The Best Tools to Use for Grouting Brick Steps

Masking Tape

• Masking tape is every brick mason's secret weapon. Similar to how painters use it to protect window sills or other finished areas from overspray or different colors of paint, you can mask off the edges of bricks for specialty projects where you do not want the color of the mortar staining the face of the brick. While time consuming, using masking tape allows you to control the finished edges of the grout joints, keeping your bricks looking exactly the way they were before they were installed.

Grout Bag

• At first glance many people mistake grout bags for oversized baker bags, and while the similarities are there, grout bags are not for decorative purposes. However, they work on the same principle. You fill the bag with grout, attach an appropriate-sized nozzle on the end depending on the size of your grout joint, and insert the nozzle into the joint. As you squeeze the bag the grout is forced through the tip into the joint, allowing you to control how full your grout joints are.

Grout Gun

• Grout guns are sold either as stand-alone guns or with a variety of nozzles and attachments to help you finish your brick project. In essence, grout guns are glorified caulking guns that have been modified and manufactured specifically for grouting bricks. While you can use the gun like a grout bag to simply fill the joints, you can also use an attachment to create custom-finished grout joints and fill inside corners or other areas that are difficult with other tools.

Jointer Tool

• A jointer tool is one of the oldest tools in a mason's arsenal. They are sold in a variety of shapes and sizes, but the basic principle of the tool is that it is a hand-held tool that has a rounded tip that can be pressed against a grout joint to "scoop out" any excess grout while you pull the tool along the grout joint, leaving you with a recessed, smooth and finished joint.