Best tool removing grout

The ergonomic razor blade holder gives you a more substantial edge to grasp. Use HELEMAN razor scraper tool for all your peeling, scraping, and cleaning needs in your home as well as steel blades scraper, but are safer for your fingers and finish. Widely used in removing debris, glue, stickers, caulk, labels, decals from counter tops, stoves, appliances, metal, glass, etc.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any problems with HELEMAN plastic scraper tool, we also provide toll free professional customer service. The smaller size will higher efficient than other large tools.

You can adjust your direction according to where you need, so that you can complete cleaning in the fastest time. It greatly increase the durability and service life. Ergonomic Handle: This is a handy little tool for cleaning out the old grout. The anti-slip handle is 8 inches long, comfortable to use. After-sale Service: If you have any questions about our products, please contact us, we will get back to you within 24 hours. This article was created with a hope that you will able to find the best tool to remove grout, suiting your requirements and we wish that we were able to succeed in our mission to do so.

Press ESC to close. Clean-eez Buy Now. Buy Now Amazon. Buy Now. Clean-eez More Info and Images. Features This kit contains medium stiffness nylon power brushes that will attach to your favorite cordless drill 3 different sizes and shapes of brushes for cleaning around your bathroom surfaces These nylon bristles will not scratch and can be used on tubs, sinks, baseboards, fiberglass shower enclosures, shower door tracks, and porcelain all three brushes have quarter inch QUICK CHANGE shafts,Cordless drill NOT included Drill NOT included All Drillbrush Products have a 90 day no questions asked Money back Guarantee.

Both are made from carbon steel with a carbide grit edge for maximum ability to chew through even tough epoxy or urethane grout.

If you are not just replacing grout, but are also laying a new tile surface, heed the advice of Thomas Hawkins, handyman, master electrician, and owner of Electrician Apprentice HQ , who recommends, "For DIY tiling, get a whisk attachment for your corded or cordless drill so you can properly mix your grout and mortar, be sure to seal your tile when your project is complete, and use a mortar that is self-leveling so you're starting off with a completely flat surface before you set the first piece of tile.

There are a wide variety of tools used to remove grout. The right one for you depends on the size of your job, the amount of time and energy you want to spend, and whether or not you already have suitable power tools on hand. The type of grout is also important; any of the following tools can handle regular unsanded grout, but sanded or epoxy-based grouts are much harder and require equally strong removal tools. A reciprocating saw with a grout-removal attachment is one of the best ways to attack very tough grout, including sanded or epoxy-based grout.

If you just have a small counter or wall to de-grout, a rotary tool with the appropriate attachment will get the job done, albeit much more slowly than a oscillating tool or reciprocating saw.

It will also create quite a bit more dust than either of those options. Still, for small jobs, this is an effective way to remove grout without using your own muscle power. These one-trick electric tools are basically small grinders designed to wear away grout without a lot of effort. Note that electric grout removers work best on unsanded or sanded grout, but struggle a bit with epoxy-based grout. There are a variety of manual tools designed to chip, scrape, or saw through grout.

The two most common designs are a jagged-edged blade attached to a handle, or a screwdriver-shaped device with a triangular or pointed tip. Whatever you choose, be prepared for a workout, as manual grout removal is a tedious, dusty, and slow job. Still, these tools are typically quite inexpensive, and if you only need to remove a small area of unsanded grout, this may well be all you need to get the job done.

This article is edited and updated by Michelle Ullman , the tool expert for The Spruce. She has extensive experience not only in writing about all things related to the home, but also in carrying out various DIY projects, including landscaping, painting, flooring, wallpapering, furniture makeovers, and simple repairs. For this roundup, she considered dozens of grout removal tools, evaluating each for basic features, extras, and customer feedback. Actively scan device characteristics for identification.

Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Pair it with a carbide grout grabber blade and take advantage of the variable speed trigger for enhanced control—important to avoid damaging tiles. The keyless, lever-action blade clamp makes for fast blade changes, and there are four blade positions for increased versatility.

The saw weighs in at just over 8 pounds, which is pretty hefty and could increase fatigue, but the power it provides can help get the job done faster. The Dremel features a variable speed dial that ranges from 5, to 35, RPM, enough power for unsanded or sanded grout removal. The lightweight and ergonomic design allows for enhanced control and longer use without fatigue. The versatile tool—sure to come in handy for glass cutting or finish sanding as well as grout removal—includes 30 different accessories, two attachments, and a carrying case.

Its tungsten steel tips can handle both unsanded and sanded grout. There are three tip shapes designed for fine, moderate, and deep penetration between tiles, while eight sharpened scraping edges increase efficiency.

