DIY GUIDE · HOME REPAIRS & HANDYMAN

How to regrout tiles yourself
A day for a bathroom wall. £20–£55 in grout, tools and sealer.

Rake out, choose the right grout, pack it in within its working time, shape and clean — and know when the tiles need more than grout.

DIFFICULTY
Moderate
no licence needed
TIME
1 day + drying
half a day raking out, a few hours grouting and cleaning, then a day before showers
MATERIALS
£20–£55
grout, a rake, a float, a sponge and a sealer for a bathroom wall
A PRO CHARGES
£80–£285
typically £250
  • Every step, start to finish
  • Checked October 2026 — sources at the end
  • Honest about when to call a pro

FIRST, THE HONEST ANSWER

Do it yourself, or get a handymen?

Do it yourself if…

  • The tiles are firmly fixed — none rock, sound hollow or move when pressed
  • The grout is stained, crumbling or cracked in places, but the wall behind is dry
  • The area is a wall or floor you can reach from the floor or a step-ladder
  • You have the patience for slow raking-out with hand tools

Get a pro if…

  • Tiles are loose, cracked or sound hollow, or water is getting behind them
  • There is damp, staining or soft board behind the tiles, or a leak below the shower
  • The joints are epoxy grout, which is very hard to remove
  • Natural stone or delicate glazes that a rake or acid cleaner would mark

Safety first

  • Wear a dust mask and safety glasses while raking out. HSE warns that regularly breathing construction dust can cause lung diseases, and cement grout dust contains silica.
  • Vacuum the dust rather than sweeping it, and keep the room ventilated.
  • Wet grout is alkaline and can irritate skin. Wear gloves and wash splashes off straight away.
  • Do not rake, drill or sand textured coatings in a house built before 2000; HSE says asbestos may be present in buildings of that age.
  • Use a step-ladder for high tiles, and do not stand on the bath edge.

MATERIALCOVERAGEFOR THIS JOB
GroutFor your joint width; flexible in wet or moving areasUse the calculation below; a 2.5 kg bag covers a small wall
Grout sealerPenetrating sealer for cement groutOne bottle
Silicone sealantFor corners and the bath or tray jointOne cartridge
Grout cleaner or mould removerFor cleaning before raking outOne spray

How much grout

Grout in kg ≈ area × ((tile length + tile width) ÷ (tile length × tile width)) × joint width × joint depth × the grout's density, with tile sizes and joints in mm and the density about 1.6. For 4 m² of 200 × 250 mm tiles with 3 mm joints 6 mm deep: (200 + 250) ÷ (200 × 250) = 0.009; × 3 × 6 × 1.6 = 0.26 kg per m²; × 4 m² = about 1 kg. Buy a 2.5 kg bag.

Many grout makers publish a calculator for their own product; use it if you can, because the density varies between grouts.

Joint width decides the grout

Every grout states the joint widths it is made for. A fine wall grout suits narrow joints; a wide-joint grout has a coarser filler and will not crack across a broad joint. One flexible grout's maker gives a range of 1mm to 30mm for its product. Measure your joints before you buy.

Flexible or standard

Flexible grouts tolerate a little movement and suit wooden floors, underfloor heating, showers and anywhere that flexes. Standard wall grout is for rigid walls in dry areas. If the old grout cracked along lines rather than crumbling, there is movement, and a flexible grout is the right choice.

The class on the bag

Cement grouts are classed under the European grout standard. The letters CG2 mean an improved cement grout, and W and A mean reduced water absorption and higher abrasion resistance; one leading anti-microbial flexible grout carries CG2 WA. For a shower or a kitchen floor, look for that class.

Colour and mould

White shows every mark in a busy shower; grey and beige forgive more. Many grouts now include an anti-microbial additive that slows black mould. Buy all the grout for the job from the same batch, and mix the full bag or weigh the parts so the colour stays even.

Working time

Mixed cement grout has a pot life: one maker gives 30 minutes, and a setting time of 2–3 hours. Mix only what you can pack and clean in that time, and plan to work a square metre or so at a time.

Do not regrout over old grout. The new layer is too thin to hold and flakes off.
Silicone, not grout, goes in the corner joints and where tiles meet a bath or tray; those joints move.
If only a few joints have failed, regrout a whole wall rather than patching: new grout never quite matches old, and a patch shows as a different colour.

