The first thing that you should do before you apply the grout to the shower is to tape off all the knobs, fixtures, faucets and also any screw holes used to attach railings. 

 

 

 

Regrouting a Tile Shower	Applying new grout
Sealing and Caulking	Regrouting supplies

Also it is a good idea to tape up the opposite wall before you start regrouting so that you only grout one wall at a time and you don't have to go back and clean up adjacent walls.  Make sure you tape plastic down over your tub or shower floor to ensure no grout falls on the tub or shower floor. 

It is also a good idea to use a painters tarp on the tub or shower floor so that your feet are not sticking to the plastic when you start to apply the grout.  Additionally the painters tarp will protect the tub or shower floor surface from you grinding in anything with your shoes.  You should also use an old pair of shoes and have a clean pair of shoes handy to change into if you need to walk around to a different area.  Remember that there will be a lot of grout getting all over so it is best to put plastic around all areas near where you will be grouting. 

Ensure that all of your grouting materials are ready and you have made all your preparations done before you start applying the shower grout.  This includes having a clean bucket of water and a sponge ready to clean up the grout.  After all your prep work is don  then it is time to mix the grout. 

Use only dry powder grout for your new grout.  You can also mix the grout enhancer also known as latex additive instead of water.  It is a good idea to use the latex additive in showers to give the grout extra strength and make it stick better in the grout lines.  Mix the grout to a consistency of runny peanut butter.  You should be able to be able to grab the grout out of the bucket without having it ooze out between your fingers.  One of the best grouts to use is the TEC grouts but you can also use the Custom grout found in home depot.  If you use the Custom brand grout then just mix this grout with water since this grout already has the latex additive in the grout.

For most regrouting jobs it is simpler to just use your hands to mix the grout. 

Ensure that the grout is thoroughly mixed especially when using colored grouts.  You want to make sure that you spread the color evenly throughout the grout.  Mix the grout to a nice even consistency and you may need to add some more grout or latex/water to get the consistency right.  You should be able to pick u a glob of grout without having it ooze out through your fingers.  You can see a picture of correct grout consistency below.

 

 

 

Apply the grout with a rubber float and try to ensure that you force the grout deep into all of the grout lines. 

Force the grout as deep as possible into the grout lines to ensure that there is good coverage in all of the grout lines.  Only apply grout to one small wall at a time.  You do not want the grout to dry hard before you clean it with a sponge.  For larger walls you may have to apply the grout to only one half of the wall at a time.

 

After you have grouted an area go and wipe the tiles with a sponge to clean up the excess grout and make the grout lines look even. 

Use a damp sponge and only wipe a small area away before rinsing out your sponge in your bucket of water.  After you have wiped an area clean and the grout lines look even and good then do not go back and re wipe the area.  Using too much water will weaken the grout and can also take the color out of colored grout.  Just keep moving on until the whole area is cleaned.  You can go back later to clean up the grout haze on the tiles.

 

 

After you have completely grouted and wiped the tiles clean with the sponge then it is best to now go clean up the rubber float and any grout that has gotten where it should not of. 

Also remove all the tape from the fixtures and clean up the excess grout from the tiles with a razor blade tool. 

After you have cleaned up all the shower tiles then go and clean up the grout haze from the tile surfaces. 

Use a paper towel or cheese cloth to wipe away the grout haze.  Do not leave the grout haze sit overnight especially when using the latex additive as it will be extremely difficult to remove.  Also at this time inspect all the grout lines to ensure that you have not missed any spots and the grouting job was done correctly.  If necessary apply a small bit of grout to any small areas of grout that were missed during the grouting process. 

 

You should let the grout dry for 48 hours and then it is time to seal the grout and caulk the edges.

 

Regrouting a tile shower is a laborious messy and time consuming job.  The time and cost it takes the average DIY homeowner can easily be justified in hiring a professional tile and grout restoration contractor. 

You can read some valuable information and tips on how to hire a tile, grout and stone cleaning and restoration contractor at our contractor information page here. Grout Restoration Contractor.

 

 Intro-Removing old grout                                     Sealing and Caulking Shower