December 25, 2020

Can I grout over existing grout?

Whether there’s a hairline crack or broken grout in your tile work, it’s important to fix the issue immediately, as these small cracks will grow or cause larger issues in the future.

If you’re taking matters into your own hands, your inclination may be to apply new grout over top to fix the problem quickly. However, we never recommend putting new grout over old grout to fix a crack or broken grout. Here’s why grouting over existing grout is such a problem.

Wet grout won’t adhere well to dry grout

Since grout is essentially a form of cement, your old grout has dried and cured at this point (unless is it is still brand new). New, wet grout has no way to adhere to the old, original grout, as grout is really meant to stick to tile, rather than the mortar or thinset beneath the tile. For this reason, it may not apply smoothly or last very long.

There will always be two grout layers

Essentially, grouting over old grout will mean you have two distinct layers of grout – the second being one that doesn’t properly adhere to anything. Your newest layer will likely crack or chip away relatively quickly.

You aren’t dealing with the structural issues

The (perhaps) biggest issue with grouting over existing grout is that you aren’t getting to the root of a (potentially large) problem. Hairline cracks in grout are often clues that there are foundational or structural issues occurring under the tile. This may be caused by natural shifting in your home’s foundation or by a natural disaster (such as flooding or an earthquake).

Regardless, covering up the problem with more grout isn’t going to make the issue go away. If there are structural issues causing cracks, you’ll continue to see them until the issue is resolved.

How to fix your grout for good

If you’re ready to fix your grout lines the proper – but slightly more time consuming way – then follow our easy steps for fixing cracked grout in this post. Repairing your cracked or broken grout right the first time will save you continuous headaches down the road.


If you’d rather have help from a professional, we can help. Get a free quote today to learn more about our grouting services.

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