How Much Does Tile Grout Cost – When the grout does its job—tightly locking the tiles in, keeping water out, and making floors and walls look perfect—no one cares too much. People only notice when the grout fails, gets dirty, cracks, or falls off completely.
But grout deserves more respect. David Goodman, a tile contractor on the This Old House Nantucket project, says, “Not only does grout fill in voids, it also makes floors, walls, or work easier by bonding tiles together and preventing tile edges from chipping and cracking. The countertop is stronger.” .
How Much Does Tile Grout Cost
Here’s everything you need to know about grout: from the different types, sealing and color options, and repair methods.
Choose The Best Grout
There are two basic types of grout, and choosing which to use depends not on the tiles, but on the width of the joint between them. Narrow joints 1/8 inch or smaller require unsanded grout, a pudding-like smooth mixture of Portland cement and powdered paint mixed with water. Joints wider than 1/8 inch will require sanded grout—same material but with sand added. Sand will help fill the grout and keep it from shrinking at the joints.
When he started the business three decades ago, Goodman said, “We just put powdered grout in a bucket of water and off we went.” But older cement-based grout was brittle and easily cracking. It also dries irregularly, making the color inconsistent. Today’s grouts use polymeric additives that ensure color quality and added flexibility, allowing for joint widths of up to 1 1/4 inches. These wide joints are convenient for hiding irregularities in handmade tiles, as well as bridging tiles of different thicknesses in some pattern installations.
However, despite their improved properties, all cement grouts are porous and prone to staining. This is why manufacturers and installers recommend sealing the grout after it has cured for a few days and dried completely.
There are two types of grout sealers: film-forming and penetrating. The first type tends to flake off or become cloudy when residual moisture from the adhesive or underlayment is pushed onto the tile surface. A penetrating sealer that breathes into the tile and grout is preferred.
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Goodman sometimes invites customers to seal the grout themselves to save on labor costs. “I gave them some cotton swabs or a disposable brush, and a can of sealant, and asked them to assure me they’d get the job done.”
Epoxy grout is more expensive and harder to apply, but its durability makes it a good choice for high-traffic areas. Photo by John Lawton
There are some setups—especially those exposed to acids and grease—that even a sealant grout with additives won’t do. Such harsh conditions required epoxy grouting. Epoxy grout is a two-part resin and hardener, comes in sanded and unsanded types, and is impervious to most chemicals and stains. Early epoxies were weak and difficult to apply, with a pot life of only 45 minutes. This makes them quick to cure, but slow to be accepted by many tile installers, and a deep abhorrence for beginners.
The new generation of epoxy resin adds cleaning agent to the curing agent, which can be cleaned quickly with water to improve the workability. Since epoxy can discolor porous surfaces, such as unglazed quarry tile or limestone, they should be sealed before grouting. But its stain resistance, hardness, and durability make epoxy grout an excellent choice for showers, kitchen counters, backsplashes, floors, and other high-traffic areas.
How To Ensure Your Grout Is The Color You Want
Yes, epoxy grout is more expensive—up to $8 per pound, compared to $1 to $2 for cement-based grout—but there’s an upside to the cost difference: Powdered Portland cement grout has a shelf life of only one year, while grout made of two Partially composed liquid epoxies, if not subjected to freezing temperatures, will last forever in their airtight containers.
When it comes to grout color, there are three approaches: contrasting (for example, white grout with black tile), coordinating (green grout with green tile), or neutral (shades of gray or white). While it’s tempting to choose eye-popping combinations, David Goodman tries to steer his clients towards neutral options. “You might not be madly in love with gray,” he said, “but you probably won’t hate it, either.”
If you do choose a bold color, grout a tile swatch on plywood and use it for a few days. “I tell people to look at color under many different lights — natural light, incandescent, fluorescent,” says Goodman. If you make a mistake, unsealed grout can be stained or painted after it has cured (seal or epoxy grout must be removed). “However, it’s a pretty tedious process,” Goodman said, “so why not make the right choice in the first place?”
