Shower Regrout and Recaulk — Old Grout Ground Out, Silicone Corners
Grout that is cracking, crumbling or black in the corners, caulk that has pulled away from the tub — fixed properly, or told straight when the shower needs more than new grout.
JMB Builders does shower regrout and recaulk in the Twin Cities metro. We grind the failed grout out of the joints, clean them, regrout the walls and floor, then pull the old caulk from every corner, the tub or pan seam and the ceiling line and reseal those joints with silicone. If the tile is loose or the wall behind it is soft, we tell you it is a rebuild, not a regrout. Priced per project, quoted from photos.
- Priced per project, quoted from photos
- Old grout ground out, not smeared over
- Silicone at every corner and the tub seam
- Straight answer: regrout or rebuild
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
A shower that is ten or fifteen years old usually has the same three problems: grout that has cracked and started to fall out of the joints, caulk in the corners that has gone black and let go of the tile, and a seam at the tub or the pan that water has been getting behind. None of those mean the shower is done. They mean the joints are done, and joints can be replaced.
The job is grinding, not smearing. New grout troweled over old grout peels off in a year. We cut the old grout out of every joint with an oscillating tool and a carbide blade, deep enough that the new grout has something to hold, vacuum the joints, and regrout the field. Then every joint that moves gets silicone instead of grout: the inside corners, the seam where the tile meets the tub or the pan, the joint at the ceiling, and around the valve trim. That is the part most showers never had, and it is why the corners failed first.
The honest part is knowing when to stop. Grout is a cosmetic layer; the waterproofing behind the tile is what keeps the wall dry. If tiles are loose or hollow, if the wall flexes when you push on it, if there is a stain bleeding through the grout from behind, or if the drywall outside the shower is soft near the tub, the water is already in the wall and new grout will hide it for a season. We say so from the photos, and the shower tile page covers the rebuild.
What you supply
- Photos: the whole shower from the doorway, a close-up of the worst grout, and the corners and the tub seam
- A grout color, or send a photo and we match the existing shade or pick a darker one that hides better
- The shower cleared and dry for a day before we start, and not used until the silicone has cured
- A note if anything feels loose, sounds hollow or there is a soft spot on the wall outside the shower
What JMB supplies
- Old grout ground out with a carbide blade, joints vacuumed and washed
- Sanded or unsanded grout to suit the joint width, mixed and packed, cleaned and haze-removed
- Old caulk cut out and the joint stripped clean; new color-matched silicone at every change of plane
- Silicone at the tub or pan seam, the ceiling line, the valve trim and the door or curb
- Penetrating grout sealer on a short second visit once the grout has cured
- A plain report on anything we found behind the grout that points to a bigger problem
- Photos of the finished shower in your job folder
How it is priced: per project
Quoted in writing from your photos within one business day. What moves the number:
- Walls only, or walls plus a tiled floor, where the old grout has to come out deeper and the slope matters
- Tile size: small tile and mosaic mean far more joint length to grind than large tile
- Whether the corners were grouted originally, which means grinding them out before the silicone goes in
- Grout that comes out clean vs. epoxy or hardened grout that fights the blade
- A niche, a bench or a curb, each of which adds corners to reseal
- Whether a few cracked or loose tiles need to be replaced while the joints are open
- A tub surround, which is usually smaller, vs. a full walk-in shower
Send the doorway shot and a close-up of the worst corner. If we can see loose tile or staining in the photos we will tell you before you book whether a regrout is worth doing.
How long it takes
A tub surround or a standard three-wall shower: one day to grind and regrout, a short visit a few days later to seal. Plan on staying out of the shower for about three days after the silicone goes in.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized quote within one business day. We only come out to measure first when the job needs a tape measure — no pressure, no games.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
Regrout walls, recaulk corners
The standard job. Every joint on the walls ground out and regrouted, and every inside corner, the tub seam and the ceiling line stripped and resealed with silicone. Most showers that are cosmetically failing need exactly this.
Recaulk only
The grout is sound but the corners and the tub seam are black or peeling. The old caulk is cut out, the joint is cleaned of mold and residue, and new silicone goes in. A short visit, and worth doing before water gets behind the tub flange.
Regrout the shower floor
Grout on a tiled shower floor takes the most water and fails first. It is ground out deeper than wall grout, the drain joint is cleaned, and the floor is regrouted and sealed. The joint where the floor meets the walls gets silicone.
Regrout plus a few tiles
One or two cracked or hollow tiles are replaced while the joints are open, using your spares or the closest match. More than a handful of loose tiles on one wall usually means the board behind them is failing, and that is a rebuild.
Shower Regrout and Recaulk — Old Grout Ground Out, Silicone Corners: questions, answered
Can a shower be regrouted instead of retiled?
Yes, if the tile is tight to the wall and the wall behind it is dry. Grout is a surface layer; grinding it out and replacing it gives you new joints without touching the tile. The signs it is too late are loose or hollow tiles, a wall that flexes, stains bleeding through the grout from behind, or soft drywall outside the shower near the tub. Those mean water is in the wall and the fix is a rebuild on new waterproofing.
Why does my shower grout keep cracking and falling out?
Usually because the corners were grouted instead of caulked. Inside corners and the seam at the tub move a little as the house does, grout does not flex, so it cracks there first and then water works along the joint. Grout that was mixed wet, packed shallow or never sealed fails sooner. The fix is silicone at every change of plane and grout only on the flat field.
Do you grind out the old grout or go over it?
We grind it out. Grout troweled over old grout is a skim that has nothing to bond to, and it flakes off in months. An oscillating tool with a carbide grout blade cuts the old joint out deep enough for the new grout to key in, the dust is vacuumed and the joints are washed before anything goes in. It is the slow part of the job and the reason the result lasts.
What do you use in the corners of a shower?
Silicone, in a color that matches the grout. It goes in every inside corner, the seam where the tile meets the tub or the shower pan, the joint at the ceiling, and around the valve trim and the door. Those joints all move, and silicone stretches where grout cracks. A shower that was never caulked at the corners is the most common reason we get called for a regrout.
How do you get the black mold out of shower caulk?
You do not clean it; you replace it. Once mold is under the surface of the caulk it comes back no matter what you spray on it. We cut the old bead out, scrape the joint clean, kill what is left in the joint, let it dry, and run a new bead of mildew-resistant silicone. Keeping the bathroom fan running after showers is what keeps the new bead clean.
How long after regrouting can I use the shower?
The grout needs a couple of days to cure before it sees water, and the silicone needs to skin over and cure, so plan on about three days out of the shower after the last day of work. We come back for a short visit once the grout has cured to put a penetrating sealer on it, and the shower is fine to use between those visits after the first three days.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners and for the builders and dealers we sub for. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough. You hear back within one business day. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
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Read morePage reviewed September 26, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All tile pages
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