Looking for a good grout removal tool

[Super Mech]

Time to update one of the bathrooms here. I will be regrouting the tub/shower area and need help finding a tool to remove th grout from 1/16" grout lines without damaging the tile. We put these tiles in 20 years ago and from a remember there were thin and delicate. I have an oscillating tool but if afraid it might be too aggressive bit would save a lot of labor.
On another note, what can I add to the new grout mix to make it "bulletproof"?

 

[rockettgpw]

I'm assuming your oscillating tool has the diamond(?) faced tool for grout removal, could you dull the edges closest to the tiles and leave to periphery sharp so to dig in to the grout and not so much the tile. Place heavy duct tape beside some grout lines and practice there until you're ready to go for the rest. I have tried a small diamond tip in a dremel on 3/4 hexagon tiles... no good, it would take off across the tiles too easily. I would be tempted to try a rotary engraver.

 

[6PTsocket]

Time to update one of the bathrooms here. I will be regrouting the tub/shower area and need help finding a tool to remove th grout from 1/16" grout lines without damaging the tile. We put these tiles in 20 years ago and from a remember there were thin and delicate. I have an oscillating tool but if afraid it might be too aggressive bit would save a lot of labor.
On another note, what can I add to the new grout mix to make it "bulletproof"?

Thise grout lines are pretty tight. As for the grout, there is sanded and unsanded Usually sanded is reserved for wider grout lines to prevent it from cracking and it does make it stronger but it will look a little different than unsanded. The sand gives it a bit of a rough finish

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[6PTsocket]

I'm assuming your oscillating tool has the diamond(?) faced tool for grout removal, could you dull the edges closest to the tiles and leave to periphery sharp so to dig in to the grout and not so much the tile. Place heavy duct tape beside some grout lines and practice there until you're ready to go for the rest. I have tried a small diamond tip in a dremel on 3/4 hexagon tiles... no good, it would take off across the tiles too easily. I would be tempted to try a rotary engraver.

I like your idea but what would you use to dull part of the blade? In the the battle of the abrasives, I think the diamond blade would win. They cut jewelry diamonds with diamond abrasive wheels, not something found in the home shop. Maybe somebody makes a blade better suited to narrow grout lines. That is a popular use for oscillating tools.

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[gdocktor3]

1/16" grout lines will be very difficult to remove without destroying the tile using power tools. If you can use some type of fence like another tile or thin piece of sheet metal to keep the blade from jumping up and scratching the tile would be a good idea. Oscillating tools are a bit unpredictable and difficult to control sometimes. If you can use a small angle grinder with a thin wheel, you can probably make cleaner cuts.

 

[kctyphoon]

Milwaukee makes a grout removal blade for a sawzall - but as previously stated those are some pretty tight joints..

I think Dremel makes a bit that you can use with their mini router base attachment that would probably work well..

 

[bcradio]

I would try the oscillating tool first in a hidden area and if it works well, then finish the job with it. If it doesn't work, try some other options.

 

[pauls_workshop]

For the super fine width lines, you can use a dremel with a diamond coated round "saw blade". Have to be careful, use full face shield and gloves, but will do it. Oscillating tool is good for the bigger width lines. - Paul

 

[astroracer]

I used an oscillating tool to remove the grout when I re-installed the tiles in our solarium. Some of the tiles in the main field were still attached and the oscillating tool made quick work of the grout on the outer edges.
I can think of no tool better suited to grout removal then this. I used a curved (half circle) diamond blade and had no issues with the tile. This is much better then trying to chisel out the grout. A lot less stress to existing tiles, you know?
Get the curved diamond blade, it will work well.
Mark

 

[todd_fuller]

I've used the Fein multimaster blades for this. They have two versions, one being 1/16" kerf.

I've also seen people on youtube use a thin abrasive disc on a grinder for this work. I'd go with the oscillating tool over a grinder due to the better control.

 

[Brian_WK]

Time to update one of the bathrooms here. I will be regrouting the tub/shower area and need help finding a tool to remove th grout from 1/16" grout lines without damaging the tile. We put these tiles in 20 years ago and from a remember there were thin and delicate. I have an oscillating tool but if afraid it might be too aggressive bit would save a lot of labor.
On another note, what can I add to the new grout mix to make it "bulletproof"?

A sledge hammer and a pallet of tile. I have heard removing grout from a large area like a whole shower is hell and really only feasible for repairs. I used a 3 part epoxy grout from TEC in my shower no sealing and still looks like new 5 years later was more difficult then normal grout to install though.

Brian

 

[anndel]

Fein Multimaster tool and blades

 

[Super Mech]

Gonna pickup a 1/16 grout blade for the oscillating tool tonight and see how it works. Will post here with results. Thanks for all the input, you guys are great!

 

[Monte]

If you just want to clean grouts:

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FR7X_ffJ6IY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[B_Lafayet]

Fein multimaster and diamond blades

 

[bmwpowere36m3]

Bullet proof grout? Are you redoing because failed grout? Or update? 1/16" grout lines are pretty new with rectified porcelain tiles (clean cut edges)... I just put some 12x24" in, but did 1/8".

Any mechanical tool will likely slip out the joint. Not to mention the time/aggravation. I would just seal the grout OR if your updating, then rip the tile down and start over.

 

[todd_fuller]

Gonna pickup a 1/16 grout blade for the oscillating tool tonight and see how it works. Will post here with results. Thanks for all the input, you guys are great!

One thing I learned while doing this kind of job was to get a good first pass (not all the way through) to help guide subsequent passes not gouge the tile. The multimaster isn't SO powerful that it'll gouge a tile easily, but once you have the blade going in a groove, it's harder to screw up than when you're continuously plunging.

 

[todd_fuller]

On another note, what can I add to the new grout mix to make it "bulletproof"?

Just saw this part after the fact... you want to look at laticrete spectralock pro premium grout. Be specific with the "Pro Premium" part.

http://floorelf.com/spectralock-vs-koolaid

 

[kctyphoon]

Op -not being sarcastic - when you re- grout, you are aware you should be using unsanded grout instead of sanded grout for 1/16" joints right?

And here - some ideas. Good luck.

 

[Super Mech]

Op -not being sarcastic - when you re- grout, you are aware you should be using unsanded grout instead of sanded grout for 1/16" joints right?

And here - some ideas. Good luck.

No sarcasm taken! Yes I know to use I unsanded grout in in small joint such as these. Thank you for checking.

 

[BobsInTheGarage]

I am most of the way through removing the grout from a shower stall and bathtub surround. My tiles are 4" x 4" and the grout lines are 1/16". It is painstakingly slow work. I started with a Fein oscillating tool and the smallest diamond blade they have, 3/32", was too wide, it chewed up the tile. I am going now with a Dremel and an attachment for grout removal, #568, and a a 1/16" bit #569. It has taken days to get the grout out. If I had more money than time I would have had someone demo out the tile and put in new. That would have been a lot faster. As it is I have time and no income, which is called 'retired', so I chip away.

Some tips are to start with utility knife and make a groove for the dremel bit to slip into, like a guide. Make multiple passes, each time a bit deeper. I got good at controlling the depth, feeling where the grout is soft and thus going deeper, easing up where it is harder, making multiple passes. I make it about 16 squares until the bit breaks. We have broken the job into 30 blocks of 16 squares. One hour per square. One bit per square. That makes 30 bits, at $12 each!

I know with more experience the speed would increase and the bit breakage would decrease.

We started with a vacuum holding person and a dremel operating person, but now have developed a velcro attachment for the vacuum. It is working great!!

Here is a link to the video of the vacuum attachment at work: