Any ideas?

[enduro]

Looked at a repair job yesterday, loose tiles around a bath, but the tiles on the walls in areas the grout has gone really brown, like staining from wet ply. But she told me the walls were plastered...Any ideas guys?

[d noulton]

is there any ventilation in the room ie extractor or window

[enduro]

Plenty of ventilation, as it isn't mold.

[JEC-CTD]

Not sure about the brown, other than mold or contamination of some kind.

Is it a large area as what she can see is probably the tip of the iceberg so to speak.

I know they never want to spend the money for a proper job (retiling) but repairs like this always worry me.

[grumpygrouter]

Mould isn't always black! Can be pink or yellow too, depending on the spores that cause it.

[frogeye]

When I removed part of my own bathroom wall for a refit - I found that where the water had got past the tiles etc - the plasterboard that was most affected had a nice brownish colour to it - came off on your skin like pollen from a plant.
hope this sheds some light - but I still don't know what it was though.

frogeye

[JEC-CTD]

I would strongly advise a look behind a few of the loose tiles prior to pricing etc, could be a few surprises. Sounds like water has been getting through for a while and doing what it does best.

Off to watch Indiana Jones now, good luck

[brundlefly]

the grout has gone really brown

serious question: does she dye her hair

ive come acros some major staining in grout and found out the customers son was dying his black and getting it everywhere on the new tiles and in the joints
causing some grout staining