Do Not Regrout Your Shower

   As with many of my posts, I try to save some random search engine user some time, and possibly heartache. If you came across this post, then you were likely trying to convince yourself or significant other to regrout your shower, etc.
   I am extremely DIY oriented and love to give friends and neighbors the confidence that yes, we can pull it off. With time and a little wisdom I have learned that this confidence can lead you astray. It has taught me a certain reluctance to any new project. Of course, this is after opening up a whole house full of hidden problems.
   In this case, I would like to make the argument to not regrout your shower or daily use bathtub. The reason is the end result. (I just got done cleaning my shower, so I may be a little biased.) Even if you are the most die hard caretaker of grout, it will inevitably fail again.
Do Not Regrout Your Shower
PITA
   Let us say that you are not convinced, well let me tell you that removing old grout, especially if you have hard water, is a pain in the ass. It ranks up there with installing attic insulation and plumbing waste lines. We are talking awkward, time consuming, hard work. And what for?
   A shower that is thankless bitch to keep looking new. If I could do it all over again and eventually I will be, I would send that 1970's tile straight back to hell. I will tear it down to studs and install a fiberglass surround. Indefinite low-maintenance.
   I have personally been fortunate enough to live in several nice new houses with fiberglass surrounds and I never thought they looked bad or cheap. I acknowledge that fresh tile looks great and has a quality superlative to plastic, but it is a short run. So, keep the tilework in rarely used guest bathes to impress your once a year visitors.

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