THE PART THAT DECIDES THE FINISH

Preparing the joints — by what you are regrouting

Find your starting point. Each card is the check and the preparation before any new grout goes in.

Stained but sound grout

Dirty, discoloured, but still hard and complete.

  1. Try cleaning first with a grout cleaner and a stiff brush; it may only need that
  2. If the stain is in the grout, not on it, rake out and regrout
  3. Check that no tiles move when pressed
  4. Let cleaned grout dry fully before deciding
Cracked or crumbling grout

Lines of cracks, gaps or grout falling out.

  1. Press every tile around the cracks; any that move need refixing
  2. Look for a crack running straight along a line of joints — that is movement, and wants flexible grout
  3. Rake out all the joints in the area, not just the cracked ones, so the colour matches
  4. Check behind a shower for damp or soft board
Black mould in the joints

Bathroom and shower grout stained black.

  1. Treat it with a mould remover first and rinse
  2. If it comes back from inside the grout, rake out and regrout with an anti-microbial grout
  3. Improve the ventilation, or the new grout will go the same way
  4. Replace mouldy silicone at the same time
Floor tiles

Kitchen or bathroom floor joints.

  1. Use a floor or flexible grout rated for the joint width
  2. Check the floor does not flex underfoot; a bouncing timber floor cracks any grout
  3. Plan a way out of the room so you do not kneel on new grout
  4. Allow longer before walking on it, as the bag says
Showers and wet areas

Walls that get soaked every day.

  1. Isolate the shower and let the area dry out for a day or two before grouting
  2. Use a flexible, water-resistant grout
  3. Remove the silicone at the tray or bath before raking out
  4. Plan to seal the grout and reseal the silicone at the end
Old houses and textured coatings

Tiled walls next to old textured plaster or ceilings.

  1. Do not rake or sand textured coatings on ceilings or walls in a house built before 2000; they may contain asbestos
  2. Keep the raking to the grout joints
  3. Mask neighbouring surfaces with tape and sheet
  4. Vacuum the dust rather than sweeping it

THE JOB

How to regrout tiles, in order

  1. Set up and protect

    20 min

    Clear the room and protect the bath, tray or floor with a dust sheet taped down. Isolate the shower so nobody uses it. Open a window. Put on a dust mask and safety glasses. Clean the tiles with a grout cleaner so you can see the joints clearly. Read the preparation case above that matches your grout.

    • Cover the plughole so grit does not go down it
    • Have a vacuum ready next to you
    • Work from the top of the wall down

    Mistake to avoid: Raking out with the shower tray unprotected. Grit scratches acrylic trays and enamel baths.

  2. Rake out the old grout

    3 hr

    Hold the grout rake like a pencil, with its tip in the centre of the joint, and draw it along the joint in short strokes, letting the tool do the cutting. Take the grout down to at least two-thirds of the tile thickness, or to the depth the new grout's maker gives. Keep the blade upright and in the joint; a slip onto the tile edge chips the glaze. Vacuum the joints as you go.

    • Use light, repeated strokes rather than one heavy one
    • Change the blade when it stops cutting; a blunt blade skids
    • Take extra care at tile corners, where chips happen

    Mistake to avoid: Using an electric multi-tool or a grinder near the tile edges. One slip cuts the glaze, and a chipped tile shows forever.

  3. Clean and dry the joints

    30 min

    Vacuum the joints thoroughly, then brush them out with a stiff brush and vacuum again. Wipe the tiles with a damp sponge to remove dust, and let the joints dry. Any dust or loose grout left in the joint stops the new grout bonding. In a shower, let the wall dry fully before grouting.

    • Run a fingertip along each joint; it should feel clean and sharp-edged
    • Look at the joints in a raking light for missed patches
    • Treat any remaining mould with mould remover and rinse well

    Mistake to avoid: Grouting over dust. The new grout sits on a loose layer and cracks out within weeks.

  4. Mix the grout

    10 min

    Put the amount of clean, cold water the bag gives into a clean bucket and add the powder, mixing to a smooth, creamy paste without lumps. Leave it to stand for the time on the bag, then remix briefly. Mix only what you can use within the pot life — 30 minutes for one maker's grout — because grout that has started to stiffen should never be thinned with more water.

