DIY tile Job, removed excess hardened grout with nylon wheel and now tiles are ruined.

[Zrly94]

I have just ripped out my old bathroom and refitted it with new beige porcelain tiles. I grouted the walls yesterday and found by the time I'd finished grouting the excess grout left around the tiles(especially close the grout joins) had hardened off and I was unable to remove it with a light abrasive pad.

I decided to do a bit of research on YouTube and found a guy that had good success using a nylon brush attached to a drill. So I decided to try the method myself which worked well in removing the grout. Subsequently I've come to realise I've taken the colour out of the tile by doing this and now they have this terrible contrast change from where I've used the nylon brush and where I haven't.

I'm wondering if there is anything I can do to remedy this problem I've created without ripping the tiles off of the walls and having to restart the whole process all over again.

Any advice would greatly appreciated.

Zach

 

[Kevbos]

I have just ripped out my old bathroom and refitted it with new beige porcelain tiles. I grouted the walls yesterday and found by the time I'd finished grouting the excess grout left around the tiles(especially close the grout joins) had hardened off and I was unable to remove it with a light abrasive pad.

I decided to do a bit of research on YouTube and found a guy that had good success using a nylon brush attached to a drill. So I decided to try the method myself which worked well in removing the grout. Subsequently I've come to realise I've taken the colour out of the tile by doing this and now they have this terrible contrast change from where I've used the nylon brush and where I haven't.

I'm wondering if there is anything I can do to remedy this problem I've created without ripping the tiles off of the walls and having to restart the whole process all over again.

Any advice would greatly appreciated.

Zach

View attachment 124307

Zach I think you know the answer to your question ! You either have to admit lesson learned !you had a good go ! And not that bad really ! But grouting is the hardest part of tiling !! Basically can you live with the problem ! And are the tiles now not waterproof as glaze etc rubbed off ! You can't get the colour back

 

[Zrly94]

Zach I think you know the answer to your question ! You either have to admit lesson learned !you had a good go ! And not that bad really ! But grouting is the hardest part of tiling !! Basically can you live with the problem ! And are the tiles now not waterproof as glaze etc rubbed off ! You can't get the colour back

So the answer I've come to is probably need to start again. The difficult part is I reskimmed the original wall and dot and dabbed new plasterboard over the top. I also tanked that plasterboard to provide a waterproof seal. The thought of ripping it all off to the bear bones and starting again is one that is hard to get my head around.

What doesn't help as well is I've found out the wall and floor tiles are not the same in colour and the floor tiles stand up to the nylon brush without changing in appearance.

 

[Dazzer]

Just a thought... could you not go over the tiles with the nylon brush in a random fashion to make the tiles look like they are meant to have that effect/look? It is certainly worth a try before ripping them off and starting again.