advertisement

How to replace your worn-out grout

Tile can last forever, but the grout? Not so much. Fortunately, the grout is easier to remove than tiles are.

If your grout is ugly, stained, cracked or you just want to change the color of it, here's how to do it.

Before beginning, cover your drains if working in a sink or tub area so the grout doesn't clog your drain. You also should wear safety glasses to prevent eye injuries.

There are several tools that you can use to remove the old grout. There are some hand tools that work well, but if you are doing a whole tub or shower or any other large area, you ought to use a rotary tool. There are some excellent attachments available for removing grout; one allows you to set the exact depth of the grout, and it is a lot of fun to use.

A vacuum cleaner is a good way to clean up the grout quickly. Use a brush attachment to clean out areas between the tiles and get every little bit of it out.

Your replacement grout can be just about any color you want, so be prepared for that decision. You can buy it pre-mixed for small areas and dry for larger areas so you can mix your own and save a little money. If using it in a mildew-prone area, like a bathroom, choose one with a built-in mildew inhibitor.

You will need a grout float to spread the grout over the tile and push it into the grout lines. You want it to have some time to start setting up before you start cleaning up your grout lines, but don't let it dry on the tiles or any other surface. Refer to the package directions for the exact time frame and directions. Then just use a damp sponge to clean and smooth your joints.

You'll want to give it the proper time to cure before getting it wet for the first time, too. After the proper curing time, you also might consider a grout sealer.

Clean your grout regularly, and it will last and look good a lot longer.

Damaged veneer?

A veneer finish is not much more than a very thin sheet of decorative wood glued on top of another, less-expensive, plain wood. It is just as popular today as it was years ago. But if you have a veneer surface that is damaged, just use a sharp utility knife to cut out the damaged area, and then glue in a similar-looking patch of veneer. Check out the iron-on veneers for super easy repairs. You can use stain to disguise it once the glue has set completely.

Spruce up your gate

I love the look of a wooden gate. They age so well. But they also can get a little loose and can start sagging. All you really need to fix a sagging gate are a couple of blocks of matching wood. These will be placed in the corners where the cross-members and side (vertical) pieces intersect. Place the squares into position, against both pieces and screw them in tightly to straighten the gate. Inexpensive metal corner brackets will also work. You can use a mallet to tap the gate into position if needed.

Super hints

• One of the best cleaners for stainless steel that I've come across is regular old WD-40. We all have a can or two, and it will remove fingerprints, smudges and grease while leaving it looking clean and shiny.

• If you want to get some old wallpaper off your walls, just try to get it started in a corner, and then slowly pull it off. You should be able to get most of it off this way. You can help loosen the old glue with a spray bottle filled half and half with liquid fabric softener and hot water. Spray the wall and give it a few minutes to soak in and loosen the glue. A wide-blade drywall knife can be used scrape some more off.

• Paintbrushes are one of those things that definitely follow the "you get what you pay for" rule. A cheap paintbrush usually will shed bristles and actually could fall apart while you are trying to use it. Spending a little more for a good brush is worth it every time.

Q. I wanted to replace my old metal floor furnace grills with some of the nice brass ones I've seen. But I can't find one to fit. Can you tell me where I can get them?

A. You can buy metal paints that look very nice and just paint the ones you already have. You would just need to sand the current grills down to take the gloss off them and use spray paint to give them a whole new look.

Q. I was in a hurry and didn't get some of the tools put away after the last time I worked on the bathroom. I just found my caulking gun leaking an uncapped tube of caulk all over our garage floor. Now what? Is there any way to get this stuff off the garage floor?

A. Use a utility knife and a putty knife to try to cut and scrape off the largest pieces of it. A paint scraper will do the rest of it. Paint stripper could be used on the remnants, but it probably won't be necessary.

Q. We go through the garage to get inside the house most of the time. The floor is just your standard concrete floor. It is dusty and has road salt and mud on it from time to time, too. Is there any way to keep this stuff from getting into the house so much?

A. Well, a good welcome mat on both sides of the doorway would be very helpful. If you apply a concrete sealer to the floor, after cleaning it thoroughly first, then it will not be so dusty, and will be easier to sweep or wash periodically. If you have a bigger budget, there are some really nice floor coverings that can installed, too.

Reader tips

• The next time you have a bunch of greasy wrenches, put them in your dishwasher to get them clean. I just tried it, and it worked great. I also have cleaned my vent hood filters in the dishwasher. Mine are the metal type that have to be cleaned rather than replaced. I plan to clean all of the grill parts next so our barbecue grill will be ready for a cookout soon.

• We created a really nice family theater room in our old playroom. We bought some plush chairs - six of them, all alike. We put curtains on the walls to dampen the sound, too. Before putting in the carpeting, we learned you could put a layer of cork on the floor under the padding and carpet to further dampen the sound. It seems to have worked, and we have "Family Movie Night" every other week!

• I have a tip for you and your readers. There have been times when I needed to clean paint off my hands and some other surfaces after I've painted a wall or two. Of course, the solvent is either missing or lost in my garage. So I grab the cooking oil. It's not as good as solvent, but it sure will help get most of the paint off.

• I cleaned my windows last fall when I had more time, so I escaped some of this spring-cleaning thing. I also cleaned the window tracks and greased them with petroleum jelly. This makes them seal up better and slide really smoothly. I opened them last weekend when the weather was nice, and they still glide very easily, opening and closing.

• I just got finished wallpapering my bathroom. I did a pretty good job, but ended up with a lot of leftovers. I will save some for repairs, but had some other ideas for the rest of the scraps. I wanted to bring the wallpaper into the bedroom, but not in a big way. I covered a couple of frames in it, lined a bedroom serving tray and covered some books with it. It's just a little of the matching colors in the room, and it looks great.

Shoptalk

• I am hoping to replace the carpet in one of my rooms with a wood floor soon, and I thought it might be nice to save a good-size scrap of the old carpet to make a throw rug later on. I checked into some bindings and found a really neat option called Instabind. There are several types of edgings and colors to choose from, but the neat part is you can do it yourself with just a pair of scissors and a glue gun. You just measure around your carpet scrap and buy enough Instabind Binding to do the job. There is a peel-and-stick backing on it, and you fit it around the edge of the carpet and follow it with your glue gun to seal the deal. It looks like a professional binding, and will last for a superlong time. Check it out at www.bondproducts.com or at your favorite local home center.

• There are a few tub and shower resurfacing products on the market, but Rust-Oleum's Tub & Tile Refinishing Kit has some advantages over some of the others. First of all, you get everything you need to do the job in one kit - enough for two coats of the finish for the best coverage There's not much measuring or calculating involved and, since these products can be costly, there's not much waste either. You also don't have to use caustic chemicals to prepare the old surface for coverage, like some products require. It is an epoxy material, so there is mixing involved, but you can apply it with a brush, roller or even a sprayer if you want to save time. You'll get pretty good results with it, and it should last a long time. To find out more and even get complete instructions for using the product, just go to www.rustoleum.com and search for "Tub & Tile Refinishing Kits."

• Vinegar is one of those everyday household products that we all have in our homes. It has tons of uses there, as well as in the shop and even outdoors. It's really inexpensive and can save you money in many cases. We have put together a list of some of our favorite tried-and-true uses for the stuff. You can get this information, as well as a lot of other interesting tips, on our website at www.thesuperhandyman.com. We hope to hear from you soon. Have a super day!

• Write to Kelly Carrell in care of the Daily Herald, P.O. Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL 60006 or visit online at thesuperhandyman.com.

© 2015, Cowles Syndicate Inc.

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.