    • Measure the water; guessing changes the colour and strength
    • Weigh the powder if you are mixing part of a bag
    • Keep the mixing tool and bucket for grout only

    Mistake to avoid: Adding water to stiffening grout to loosen it. It weakens the grout, causes shrinkage cracks and lightens the colour.

  5. Pack the joints

    1 hr

    Scoop grout onto the rubber float and press it into the joints, holding the float at about forty-five degrees and sweeping diagonally across them, so the edge cannot drag grout out of the joint. Work a square metre or so at a time. Go over each area twice in different diagonal directions to pack the joints fully, then scrape the excess off the tile faces with the float held almost upright.

    • Diagonal strokes pack; strokes along a joint dig it out
    • Press firmly so there are no air pockets
    • Keep a damp cloth handy for drips on the bath or tray

    Mistake to avoid: Grouting the whole wall before cleaning any of it. The first area sets hard on the tile faces and has to be scraped off.

  6. Shape the joints

    30 min

    Once the grout has firmed slightly — usually after a short wait — run a grout finisher or a rounded stick along each joint to compress it and leave a neat, slightly concave line just below the tile surface. Fill any hollow you find with a little more grout and shape it again. Consistent joints are what make a regrout look professional.

    • Shape all the vertical joints, then all the horizontal ones
    • Wipe the finisher often so it does not drag
    • Leave the corners for silicone; do not grout them

    Mistake to avoid: Leaving the joints flush or proud of the tiles. They catch dirt, and the sponge drags them out unevenly.

  7. Sponge off and polish the haze

    45 min

    With a damp, well-wrung sponge, wipe the tiles diagonally to remove grout from the faces, rinsing the sponge often and changing the water when it clouds. Do not press into the joints. When the tiles dry, a light haze will appear; polish it off with a dry, soft cloth. Do it the same day, before the haze sets hard.

    • A wet sponge washes grout out of the joints; wring it hard
    • Use clean water in the second bucket for the last wipe
    • Look along the tiles in a side light for haze you missed

    Mistake to avoid: Leaving the haze until tomorrow. Cement haze that has set needs a cleaner, and acidic cleaners can damage the new grout.

  8. Reseal the corners and the bath joint

    45 min

    Once the grout has set for the time on its bag, run a bead of sanitary silicone into the internal corners and along the joint between tiles and the bath, tray or worktop. Those joints move as the bath fills and the house settles, and grout there cracks. Fill the bath with water first so the joint opens to its widest before you seal it.

    • Mask both sides of the joint with tape for a neat line
    • Tool the bead with a wetted finishing tool and pull the tape straight away
    • Leave the bath water in until the silicone has skinned

    Mistake to avoid: Grouting the corner and bath joints. They crack along their length within weeks, because they flex.

  9. Seal and leave it to cure

    30 min

    When the grout has fully cured — check the bag, and allow longer in a cold room — apply a penetrating grout sealer to the joints with the bottle's applicator or a small brush, wiping any off the tiles. Keep the shower out of use until both the grout and the silicone have cured, as their packs say. From then on, a quick wipe after showering keeps the joints clean.

    • Seal on a dry day so the grout is dry right through
    • Reapply sealer as the bottle says, usually once a year in a shower
    • Run the extractor fan during and after every shower

    Mistake to avoid: Using the shower the evening you finish. Water on uncured grout washes the surface out and leaves it weak and porous.

The mistakes that spoil a regrout

  • Grouting over old grout instead of raking it out
  • Using a power tool next to the tile edges
  • Adding water to stiffening grout
  • Grouting the corners instead of sealing them
  • Using the shower before the grout has cured

Stop here and get a tiler

  • Tiles are loose, hollow or cracked, or come away when you rake
  • There is damp, staining or soft board behind the tiles
  • The joints are epoxy or the tiles are natural stone
  • The shower leaks into the room below
How to hire a tiler →

