was very happy with the completed renovation and was finally happy to use the bathroom!

I recommended that for on-going cleaning that they use Tile Doctor Aqua-Pro, this is a pH neutral cleaner with a trigger action for easy application. It can be used in the bathroom every day. It helps to keep soap scum and limescale at bay and has a pleasant lemon smell so cleaning should not be too much of a chore.

Professional Renovation of a Ceramic Tiled Bathroom in Greater Manchester

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Bathroom Floor Grout Before After Cleaning Colouring Romiley

Bathroom Floor Tile Grout Renovation in Romiley

1 Comment / Ceramic Tile Cleaning, Grout Cleaning, Romiley Tile Cleaning, Stockport Tile Cleaning, Work History / TileProf

This client in Romiley on the outskirts of Stockport was unhappy with the state of the grout in her bathroom and was looking to have it removed and replaced. This was complicated by the fact that the ceramic tiled floor had electric underfloor heating installed (UFH). Removing grout is an intensive process and there is a big risk of causing damage to the heating elements during the process.

Bathroom Floor Grout Before Restoration in Romiley

My solution to the problem was to give the grout a deep clean and then colour it. Grout colouring is by far the easiest and safest way to restore grout as it is applied to the surface of the existing grout without the need to use any invasive process to remove the grout first. There are a variety of colours available so we can get the floor restored to its original look quite easily. I discussed with the client what we needed to do, and we agreed a price for the work to be completed.

Renovating Bathroom Floor Tile Grout

The process I used was to apply Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up to the tiles and the grout and then scrub it in. This is an acidic product that cleans up grout and removes any mineral deposits and hard water marks on the tiles. Being an acidic product, it also etches the surface of the grout providing a better bond for the colourant to adhere to. The floor was then rinsed with water, and a steamer used to get as much of the staining out of the grout as possible. The soiled water was removed with the wet vacuum to minimise the mess.

Bathroom Floor Grout During Steam Cleaning in Romiley

The tile and grout were then speed dried with an air mover whilst I went for lunch. This would ensure the floor would be ready for the colourant to be applied by the time I returned.

Colouring Grout in a Ceramic Tiled Bathroom

When I came back an hour or so later, I checked the grout was dry with the moisture meter before proceeding to apply the colourant. It was a small bathroom so only one bottle of Tile Doctor Limestone Grout Colourant Kit was needed we chose Limestone as this colour matched the tiles quite closely. The colourant is carefully applied with a small brush, and any residue is wiped off the tiles as we go.

Bathroom Floor Grout After Restoration with Tile Doctor Limestone Colourant in Romiley

The client was very happy with the results and with the colourant forming a barrier over the grout it will prove much easier to clean and will stay looking good for quite some time to come. The process was quick and straight forward and as you can see from the picture below the tiled floor looked a lot more inviting once the work had been completed.

Bathroom Floor Grout After Restoration in Romiley

Professional Restoration of a Ceramic Tiled Bathroom in Greater Manchester

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