Grout Stain

[GeneMiller]

We just finished cleaning a tile job that had grout stain. Most of it stayed except in the kitchen. She wants us to replace it. If we take a brass brush and scrub the grout removing anything loose can we stain over it ?

Gene

 

[RickL]

I think your talking about Color Seal I'm familiar with three different types of color seal all are impregnating type color seals.
These you should be able to go over and treat with the same product used originally.

There are several topical type color seals (don't look like grout they look like paint real shiny and smooth) and while I've never done one it looks like it would be a bitch. I have stripped these type out and re-done with the impregnating type
color seal and it came out nice.

 

[GeneMiller]

you could peel strips of it off in several areas in the kitchen. it was more like a paint.
I definitely don't want to strip it all off.

gene

 

[RickL]

That stuff is the worse crap. Does the customer have any extra if so give it a try. It won't stick to it self though so your going to have to put it on and wipe the excess of the tiles real carefully. If you do end up stripping it go with an impregnating color seal like Grout Perfect or Grout Sheid. How big an area?
I had a buddy in the biz that had this problem and we had to get the old off with Acetone and re-do with GP.
Good Luck you can give me a call if you like. Usually that stuff ends up looking like crap on it's own. My nbrr is 678-350 -3402

 

[Mikey P]

Nothing about Grout Perfect is "Impregnating" wrong terminology. All these new color seal are topicals.


Pictures would help me/us help you with this nightmare.

Without knowing exactly what is on there it's real hard to offer advice.


Gel based strippers are usually needed to get off any coating.

 

[Tony Neville]

We had the same thing happen to us. We knew it was a topical epoxy sealer and tested it, with no problems. Once we started cleaning in the traffic areas the epoxy came off in strips! It turned out that they had put the epoxy down, Instead cleaning it and of course it didn’t stick!

The fix, that we had. She still had some original product, Aqua mix grout colorant, So we ordered new and applied it for her. This stuff is like paint covered old as well as new, the prep did suck a little but it got done, she was thrilled, and we kept moving.

In the future the testing will be a little more intensive because it would have been avoidable if we had tested in the traffic areas.

Tony

 

[TimP]

If it was stained. I would offer color sealing as a better alternative. Acid etch the grout and have at it. Color seal is way better than an stain, hands down.

 

[sweendogg]

And this is why I turned down a tile and grout cleaning job where the people had someone "paint the grout" after instead of cleaning it. I tested and it immediatly came up.

 

[GeneMiller]

unfortunately i can't post pictures. i didn't think to take any. we don't have to fix it we can send it to someone else. i'm just doing it to be nice. she swore up and down before we started that it wasn't color sealed even thou I told her it was and this would happen.i

it's around 2000 sf but only the kitchen and a little in the hall came off. I change out the jets and drop the pressure to 800 when it's color sealed. the tile was the main focus. she is a long standing customer and is a great referrer so I'll keep her happy.

gene

 

[sweendogg]

What kinda of jet change out do you perform? I haven't monkeyed with my spinner tool yet but have thought about it.

 

[GeneMiller]

i change from the 0502 to 9504. you get plenty of pressure to clean the tile and it usually won't hurt the grout. put your hand under and check, the difference is pretty amazing.

gene