Gaffneys Waterproofing and Tiling Services Pty Ltd
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Regrouting & sealing

Regrouting & sealing. The finishing details, looked after.

Grout and silicone are the fine lines that hold a bathroom's finish together. Over time grout can discolour or crack, and silicone can go black or start to lift. Paul can take a look and talk you through whether it's wear and tear or something worth checking further. He has been working on bathrooms for 25 years, across Wollongong and the Illawarra.

Call Paul 0432 685 338 Send details and photos

NSW Licence 72413S Licensed & insured 25 years' experience

Genuine Gaffneys work
  1. Close-up of the line where a white bath hob meets grey floor tiles, beside a floor waste

    01 Where the hob meets the floor

  2. Close-up of white marble-look wall tiles meeting dark floor tiles in a straight line

    02 Wall-to-floor junction

  3. Close-up of a shower niche with dark hexagon mosaic tiles and a metal trim, set into white wall tiles

    03 Around a niche

Close-ups from finished Gaffneys bathrooms, shown at their original size.

The basics

Grout and silicone do different jobs.

They sit side by side in most showers, but they aren't interchangeable. Knowing which is which makes it easier to describe what you're seeing.

Line drawing of a tiled shower corner. Grout lines run between the tiles. Silicone runs along the corner and where the walls meet the floor.
Grout: between the tiles Silicone: where surfaces meet

Grout

Fills the joints between tiles.

Grout is firm once it sets. It's the lines you see running across the floor and walls, and it gives the tiled surface its finished look.

Signs of wear Discoloured or darkened lines, cracks, crumbling, or gaps where grout is missing.

Silicone

Seals the places where surfaces meet.

Silicone is a flexible sealant used at internal corners, where walls meet the floor or a hob, and around shower screens and some fixtures. Being flexible, it can cope with small movement between surfaces.

Signs of wear Black spots, peeling, splits, or silicone lifting away from a corner.

What you might be seeing

Wear and tear, or worth a closer look?

A rough guide only. Photos help, but some things can't be known until someone looks in person.

  1. 01

    Often cosmetic or maintenance

    • Grout that has discoloured or darkened
    • Mould spots sitting on the surface of the silicone
    • Dull or stained grout lines on the floor

    Usually about appearance and upkeep, though it's still worth keeping an eye on.

  2. 02

    Worth a closer look

    • Grout that's cracked, crumbling or missing in places
    • Silicone that's split, lifting or pulling away from a corner
    • Mould that has grown into the silicone and won't clean off

    Gaps like these can let water reach places it shouldn't, so they're better not left too long.

  3. 03

    May need further assessment

    • Water on the floor outside the shower
    • Stains, bubbling paint or swelling in the next room or the ceiling below
    • Tiles that move, sound hollow or have lifted
    • A musty smell that doesn't go away

    These can point to something under the tiles, so new grout or silicone alone may not be the answer.

    Read about leaking showers

A closer look

Finishing details in Paul's work.

The close-ups at the top of the page come from these finished Gaffneys bathrooms. They're here to show the kind of detail that matters, not as before-and-after examples.

A finished bathroom with grey floor tiles, a white tiled bath hob and two floor wastes Genuine Gaffneys work
Bath hob and floorThe line where the hob meets the floor tiles, beside straight, even floor grout.
A finished bathroom with white marble-look wall tiles and dark grey floor tiles Genuine Gaffneys work
Wall-to-floor junctionA clean, continuous line where the wall tiles meet the floor.
A finished shower wall with a hexagon mosaic niche, a round shower head and wall mixer Genuine Gaffneys work
Around a nicheWall grout lines that run neatly to a trimmed niche edge.

Asking for advice

Four things that help Paul understand your shower.

  1. Photos, close and wideA close-up of the joints, plus a wider shot so the whole area can be seen.
  2. Where it isThe floor, the corners, along the hob, around the screen or behind the taps.
  3. How long, and its historyWhen you first noticed it, whether it's changing, and whether it's been resealed before.
  4. Anything nearbyWater outside the shower, or marks in the next room or the room below.
Send details and photos Call 0432 685 338

“My shower was run down. My silicone and grout had gone black! I had Paul in to remove all the grout and silicone. It now looks as new, what a difference.”

P.M.Regrouting & sealing

Related

Related pages.

Regrouting & sealing FAQs

Questions about grout and silicone.

Not sure what you're looking at? Paul is happy to talk it through.

Call 0432 685 338
What's the difference between regrouting and resealing?

Regrouting means replacing worn grout between the tiles. Resealing means replacing the silicone at corners and junctions. Some bathrooms need one, some need both.

Will new grout or silicone fix a leaking shower?

Not necessarily. If worn grout or silicone is the only problem, renewing it can help. If water is getting past the waterproofing under the tiles, new grout or silicone won't fix that. See leaking showers.

Why has my silicone gone black?

Bathrooms stay damp, and mould can grow on silicone. Surface marks can sometimes be cleaned off, but once mould has grown into the silicone it may need replacing rather than cleaning.

Does all the grout need replacing, or just some?

It depends on the condition of the grout and what's causing the wear. Paul can explain the options once he's had a look.

Can I send photos first?

Yes. Close-ups of the joints and a wider shot of the shower are a good start. Add where the problem is, how long you've noticed it and whether it's been resealed before. Your suburb helps too.

Which areas do you cover?

Gaffneys is based in Wollongong and works across the Illawarra. Include your suburb when you get in touch and we'll let you know.

Tell us about your project

A quote request, not a booking. Paul will contact you to arrange next steps.

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