How to Repair Loose Grout in Bathroom Floor Tile

Get advice on how to fix loose grout that isn't adhering properly. Learn how to identify signs of floor movement and incorrect grout mixing that can contribute to the problem.

LESLIE: Karen in Nebraska, you’ve got The Money Pit. I understand you have a situation with loose grout in bathroom floor tile. How can we help you today?

KAREN: Yes. I had a tile floor put in my bathroom. And where you walk in, the tile has – the grout has tipped out. And so I called the tile guy and he came and he took that piece of tile out and regrouted it and it’s happening again. Is there something I can use just to seal that up or do we have to regrout it a third time?

TOM: Well, if the grout is falling out, then sealing it is not going to change anything. It sounds like the grout might have been not mixed correctly, perhaps it was too dry. Is it falling out in the same place that it fell out the first time?

KAREN: Yes.

LESLIE: Karen, is it a small tile or a large tile?

KAREN: I think it’s 12×12.

LESLIE: OK. And you’re not seeing any cracks in the tile? It’s just strictly on the grout?

KAREN: Yeah, just the grout is tipping out. And it’s just in the one place: the same place he replaced it.

TOM: Well, when you say he replaced it, did he just sort of fill in the missing areas or did he actually really physically take out all the old grout?

KAREN: He took out the old grout and put in a new tile.

TOM: You’re going to have to have the tile guy come back again, pull out the grout and try it one more time. But have him look this time, carefully, to see if there’s any movement in the floor there that’s causing this to happen. Because I agree with Leslie on this: I definitely think something’s going on there that’s causing the loose grout in bathroom floor tile. It shouldn’t be happening.

If the grout was not fully removed the first time, then I would think that maybe, you know, it just wasn’t adhering. But if it’s completely totally and completely removed and it’s still coming up, then I think that there’s something unstable about that floor surface and that’s why it’s popping up. You’re going to have to get the tile guy involved again. It’s definitely not a maintenance issue.

KAREN: OK. Well, I will do that for sure then.

TOM: Alright. Well, good luck. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT, 888-666-3974.