How to choose the color of grout for tiles?

In the process of renovation, we inevitably face a lot of problems, both serious and insignificant. On how seriously we take each problem will depend on the beauty and comfort of our home. The choice of color for grouting joints - a matter of no primary importance, but it is better to think about it in advance.

Usually buyers, without thinking twice, choose a grout as close in color to the tile as possible. However, this is not the only possible option. Recently, contrasting color combinations have been gaining popularity. For example, a light tile is matched with a dark grout and vice versa. It is important to take the choice of color thoughtfully, otherwise a random color combination will only cause confusion.

If spectacular color combinations based on contrasts do not appeal to you, you can go the more traditional way. Choose a grout to match the tone of the tile, but focus not on the main color, but on the color of the pattern.

Now produce collections of glazed tiles, to which the matching color variants of grout are already offered. The color combinations invented by the designers look really unusual and interesting. For example, they recommend choosing pearl white grout for black tiles, cocoa or milk chocolate grout for beige tiles, graphite grout for olive tiles, and mahogany grout for gray tiles.

In the past, preference was given to neutral, calm grout colors, but today designers have turned to bright, saturated tones. More and more often for finishing bathrooms choose grout in red, orange, green, turquoise, blue, purple and black colors.

If you have chosen to finish the walls or floor in the bathroom with white ceramic tiles, then it will be difficult to go wrong with the choice of color grout. After all, absolutely all colors are combined with white. Some combination will be more successful, some less, but there will not be a complete failure. Working on a color match, remember that it must be in harmony with the colors that are used in the interior of the bathroom. So try to choose a grout that echoes the color of the furniture, doors, ceiling, etc.

With colored ceramic tiles, it will be harder to choose a color partner. We advise you to use a special palette-weaver, which no designer can do without. Experiment with different color combinations, and maybe you can find a really beautiful and original solution.

Many people think that colorless is called a white grout mixture. This is not entirely true. White grout, indeed, is considered universal and is suitable for tile of any color. True, with dark shades it forms a contrasting combination, which probably will not appeal to connoisseurs of traditional solutions.

Relatively recently on the market of building materials appeared grout for intertile joints, which in fact has no color. The new material is based on epoxy and contains glass. Due to its light-absorbing properties, the effect of "invisibility" of the grout is ensured. Such grout mixture is also called "chameleon", as it adjusts to the color of the ceramic tile.

Colorless grout is most often used to work with glass mosaics and to create decorative tile panels.

Purchase of grout is better to make at the same time as the purchase of tile. So you will be able to go over all the possible options on the spot and stop at the most successful combination. The choice of grout color depends, among other things, on the variety of selected ceramic tiles.

• Multicolored tiles. Consider all the colors available in the tile pattern. Determine which one is the darkest and which one is the lightest. Next, the size of the bathroom decides everything. If the room is small, choose the lightest shade, and if the bathroom is spacious enough, you can choose the darkest color.
• Monochrome tiles. If all the walls in the room will be decorated in the same color, the shade of grout should be chosen based on the importance you attach to the furnishings of the bathroom. If you want to draw attention to the furniture and plumbing, then buy grout in the tone of the tiles. And if the center of the interior is a wall or floor covering, it is better to choose a contrasting color for the grout.
• Mosaic. Traditionally, for mosaic, choose either a shade that contrasts with its basic tone, or a neutral color, such as beige or gray. You can also use colorless grout for mosaic design: it contains transparent components that absorb color and mask inter-tile joints.

The following recommendations will help you choose the color of grout for ceramic tiles:

• Go to the largest construction store for grout. This is just the case when variety of choice benefits the result. The more tile+grout combinations you go through, the more likely you are to find the perfect color pair.
• In some stores there are test samples of grout, which can be applied to the tile and directly on the spot to assess the result. Such an opportunity should be taken advantage of. Be sure to wait for the composition to dry, as wet and dry grout differ significantly in color.
• For ceramic tile panels, it's better to choose a grout in the tone of the background or a dominant shade - so the pieces of the picture will come together as a whole. But for small mosaics, contrasting colors of grout are welcome.
• If the entire room, including furniture, bathroom fixtures and accessories, is decorated in the same color scheme, try to "freshen up" the interior by using grout in a contrasting color.

Unfortunately, even in the largest construction stores, the choice of colored grout for tile covers far from the entire existing palette of colors. If you have chosen a color for grout that is not produced by any manufacturer of grout mixtures, do not rush to change your decision. Grout tints can help you.

Here you have several options: buy a special tinting paste, buy a regular water-soluble tint or use as a tint gouache or watercolor. Using any of these components, you can tint white grout, or make the hue of colored grout more intense.

If you decide to tint your grout with tint, keep two important things in mind:

• Try to do the entire job in one day. Otherwise, the grout will dry, and you probably won't be able to repeat the color the next day.
• After a while, the grout tends to lighten, so you should use a color one or two shades darker than what you intended.