How to get grout out of "shattered look" chevron white tile?
I installed some white chevron tile for bar walls in my house and the tile is the shattered look. I have tiled many walls/floors before but had never used the shattered look until my wife wanted it behind the bar. I picked up 7 boxes at Lowes and after I grouted it I noticed that the grout actually seeped into the teeny tiny cracks on the surface of the tiles making them look dirty. For some reason there were variations in the boxes I bought and it only sunk in the most on certain boxes of tile. In the pictures I attached you can clearly see the difference where the grout is stuck in the small cracks within the "shattered look" of the tile. My question is....How can I get the grout out of these small cracks? Last resort I will have to cut out the bad areas of tile and redo the drywall and lay new tile again. I was supposed to seal the tile before grouting so this didn't happen but I didn't read any sort of instructions before getting to work. I have tried a metal brush on the end of a drill to try and get it out, all sorts of under the sink products. I have run out of ideas! Any insight/help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
I would try a screw driver or a thin chizzle try Home Depot and see if there is something you could use to dissolve it maybe?
My carpenter husband stated, redo the tile. The amount of time you take to get it out, it will be better to just redo it
what about TSP? last resort try muriatic acid...it comes in spray bottle now and its not so caustic...it may take the shine off the tiles though...maybe try it in inconspicuous spot first. that's such a drag...hope something works out for you.
I agree with redo the tile. Seems like you've tried everything. If the wire brush didn't work. Nothing will.
Sean, you could call a tile installation co. and ask them, but, I'm afraid that the grout is there for good. After all your hard work, if it were me, I would paint the tile with a good quality tile paint. Google online for tile painting tips and also check out YouTube. Good luck!
I've always used a bottle opener with the pointy tip, the harder you press the deeper it goes.... we've always called that a herringbone tile job, I just had my new fireplace done in that pattern but I used grey grout.
Since the grout stains are sporadic I think the best solution would be to remove the tiles and start all over, because it is going to more work and very time consuming to try and take the grout out.
You can try painting over the tiles with a good epoxy paint then use Grout Refresh to color in the grout between the chevron pattern.