What the two grouts are
The traditional kind, cement grout, is a mix of cement, fine sand and additives, mixed with water and packed into the joints. It is cheap, easy to work and forgiving to lay. Its weakness is that it is porous. Left unsealed, it drinks in water, soap, cooking oil and dirt, which is why white grout turns grey.
The other kind, epoxy grout, is a two-part resin and hardener with a filler. It cures hard and close to non-porous, so stains sit on the surface instead of sinking in. It also resists most household chemicals and doesn’t need sealing.
How they compare
- For stains, epoxy resists them; cement absorbs them unless it is sealed and kept sealed.
- In wet areas, epoxy suits showers, wet rooms and pool surrounds; cement copes if it is sealed and the room is ventilated.
- On the day it is laid, epoxy cures fast and is hard to clean off the tile face, so it takes a practised hand; cement gives you time.
- On price, epoxy costs more to buy and more to lay.
- For looks, epoxy holds its colour; cement can be colour sealed later to even out patchy joints.
When epoxy is worth it
The extra cost of epoxy pays off in places that are wet or greasy all the time: shower recesses, commercial kitchens, splashbacks behind a cooktop, laundries and the tiles around a pool. In a new build or a full retile, it is worth asking your tiler about.
When cleaning beats regrouting
To regrout, the old joints are raked out and filled again, which is slow and messy. Before you go down that road, check what is actually wrong. If the grout is solid but dark, it is usually dirt, soap scum or mould sitting in the surface. A professional clean lifts that out and can bring the original colour back.
A regrout is the right call when the grout is cracked, crumbling, missing in places, or when water is getting behind the tiles.
Getting cement grout clean again
Our tile and grout cleaning starts from $13.20 per sqm. The technician pre-treats the floor, agitates the grout lines and extracts the dirty water, so the grime comes out of the joints instead of being spread around. A seal afterwards slows the dirt coming back.
Every job is done by fully insured, police-checked technicians and carries our satisfaction guarantee.
Grout questions
Is epoxy grout better than cement grout?
For wet or greasy areas, usually yes, because it doesn’t absorb stains or water. For a dry living area, sealed cement grout does the job at a lower cost.
Can epoxy grout go over old cement grout?
No. The old grout has to be raked out first so the epoxy can fill the full depth of the joint.
Can dark cement grout be cleaned back to its colour?
Often, yes. If the grout is still solid, a deep clean usually lifts the dirt out, and a sealer helps it stay that way.
Tile and floor maintenance from-prices| Service | From price |
|---|
| Cleaning & maintenance |
|---|
| Tile and grout cleaning | $13.20 per sqm |
| Timber / vinyl floor maintenance | $22 per sqm |
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