New grout crackingToo much water in the mix, a rigid grout where there is movement, or grout in a corner that flexes. Rake out the cracked joints, regrout with a flexible grout, and silicone the corners.
Grout haze on the tilesGrout residue left to dry. Polish with a dry cloth; if set, use a cleaner made for cement haze, testing it on one tile first.
Grout colour patchyDifferent water amounts in different mixes, or a wet sponge. Mix by measure, and next time wring the sponge hard.
Low spots and holes in the jointsAir pockets or grout dragged out by the sponge. Fill them with a little fresh grout and shape them.
Grout crumbling soon afterOld grout not raked deep enough, dust left in the joint, or the mix past its pot life. Rake out, clean thoroughly and regrout.
Black mould returningPoor ventilation, or mould inside the board behind. Improve the extraction; if it comes back fast, check for water behind the tiles.
Chipped tile edges after rakingThe rake slipped. Touch in small chips with a tile repair kit; replace badly chipped tiles.
Tile came loose while rakingThe adhesive had failed. Lift it, clean off the old adhesive, refix it with tile adhesive and let it set before grouting.
Grout pulling out of a joint as you spongeThe sponge was too wet or the grout had not firmed. Let the area firm a little longer, refill the joint and wipe with a well-wrung sponge across the joints, not along them.
Small pinholes in the finished groutAir trapped when packing, or a mix that was too wet. Pack a little fresh grout into each hole with a fingertip and reshape it before it sets.

WHAT YOU SAVE

What it costs to do it yourself

Grout, 2.5–5 kg£10–£20
Grout rake£7–£30
Grout float and sponge£5–£15
Grout sealer£9–£10
Silicone sealant£5–£10
Total, a bathroom wall£20–£55
DIY total£20–£55
A tiler charges per job
LOW
£80
TYPICAL
£250
HIGH
£285
Grouting & Re-Grouting price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

The materials are cheap; the cost is a day of slow raking. A tiler's price buys the speed and the judgement on loose tiles.

RATHER NOT?

Tilers near you, with prices shown

The ones who cover your area, nearest first, with one score from every review. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

Let it cure fully

Keep water off for the time on the bag, longer in a cold room, before showers and mopping.

Keep it clean and sealed

Wipe the joints after showering, run the fan, and reseal once a year in wet areas.

Dispose of the waste

Raked-out grout and dust go in a bag in the general waste in small amounts; larger amounts of tile and rubble go to the household waste recycling centre. Let leftover mixed grout set in the bucket and bin it — never wash it down a drain, where it sets.

Clean the tools

Wash the float, sponge and bucket in clean water straight away, before the grout sets on them, and tip the rinse water outside onto soil, not down the sink.

Regrouting tiles: questions people ask

No. Rake the old grout out to a good depth first; a thin layer over old grout cracks and flakes.

To at least two-thirds of the tile's thickness, or the depth the new grout's maker gives, with clean, square-sided joints.

Until the grout has cured as its bag says, and the silicone too. One maker gives a setting time of 2–3 hours, but full use in a shower needs longer.

A flexible, water-resistant cement grout — look for the CG2 WA class on the bag — or epoxy in heavy-duty wet rooms.

Mould, fed by poor ventilation. Clean it with a mould remover; if it comes back from inside the grout, regrout with an anti-microbial grout and improve the extraction.

On the Locufy UK price guide grouting and regrouting costs £80–£285 per job, typically £250. Large areas and floors sit at the top.

MORE GUIDES

More DIY guides

Resealing a bath, shower or sinkPainting a roomHanging wallpaperPutting up shelvesSpray painting small items outdoorsAssembling a bed, table, desk or sofaAssembling flat-pack furnitureMounting a TV on the wall
All 90 DIY guides →How to hire a tiler →Grouting & Re-Grouting price guide →Tilers on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. BAL — Micromax3 ECO flexible grout: joints 1mm to 30mm, setting 2–3 hours, pot life 30 minutes, class CG2 WA
  2. HSE — construction dust (silica and lung disease)
  3. HSE — introduction to asbestos
  4. GOV.UK — dispose of household waste: DIY waste such as rubble
  5. Wickes — tile grout, price check October 2026
  6. Wickes — grout rakes, price check October 2026
  7. Wickes — grout floats and sponges, price check October 2026
  8. Wickes — grout sealers and cleaners, price check October 2026
  9. Wickes — silicone sealant, price check October 2026