How to fix cracked grout around drain cover?

ssingh357

In my shower , i have a drain cover that includes small piece of tile with grout. Please see attach photo. Grout in this drain cover keeps on cracking. I have filled it up with dunlop ready to go grout fews times but it lasts only fews days to weeks. I am not sure what i am doing wrong. I followed the instruction on dunlop grout. Any suggestions before i fix it again with grout ??

Can i use silicon instead of grout ?

Thank you

MitchellMc

Hi @ssingh357,

I suspect the issue could be caused by a small amount of movement between the tile and the metal drain cover. The metal can expand and contract slightly with temperature changes, particularly when exposed to hot shower water, and a rigid grout doesn't tolerate movement particularly well. You could also be experiencing poor adhesion where the grout meets the metal, as grout is primarily intended for joints between porous tile surfaces rather than bonding to smooth metal.

Given that you've already replaced the grout several times and it continues to crack, I'd be inclined to remove it and use a suitable wet-area sanitary silicone instead like https://www.bunnings.com.au/selleys-300g-mid-grey-wet-area-silicone_p0400162 . Silicone is flexible and much more forgiving where movement between two different materials can occur.

Remove as much of the existing grout as possible without damaging the tile or drain cover, thoroughly clean and dry the joint, and then apply the silicone around the perimeter. I'd avoid filling over loose or cracked grout, as the silicone needs a clean and sound surface to adhere properly.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell