From what you's written, I believe that your contractor did a lousy job and didn't even sealed the grout. "Grout can shrink while it is drying, and you may notice some grooves that have small gaps at the edges. If you have started to notice your grout chipping or crumbling away, you may wonder if you have to tackle the chore of removing the grout completely or if you can simply apply new grout over the old stuff. When you are shopping you may want to inquire as to whether they carry any non-shrinking grout. However, where the grout has deteriorated heavily through crumbling or become too dirty, it is best to remove it before applying new grout. Once you do this, you can refill the area with grout using a grouting float. Sealed tile grout has a shine to it, almost like the tile itself. Will it be OK to go back over it with fresh grout. unsealed tile grout appears rough, with a cement-like texture. A new coat of grout can give your space a fresh look with the added benefit of protecting the surface. Over the years I learnt that when it comes to renewing grout, it is always best to remove the old remains before you lay new ones. You most likely will need to use a grout saw and remove any loose grout and some near the empty space of the grout. The bleach kills existing mold particles. It will always remain two seperate layers. Update the look of your tiles with Starlike grout in no time. If you must caulk over sealed grout, then we suggest you clean the grout. Bleach and disinfect the Grout. To do this, use a mixture of bleach and water. You may not need to remove most of the grout. Also, if possible try to make those 90 degree joins where there's more tile to adhere to (avoid starting a new grout … Re-grouting is not as difficult as you might think. Grout bonds mostly to the tiles, less so to itself. Removing grout from a tile floor is not nearly as difficult as it used to be. It may be possible to apply new grout over old grout without removing it at some places. Hello, I have just had my bathroom done 2 days ago by a professional tiler. Attempting to grout over the top of old grout is simply stacking two seperate layers of grout. Click to read More. While it's possible to apply new grout over existing grout, the results are usually less than satisfactory.Since the layer of new grout would be very thin and vary in thickness, it may not adhere well and the old grout could show through. The second reason is no matter how much of the old grout you may take out to install new, if you do not fix the actual reason the grout failed in the first place, eventually the same thing will happen again. Tile Your World , the Book -- also, The Kerdi Shower Book And at last, Tile Bathroom Remodeling: From Tear-out to Trim-out When he has finished the grouting it looks like he has washed too much grout out of the joints. You can then fix your loose tile by prying it up and using the same grout and adhesive above. If you dig the grout out, try to do it at a 90 degree angle to the "proper height" grout, this will give you the best adhesion for your patch. Also, it minimizes the chances of mold growing in that area in the future. The longer you wait the harder it will be to get the new to stick to the old, though. New tile grout will not stick to tile grout that is sealed. And the answer is yes, yes you can. 1. I hope you will succeed in your DIY project! Don't be frustrated - it's fairly normal to have to do this twice. If this is the case, you need to repeat the application step. I think if you just dampen the grout you can go over it with new grout. You can safely put new tile grout on top of old unsealed tile grout, but attempting to do the same with sealed grout will not work. Click to see full answer Considering this, can you put grout on top of old grout? 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