The ergonomic grip and inch length make it easier to clean hard-to-reach places while minimizing fatigue. The QEP grout removal tool has a modest, 9-inch length and the head of the tool has a triangle-shaped blade with three points for fine to moderate penetration into the grout, as well as six sharpened scraping edges to help improve overall efficiency.

This grout removal tool is ideal for small grout removal jobs and is specifically suited for removing grout in tight areas and small spaces. This can include behind the toilet, under the sink, or even in the corners of the room.

Thankfully, the blades on the grout removal tool are carbide-tipped, allowing it to pierce through the grout without much issue. Minus the Banjo. If you only need to touch up a few lines or patches of cracking grout, a hand grout removal tool will suffice. Anything bigger than that will require a powered grout removal tool like an oscillating multi-tool with a grout removing blade.

I will give examples of each tool further on in the guide, continue reading below to learn which one is best for you. Arguably, it is the biggest factor in which grout removal tool you should purchase. As you know there are a bunch of different grout types and each one comes with different strengths and densities after they harden.

If you have an old tile job and especially if it is on the floor or outdoors chances are you will have a sanded grout. If your tiles have been grouted with sanded grout you will have an extremely difficult time removing it with hand grout removal tools If you are unsure whether you have sanded grout then there are a few things you can do to check:.

Sanded grout is very grainy and does not have a smooth finish. If you see any large grains or does not feel smooth beneath your finger it will be sanded. An unsanded or latex modified grout should be easy to penetrate the surface and could even come out in clumps.

If the surface is barely scratched see photo then chances are you have a sanded grout or even Epoxy. It is the Superman of grouts and removing it with a hand grout removal tool will drive you to the brink of insanity and you will curse worse than a drunken sailor. So if you see the grout is either very coarse or is difficult to scratch with a sharp blade you should definitely go with a powered grout removal tool.

Of course, you might be in the situation where you only need to touch up a few grout lines and you have a dense grout like sanded or epoxy grout. In that case, I recommend you continue reading and see what kind of grout removal devices I list and purchase the one best suited for your budget.

However, you and I are not made of money so we need to make concessions to make ends meet. If you would like a budget-friendly grout removal tool then keep reading as I will start listing the variety of tools soon. It can serve as an even cheaper alternative to the Genesis Grout Removal Tool I previously mentioned, or as a handy accompaniment to it. Okay, now that you know how much grout you will be removing and what type it is let me show you the best grout removal products for every budget.

You can mix and match them as you wish and use anyone for whatever the job you will be undertaking. I am simply listing the very best for the amount of work required. You can easily use the cheapest tool for the largest job or the most expensive tool for the smallest.

It all depends on how much work and time you are willing to put in. A quick tip if you will be replacing grout. Be sure to give your tiles a good clean beforehand to ensure no dirt contaminates the new grout.

Why Do I have to remove old Grout? Before we talk about the best tools for removing grout I want to address this question. I get asked this alot from clients and I have even been sent emails from my readers after I first published this grout removal tool guide. They all ask the same thing:.

Now I do understand this question and why you would consider asking it. It does seem like a lot of work just so you can remove a tile or replace some old grout. No, I would rather explain why you need to remove grout so you learn more about tiles and so that you understand the task you are undertaking. The reason you need to remove grout is because of what the grout does to the overall tiled finish.

The grout helps bond and tie all the tiles and substrate together to form one strong and united surface. Now imagine this united surface in the context of removing a chipped tile. Removing one tile from a surface that is all locked together is like removing a card from a house of cards. And what happens when you remove the bottom card? The whole house collapses. Now I am not saying that if you remove a tile without removing the grout first that your whole entire tiled surface will crack and fail.

It could be a house of cards scenario if you only have one tile spare and you end up damaging 2 or more tiles, then it is a house of cards situation as you essentially need to replace all the tiles. The reason it is very unwise to go about tile removal without removing all the grout from around the failed tile is that any attempts at removing it can translate to the other tiles.

For instance, the first thing in removing a tile is to hammer at it, break it into pieces until you have a large enough section removed to allow you to stick a chisel in underneath the tile. If you go about hammering the tile and the grout is still in place, those shock waves will travel to the bordering tiles and they will crack. Trust me, I have done it in the past and have seen it happen to others.

To ensure you do not damage any tiles around the one you are replacing, you first want to remove the agent that is bonding all of them together. Que your grout removal tool. Once that bonding agent grout has been fully removed from around the failed tile, you can safely attack it with force.

You can even use a drill and make a hole that way, then pry up the remaining tile with a chisel. Removing tiles is a precision job and it all begins with the best grout removal tool. For the purpose of regrouting, you too also need to remove the old grout first. Grout is a solid cementitious substance and it needs a minimum thickness to cure properly.

