Naomi, Sage – Author at Plaster & Disaster

As you may know, we met and dreamed up the idea for this brilliant blog while working at the same nonprofit organization. So perhaps it is no surprise that some of our co-workers are readers and like to talk to us about the projects that they see on the blog. We’re basically celebrities. But as much as we love talking about us, our favorite is when they ask us questions about their own DIY or decorating projects — it means we’ve somehow tricked them into thinking we’re experts at this (check out the advice that we gave our friend, Stephanie, on decorating her patio).

So we were recently thrilled when a totally boring business meeting was interrupted with a conversation about grout. Our co-worker, who we will anonymize for her protection as “Mecky,” had the following question:

Hi Team Plaster and Disaster,

I need your advice! It looks like the grouting in our 1.5 year old bathroom needs to be redone. There are cracks in it along the corners and my mother is convinced that black mold is imminent. It would be a stretch to call me handy but it seems like this should be something a novice could take on. What do you think?

– “Mecky”

At our ~~desperate insistence~~ polite request, she also provided these pictures of the issue:

Thanks for your question, “Mecky!”

Based on what we’ve read, this seems like a project that a regular homeowner could do. We would both be comfortable taking on this project in our own homes, and neither of us have much experience with tile or grout. But the thing we always consider is whether it is worth our time. Depending on how extensive the cracks are, this could be a very time consuming project. It really depends on how you would like to spend your Saturday.

If you are crazy like us and think this sounds like a great way to spend a Saturday, here what we’ve learned about how to fix this yourself:

How to Repair Cracked Grout

The first step is to remove the old grout surrounding the cracks. It’s a bummer, but very important. According to “the floor elf” (an elf who apparently writes a blog about tiling floors), the new grout or other filler won’t be able to bind to the old grout so it is important to clear it entirely from the sides of the tile, and at least 2/3 of the way down each affected tile, so that it has enough area to form a good bond.

They sell tools specifically for this called “grout saws,” like this one from Amazon (affiliate link – read our policies), which was just $15 when we looked.

You can also use a dremel, which is probably not worth buying just for this project, but is a very handy tool to have around as a homeowner. Sage has this dremel (affiliate link – read our policies) and likes it quite a bit.

Once all the grout is cleared, wipe it down with a damp cloth to remove all of the debris and dust. Then, you are ready to fill it with a new material!

The Great Grout Vs. Caulk Debate

Our extensive internet research has revealed two camps of thought on this: the grouters vs. the caulkers. But the one to choose really depends on what you think caused the problem.

Who says making adult decisions can’t be rock’em sock’em fun? (thanks for making such an awesome toy, Mattel) | Images via Ace Hardware, Digital Media Academy, and Custom Building Products

If you think that the cracks were caused by incorrect grouting to begin with, then you might want to try to fill it with new grout. (You can tell it may have been done poorly if the cracks formed very soon after the tiling was originally done, showing that the grout may have been mixed incorrectly, etc.) The benefits of using grout are that it will be a lot easier to match the color and texture of your current grout, and that if it works, it will be a permanent solution to the issue. The major drawback is that if the cracks were formed by a structural problem, the new grout will just crack again and you’ll be right back where you started from.

If you think grout is the solution, we found this article on SFGate to be a pretty good tutorial for that process. Besides getting the right color, the other big thing to know when you pick a grout is whether you need sanded or nonsanded. Nonsanded is used in spaces smaller than 1/8 inches and sanded in spaces larger than that, so based on your pictures you would probably need nonsanded.

On the other hand, the floor elf is a major proponent of using caulk instead. (Guys, we LIKE this elf. He is hilarious. He is also very authoritative for an elf, and we’ve based at least half this post on his advice.)

Caulking seems to be recommended if the cracks are caused by a shifting in the foundation or the joints where they are applied. Grout has no give-and-take and so will crack if there is movement. This is most likely to happen at corners and the edges between wall and ceiling or floor, so from your pictures it seems like this may be the issue for you. Caulk has flex, and so can maintain its seal through these shifts. However, it will be trickier to match the color and texture to your current grout, so you’ll have to live with a more mismatched look. Also, caulk isn’t a permanent solution, so you might find yourself scraping it out and replacing it every few years.

