I'm dealing with a tricky situation in my shower, which has a tapering grout seam that's uneven. It starts quite wide and then narrows because of overlapping tiles, making it impossible to get a grout saw or even hand tools in there to remove all the grout. We've got a small shower that's tight against the side of our modified A-Frame, leading to odd angles and cracks in the grout. The grout's crumbling in some sections, but I also don't want to damage the thinset underneath. We're not looking to keep the shower for a long time – just trying to prevent leaks for the next five years until we remodel. Should I chip out just the cracked parts and silicone over the existing grout, fill the void and silicone it all, try to remove all the grout, or something else entirely?
1 Answer
For a quick fix, I’d just caulk the seams with a high-quality caulk that matches your grout. Grout isn’t really meant to be in seams since it can restrict movement. If you’re worried about clean lines or uneven edges, lay down some masking tape. Apply the caulk a bit wider and smooth it out with a wet glove or rag before peeling off the tape.
I get your concern about mold and water getting in there. Ideally, you want to avoid grout in those angled spaces altogether, which is why scraping it out makes sense. Just be careful with the amount of grout you remove, as leaving some good grout can help. You might want to only caulk where the cracked grout is and not over everything.