If you simply slapped some new grout over the existing grout lines you will find that the new grout will flake away within months. Before that happened you would have also noticed the old discolored grout showing through the new. Lastly, you would have also had a very tough time properly washing the tiles during the initial regrouting. Since there was very little room for the new grout to go in the grout lines, there would be very little of it actually stuck in the grout line.

This will result in a lot of frustration and wasted grout. So even when regrouting, you need to remove the old grout. Remember you do not need to remove all of it for simple grout replacement. The general rule of thumb is to remove half the thickness of the tile in grout. That will give the new grout plenty of room to enter and there will be enough of it to form a new layer on top of the existing one.

Especially if you are using the electric grout removal tools like the DeWalt oscillating multi-tool. This hand tool for removing grout is your best option for small jobs where you only need to remove a few lines or are replacing a tile.

Disadvantages of this grout removal tool:. This is the quintessential hand grout removal tool. When people think grout removing tool, the image of this little guy pops into their head. Its popularity stems from the fact that for many years, a grout saw was the ONLY specialist tool designed for grout removal. I have been using these tools for as long as I can remember and the basic design has not changed in over twenty years. It is simply a nice comfy handle with a carbide tipped metal blade that smashes its way through the old grout.

It is great for soft grouts like the kind you would often find on walls or the more modern unsanded grouts we use nowadays. If you are going to be removing sanded grout then take my advice and do not buy this , I will link a much better hand tool below that you could use for that. This tool for removing grout can rip through sanded grout however it will take a very long time and require a lot of effort. You will be grinding away with this thing for over ten minutes per a half foot to get any semblance of a clean grout line.

If the grout line is thick then the time is doubled or even tripled. How To Remove Grout With The Grout Saw When you first begin scratching the grout, I found using only the top tip to etch deeply into the grout works well to soften the top layer of grout. Run it up and down the grout line for about the length of your arm. Be sure to angle the tool to the left and right so you also soften the grout edges nearest the tile. Once you have removed the top layer and start getting purchase, you can use the whole entire blade and keep scoring until the desired amount of grout is removed.

The basic idea is just like a wood saw, you are sawing through the grout with repeated strokes. If you are replacing a tile then I would recommend you remove as much grout as possible. If you are replacing the grout then removing about half the tiles depth of grout should be sufficient for the new grout to cure properly. If you have a quick grout project and do not want to spend a lot of money then this grout removal tool is for you.

If you want the real insider knowledge on grout removal then this tool is a hidden gem. I started using this carbide cutter as a tool for removing grout a few years ago and it has honestly changed my working life. It is a true wonder how well it works and how quickly. Advantages of this grout removal tool:. I bet there are already a few old salts grumbling and cursing at me for even suggesting using a carbide cutter as a grout removal tool. Whatever their thoughts on the subject may be I can truthfully say my idea of using a carbide cutter to remove grout was a rare flash of brilliance.

Just like every other grout removal tool it has a carbide tip to strengthen and aid tile grout removal. The major difference is that the carbide tip is pointed and sharper than a regular saw.

When you take this to grout it is incredible. Unsanded grouts crumble and flake away after one or two good runs with this tool and it even eats into sanded grouts. As great as this grout remover is, it does have some drawbacks that prevent it from getting the coveted best grout remover award. This grout removal tool is great until you start scrapping sanded grout. Do not even try using it on epoxy grout as you and this grout remover will be there all day. I find if I score the grout with slow deep cuts with some strength put into it I can get most of the grout removed in one or two pulls.

Check out the animated image at the top again to see this beast tile remover in action. It is seriously the best manual grout remover tool and one I simply love to use. Just remember that this grout remover needs a lot of caution mind you. If your hand slips and your run into the tile glaze you could chip the surface of the tile. This is especially the case with tiles that have a sharp flat edge found on most porcelain these days.

If you are careful, then this tool will be a God-send to you and seriously speed up any DIY grout removal projects. It is especially great for floor grout removing and fixing up shower grout as you can use more muscle power while crouching. I recommend using it for any small jobs all the way up to replacing a full bathroom floor or kitchen.

I did cover most of its key points in the concise quick link guide above, however, I would like to add a few extra things. If you will be working with grout extensively or your removal job is a large one then I would honestly recommend you go straight for this tool.

For speed and ease of use, it is unbeaten by any other mechanical means. The only power tool that is faster is an angle grinder fitted with a diamond blade. I would not recommend that method to anyone except a seasoned user of a grinder. You have to have supreme control over the tool as one minor slip will result in you cutting the tile or chipping it at the minimum.

This is particularly scary if you have underfloor heating or waterproofing underneath your layer of thin-set mortar. I do not even need to mention what a mess the grinder makes as well. Your spouse will kill you before you even get one grout line removed, trust me.

To the naked eye, an oscillating multi-tool works by vibrating or moving backwards and forwards to a very small degree.