ᐅ Light-colored grout for floor tiles: a good idea or complete nonsense?
Created on: 24 Oct 2017 20:25
K
Kaspatoo
Hello,
we have chosen floor tiles. In stores, they were also nicely displayed on a board with grout lines, which looked appealing. The grout there was light/beige.
(I am not interested in wall tiles here.)
The tiler offers two standard grout colors and also provides several color palettes with additional grout options, which of course come with extra costs.
The owner of the small tiling company, as well as the tile salesperson, advised us against choosing light grout colors because they tend to darken significantly after 1-2 years due to dirt, foot traffic, and cleaning (mopping pushes dirt into the grout lines, as they are recessed, making it “rubbed in”). It is possible to clean it again, but it would require intensive scrubbing, which is very time-consuming.
However, the tiler’s employee who will actually install the tiles, and a tile salesperson from another building materials supplier, said that the darkening after 1-2 years is not as dramatic or intense as described. They also mentioned that with narrow grout lines of 3mm (0.12 inches), the issue of “rubbed in” dirt from mopping is not as severe.
Visually, we would of course prefer the light grout colors. This would increase our costs by about €400 (approximately 430 USD). But that would be money wasted if the color really fades after 1-2 years.
Therefore, I am hoping for some real-life experiences from you. Do you have light grout that has been in place for several years? How does it look?
Thank you.
we have chosen floor tiles. In stores, they were also nicely displayed on a board with grout lines, which looked appealing. The grout there was light/beige.
(I am not interested in wall tiles here.)
The tiler offers two standard grout colors and also provides several color palettes with additional grout options, which of course come with extra costs.
The owner of the small tiling company, as well as the tile salesperson, advised us against choosing light grout colors because they tend to darken significantly after 1-2 years due to dirt, foot traffic, and cleaning (mopping pushes dirt into the grout lines, as they are recessed, making it “rubbed in”). It is possible to clean it again, but it would require intensive scrubbing, which is very time-consuming.
However, the tiler’s employee who will actually install the tiles, and a tile salesperson from another building materials supplier, said that the darkening after 1-2 years is not as dramatic or intense as described. They also mentioned that with narrow grout lines of 3mm (0.12 inches), the issue of “rubbed in” dirt from mopping is not as severe.
Visually, we would of course prefer the light grout colors. This would increase our costs by about €400 (approximately 430 USD). But that would be money wasted if the color really fades after 1-2 years.
Therefore, I am hoping for some real-life experiences from you. Do you have light grout that has been in place for several years? How does it look?
Thank you.
Oh dear, I have a bad feeling about this. For the laundry room (40 m² (430 ft²), including the heating and tank room, shower + toilet) and the kitchen (25 m² (270 ft²) plus 6 m² (65 ft²) pantry), we chose grey tiles, and I specifically requested light grout. The shade silver grey caught my eye—probably it was a devilish grin. They haven’t been installed yet, but I can prepare myself for what’s to come. I just don’t find dark grout visually appealing. However, after reading this, I’ll have to get used to having exactly that in a few years. At least in the center.
Hello, we had light travertine tiles installed. With travertine, the grout compound is applied not only between the joints but also into the natural holes in the stone. We fully trusted the grout color recommendations from the supplier (Jonastone) and hope that it will stay light over the years (light beige from Sopro). Here is an excerpt from their recommendation:
Are light grout colors sensitive to dirt?
If you are worried about the stain sensitivity of lighter grout colors, rest assured. Quality manufacturers like Ceresit or Sopro increasingly include a so-called “pearl effect” in their grout compounds. This means that the grout is water-repellent and therefore more resistant to dirt. In addition, there are effective grout cleaners that quickly remove unwanted stains from grout, e.g., the cleaner “Fugenfrisch.” If discoloration is persistent and cleaning doesn’t work, you can refresh the color with a grout colorant. Therefore, when choosing the grout color for your natural stone, trust your aesthetic judgment completely. Source: Jonastone
Best regards, Steffi
Are light grout colors sensitive to dirt?
If you are worried about the stain sensitivity of lighter grout colors, rest assured. Quality manufacturers like Ceresit or Sopro increasingly include a so-called “pearl effect” in their grout compounds. This means that the grout is water-repellent and therefore more resistant to dirt. In addition, there are effective grout cleaners that quickly remove unwanted stains from grout, e.g., the cleaner “Fugenfrisch.” If discoloration is persistent and cleaning doesn’t work, you can refresh the color with a grout colorant. Therefore, when choosing the grout color for your natural stone, trust your aesthetic judgment completely. Source: Jonastone
Best regards, Steffi
F
fach1werk4 Nov 2017 20:43The joint mortar fully satisfies our aesthetic expectations.
The grout in the movement joints does not. I have scrubbed them twice in 11 months with a small brush while kneeling. Maybe they are just half a millimeter (about 0.02 inches) deeper. Regular floor mopping does not clean these joints properly.
Best regards, Gabriele
The grout in the movement joints does not. I have scrubbed them twice in 11 months with a small brush while kneeling. Maybe they are just half a millimeter (about 0.02 inches) deeper. Regular floor mopping does not clean these joints properly.
Best regards, Gabriele