If you do go the caulking way, we encourage you to read the floor elf’s post on the subject (he is also very responsive in the comments if you have detailed questions). This tutorial by the Family Handyman and this one on Houzz are also good quick overviews on the process — they recommend using a special caulk called “ceramic tile caulk.” This special kind of caulk — which you should be able to find at most home improvement stores — comes in sanded and nonsanded variations just like grout, and again you’ll probably want nonsanded given that the spaces between your tiles are less than 1/8 inches.

We hope that was helpful, “Mecky!” Thanks for your great question. We learned a lot about grout today are definitely trustworthy experts. We’d love to hear what you decide to do, and how it works!

(Sharing at Tip Me Tuesday, Think and Make Thursday, and Your Turn to Shine Link Party)

Perhaps in anticipation of writing this post, I had a dream last night about the particular branch of Savers where I found this chair. In my experience Savers is really more about clothing than furniture; the furniture section is pretty small and I usually don’t have a lot of luck. However, this particular branch seems to always have one extraordinary find lurking amid the beige-overstuffed-couches and 1990s-Jordans-bureaus.

In my dream, Sage and Brad waited in the car while I went in. At the back of the store I found a pair of beautifully decrepit leather and wood armchairs, similar to the ones that Emily Henderson has in her living room. I couldn’t tell if they were terrible or amazing, so I stood agonizing over whether I could risk going to get Sage to take a look, or whether someone would snap them up while I was doing that and I would lose the find of a lifetime.

I guess if that’s what my subconsious is worrying about, things can’t be all that bad.

Unfortunately, I didn’t actually find Emily Henderson’s living room at Savers. But on my last visit, with a reluctant Brad in tow, I did find this cool metal chair for the sweet price of $2.99.

I obviously bought it immediately, despite Brad being utterly unimpressed. I liked the shape and, although we don’t yet have our dining room table-and-chair situation figured out, I thought this would be a cool spare chair to have hanging around. I am trying to bring in a few shiny chrome-like elements into each room and this seemed like an easy way to do so.

The chair was in good shape, but it did have a spattering of rust spots on the metal, and I wasn’t a fan of the brown pleather seat.

I looked at a ton of fabric options to recover the seat, including this imitation cowhide which is either really awesome or totally ugly. But eventually I decided to do something simple so the chair would fit into any decor going forward, and went with an affordable mix of recycled polyester and organic cotton in black.

No one needs a tutorial for reupholstering a simple seat cushion from me, and if you do, you can get it from my bench makeover project last month. Suffice it to say that it was very easy. I just went on top of the existing cushion since it was in fine shape, and added two layers of new batting to make it a little more comfortable.

The finish on the metal was pretty easy to mess up, and even picked up streaks when I tried to clean away the rust with the rough green side of those yellow-and-green sponges. Instead, I used a microfiber towel (affiliate link – read our policies) that my Mom grabbed for me during a sale on Amazon.

Some of the rust came off by just rubbing with the cloth and water. For the trickier spots, I made a paste of baking soda and water, coated the rust, and then scrubbed hard with the cloth. The results weren’t perfect, but it did a pretty good job.

A wipe down with the dry cloth also gave it a pretty good shine.

I then reattached the seat. The extra layers of batting and cloth meant that the four little screws didn’t quite reach any more. Fortunately, I found three equivalent but slightly longer ones in my basement hardware hoard, so I didn’t need to go out to the store to finish the project. DIY score!

Thrift Store Chair Makeover - Slightly Longer Screws - Plaster & Disaster

Yes, I did arrange, shoot, edit, name, upload, and add this very exciting photo just for you to see. You’re welcome.

Maybe I will remember to pick up a fourth screw to finish the job properly next time I am at the hardware store. Or maybe I will completely forget about it since the seat seems plenty sturdy and it doesn’t seem like a problem. (Guess which one is more likely.)

The result is a cool but unobtrusive side chair that can hang out in our dining room as a seat for extra guests.

I like the shape, and the contrast between the shine of the metal and the black seat. It wasn’t particularly comfortable when we brought it home, but the extra layers of batting definitely make it better.

It’s not bad for $15 plus a lot of leftover black cotton fabric! I’ll definitely be returning to that Savers. Maybe next time I really will find Emily Henderson’s living room in there!