Wear-and-black grout on kitchen counters and backsplashes starts with a strong degreaser. “Never use oil-based soaps to clean tile and grout,” says Parker. “The wax in them can build up and stain the grout.” Photo by John Lawton
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Years of food and oil stains can seep into the surface, leaving behind a dark grout. In extreme cases, the only solution may be re-grouting or re-tiling, but often times, old grout can be renewed. All that’s needed is a degreaser, a stiff brush or commercial steam cleaner, and elbow grease. Some site regrouting is usually necessary – a process that involves digging and replacing cracked or broken areas.
Debby Parker started her business as The Tiles Lady and has been in the industry for 25 years. In a matter of hours, she and her husband, Roger Thorp, restored a weary grout in a Sacramento, California, kitchen.
The steam cleaner brings stains to the surface, and Parker and Thorp wipe them clean. Homeowners can rent a steamer, but so would a stiff-bristle nylon brush and degreaser. Photo by John Lawton
Get the latest This Old House news, trusted tips, tricks and DIY Smarts projects from our experts – straight to your inbox. Cleaning tile and grout in your home is important for hygiene and appearance. Dirty or improperly cleaned tile and grout can lead to problems such as efflorescence, staining, odors, degradation and mold. If mold and bacteria form in grout, it can cause respiratory and inflammatory diseases, among other health problems. By hiring a professional tile and grout cleaning service, they will use the correct cleaning procedures to keep your tile and grout cleaner for longer. Many factors affect the cost of tile and grout cleaning, such as materials, cleaning method, degree of damage, and restoration treatments.
Cost Of Tile And Grout Cleaning Services
Most people spend $250 to $700 to clean tile and grout in a single room, while the average homeowner spends $548 to steam clean and pressure wash tile and grout in a 260-square-foot room.
The cost of cleaning tile and grout varies by region. Let’s calculate the cost for your zip code.
Steam clean and water spray with 700 PSI spray gun and mildew-resistant encapsulation app for up to 260 sq. ft. Tile and Grout
Cleaning services may cost you a flat rate by the hour or by the square foot. Some companies require a minimum fee of $100 to $200. Typical flat rates for an average cleaning job are $300 to $500 per 150 to 250 square feet. Room. Fee for rooms over 300 square feet. Or those homes that have both floor and wall tiles cost as much as $900 or more.
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Cleaners generally charge $30-50 an hour. An average single room cleaning job typically takes 3 to 6 hours. Large rooms (over 300 square feet) and rooms with many tiles will take longer.
Even if a cleaner quotes you a fixed price, that price may be based on the square footage of the space being cleaned. Square footage estimates are precise and specific. The average cost of a standard tile and grout cleaning service is $0.75 to $3 per square foot.
The average home has tile and grout in multiple rooms and on many different surfaces. Kitchens and bathrooms are common locations for tile and grout. In addition to flooring, tile and grout can also be used on countertops, backsplashes, tub surrounds, and walls.
Cleaning fees per room vary by room type and size. Here are the professional tile and grout cleaning costs per room:
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Depending on the condition and location of your tile and grout, a cleaning professional may use one or more cleaning methods. The standard method of cleaning tile and grout is a combination of steam cleaning and high pressure washing. When you receive a cleaning quote, please confirm that the base rate includes such cleaning. Hand hygiene and spot cleaning are additional services included or added to the price quoted. Prices are quoted as a flat rate, per square foot rate, or hourly rate.
Cleaning services should include steam cleaning and pressure washing. Using heat, vacuum and high pressure, this standard method has proven to be very effective in restoring tile cleanliness and cleanliness.
Hand cleaning is time consuming. This method is only suitable for small areas that large steam or pressure cleaning equipment cannot reach. Hand sanitation adds $30 to $40 in additional labor costs
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