Removing tile grout

[PaSucks]

Re-grouting my bathroom, been using a dremmel with grout removal bits to cut out the old grout. The bits only last about 30 minutes and then snap. Anyone ever use an oscillating saw to do this? How's it compare? This is taking too muck time.

[PNWbrit]

Way better than a Dremel.

[tgray]

I have a Fein detail sander that I've used for this, it works great with the right blade.
the best are the carbide or diamond coated blades, but if you are sloppy it can mess up the tile pretty quickly too.

[Foggy_Goggles]

They actually have a specific Fein blade for grout. Also, there is a tool called a grout rake with is pretty handy. What's wrong the the grout? What type of tile? Are you regrouting with the same color? Try to find Tec Power Grout. Amazing product.

[XXX-er]

I used a grout rake to take out a shitty grout job in a bathroom in my old basement suite, it does take a LONG time and some of the tiles still get a little damaged but the tile job was still ok and it was the cheapest way to go cuz it only cost time

http://www.wickes.co.uk/Grout-Rake/invt/514119

I thot the dremel bit looked cool but I guess not?

[iamchappy]

With the inexpensive price of tile today, and the time and energy it takes to regrout, i would retile.. but thats me.....

[shirk]

I'd rather rip out all the tile and do it again rather than use the little tile rack to remove grout.

Worst job ever.

[jamesp]

ripping tile completely + scraping old adhesive off the walls + disposing of both isn't exactly a fun or clean job either...

If the tile is in decent shape then re-grouting is way less work then re-doing the whole thing.

[strawjack]

never used it...sawzall style fitting

http://www.milwaukeetool.com/accesso...ing/49-00-5450

they also have a 3-pack 49-22-5403 that has scrapers too.

[PNWbrit]

never used it...sawzall style fitting

http://www.milwaukeetool.com/accesso...ing/49-00-5450

they also have a 3-pack 49-22-5403 that has scrapers too.

I'd have thought there's too much movement on a recip saw to make that think particularly controllable compared to the oscillating saw? Likely hood of a kick and a chipped tile. Bit unwieldy too?

[strawjack]

I'd have thought there's too much movement on a recip saw to make that think particularly controllable compared to the oscillating saw? Likely hood of a kick and a chipped tile. Bit unwieldy too?

ya, variable speed on the trigger helps a lot, but I'm thinking ideally this is a mutli tool job. The sawzall would rip thru a lot of the longer grout lines quickly.

[XXX-er]

ripping tile completely + scraping old adhesive off the walls + disposing of both isn't exactly a fun or clean job either...

If the tile is in decent shape then re-grouting is way less work then re-doing the whole thing.

yeah a good point that you got to look at everything to do with a project

at the time I had just burned thru another marriage, bought a house with what $ was left so saving money while getting the suite up and producing income was a big deal , I didn't have a TV so I would come home half cut, crank the stereo and rake grout till it was all done

[shirk]

Removing the grout sucks because you get frustrated with going super slow with the hand tool so you bring out the big guns.

With the power tools you end up chipping tiles and scratching some more.

In the end either live with the grout colour or break out the sledge hammer and do it right.

[tgray]

Some times it is better to just do a tear-out instead of a grout fix
recently finished this project which started as fractured grout, after getting
into it, discovered that it was greenboard over wallstuds with no blocking.

the fractured grout allowed moisture into the wall and then attracted
a colony of carpenter ants. After the demo, it was rebuilt with blocking and
Hardibacker substrate with thinset mortar.

[Core Shot]

Oscillate. Yes.