How To Repair A Tile Shower

Is your shower leaking? Don't fancy pulling up the whole bath to fix it? Then take a expect at the steps in this commodity to repair a leaking shower without removing tiles.

To repair a leaking shower without removing tiles practice the following:

Remove the old grout
Clean between the tiles
Regrout and replace damaged tiles
Clear away waste material materials
Seal the shower with silicone
Apply ii coats of clear waterproofing

Seems simple, right? That's because it is! And you're in luck because the remainder of this commodity has been dedicated to explaining these steps. So, if yous're ready to find out how you can fix your leaky shower, stay tuned!

How to Repair a Leaking Shower Without Removing Tiles

A leaking shower is the outset of a domino effect. The leaking shower creates a whole host of other problems such as:

Stained ceilings
Peeling paint
Clammy
Black mold

These, in turn, create more than issues such equally:

Respiratory problems
Allergies
Infestations of white ants

So, if you have a problem with a leaking shower, you are no doubt keen to nip it in the bud. Simply retiling the bathroom is expensive. And hiring a professional person tin be pricey. So what can you do to cut down on the price? Take a look at the 6 steps to repairing a leaking shower beneath.

1. Remove the Old Grout

The showtime step to repairing your shower is to remove the one-time grout. You lot should also remove whatsoever moldy or deteriorated sealants.

Dirty Grout Tiles

Ensure to remove all the grout equally it may have spread underneath the surface

To get the shower looking equally professional equally possible, you should remove all the grout. Don't just concentrate on the deteriorated areas. This is because the onetime grout may exist beginning to leak under the surface although it doesn't look bad.

Are you ready to remove the one-time grout but aren't sure how to do it? No worries, take a look at the mini guide below:

The tools you will need

Prophylactic glasses
Rotary tool
Tough, irksome blade
Flathead screwdriver

Steps:

Put the safety glasses on.
Turn the rotary tool on and run the blade upwardly and down the grout. Use a steady manus and don't press too difficult. Effort to go on the tool away from the edges of your tile.
Use a flathead screwdriver to knock away at whatsoever stubborn pieces of grout. You tin too do the aforementioned with a tough, ho-hum bract, to farther free stubborn bits of grout.

2. Clean Between the Tiles

Later yous accept freed up the grout from the tiles, you should clean between them. Remove all waste product materials and excess dust from between the tiles.

Not too sure how to practice it? Then take a look below:

The tools you will need

Vacuum cleaner
Hand broom and dustpan

Steps:

Sweep up large pieces of grout with a hand broom and dustpan.
Use a vacuum cleaner to remove the smaller pieces of grout and dust from between the tiles.

3. Regrout and Supersede Damaged Tiles

Subsequently you have finished removing the grout and cleaning the tiles, you will need to utilise new grout. You should take advantage of the opportunity to remove any damaged tiles from the walls and flooring as needed.

This isn't a "MUST" merely anything plain damaged is always worth a quick replacement.

Yous should wait a few days between removing the old grout and applying the new. This will give the shower wall time to dry. It will likewise help to kill off any mold and mildew in the wall.

Regrouting tiles, sounds complicated, right? Simply don't worry, this is one of the most fun steps in the process! Accept a look at the mini guide below that volition help:

The tools you will need

Safety gloves
Pre-mixed grout
Grout spreader
Grout shaper
Sponge

Steps:

Put the safety gloves on.
Spread some grout across the grout spreader. Pass the spreader along the groove between the tiles. Pass it with long strokes, these will help to work the grout into the grooves.
Remove any grout that spreads onto the tiles with a damp sponge.
Once the grout has hardened slightly, pass a grout shaper across it. Information technology should be passed in 1 polish motion.
Fill in any gaps that announced with a little more grout and wipe the excess abroad with a clammy sponge.
Echo these steps on all the tiles.

4. Articulate Away Waste product Materials

Once y'all have regrouted the tiles, wait for it to dry out completely. Once information technology'southward dry, clean the surface of the tiles with h2o. Look for the bath to dry thoroughly before moving onto the next pace. To move things on faster, go on the bathroom window open or put a fan on.

This stride is super simple. Take hold of a bucket of warm h2o and a sponge and you lot'll exist on your way! Here's how to do it:

The tools y'all will need

Warm h2o
Sponge

Steps:

Launder the shower with warm water and a sponge. Laissez passer the sponge over the tiles in circular motions to remove debris and waste materials.
Permit the bath to dry out completely before continuing.

5. Seal the Shower With Silicone

Once the shower is dry, seal the joints with silicone. You should also seal the internal floor waste with silicone.

What tin you lot do if you're worried you won't be able to apply the silicone in straight lines? Wiggly silicone lines will brand the bathroom wait less than professional person. So, if y'all are worried about keeping a steady manus, use tape. Place two lines of masking tape around where the silicone should sit. Ane above the groove and one below. That way, if you go outside the line, it won't matter.

Using tape to apple new grout

Using tape provides a guide to prevent uneven applications

Non too certain how to seal the shower? Then take a expect at the steps below:

The tools you will need

Silicone
Masking record (optional)

Steps:

Apply the masking record above and below the groove. (Optional).
Outset at the edge. In one clean sweep, squeeze the silicone across the groove.
Ensure that there are no air gaps by pressing your finger down across the length of the silicone.
Utilize a second layer of silicone on top of the starting time in one smooth motion.
Wet your finger with a silicone wipe. Gently run your finger across the silicone to create a smooth finish.
Repeat these steps around all the joints and the internal floor waste matter.

6. Apply Two Coats of Articulate Waterproofing

Nosotros've made it! This is the last step and, of grade, the most important one. This pace will ensure the effective waterproofing of your shower.

One time yous have finished applying silicone to the joints, make clean the shower. Let it to try thoroughly earlier moving on to this footstep. Once the shower is dry, apply two coats of clear waterproofing. By applying the articulate waterproofing, your shower should stay stain-free for up to 10 years!

This is an important step. So I've laid out all the details y'all demand to follow the project through successfully. Take a await at them below:

The tools yous will need

Safety gloves
Paintbrush
Pigment roller
Articulate waterproofing sealant

Steps:

Put the safety gloves on.
Dip the paintbrush into the clear waterproofing sealant. Employ the sealant to the walls and flooring of the shower as y'all would apply paint to walls.
Await for the layer to dry.
Once dry, apply the sealant to the roller. Run the roller over the tiles of the floor and walls. Apply the sealant carefully as y'all would utilize paint to a wall with a roller.

Can You Waterproof Over Old Tiles?

At present you may exist wondering, is there whatsoever manner to skip the regrouting procedure? Can you simply utilise a articulate waterproofing sealant over old tiles?

Aye, you can. But information technology depends on the status of your tiles. If you have a brand new bathroom for instance, and so there will exist no need for yous to regrout. Just pass the waterproofing sealant over the existing tiles.

But unfortunately, we don't all accept swanky new bathrooms. And the chances are that if you're reading this article, it's considering you have a problem with your bathroom tiles. How tin you know whether information technology will be worth it for you to waterproof over your existing tiles? For it to be constructive your old tiles will have to be in fantabulous condition. This ways:

The tiles should be firmly attached to the substrate.
The tiles should not exist loose.
The tiles should non be cracked or chipped.
The tiles should not be hollow sounding.

Conclusion

A leaking shower unit can exist a existent pain. If left unattended to it could force you lot to accept to repaint your ceiling, or fifty-fifty redo some of your flooring. Just thankfully, you tin can catch it early on. It is as well possible to gear up a shower without removing the tiles. I am certain that this article has shown you the best method for yous to do so.

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Have a great day!

-Craig