When you are planning to install tile in your remodeling project, the grout you choose for your tiles is a very important consideration. Grout not only keeps your tiles in place and together, it also is an important part of your chosen design. If you choose the right grout for your renovation project, you will likelier be pleased with the end result.
When you choose grout, you’ll find that it now comes in a broad variety of hues. You can choose to blend it to match with your tiles or contrast with them. You can also use accent colors for mosaic-type design patterns. The grout you choose can complement your chosen tiles or make them stand out. It can also provide a slight change in the look, making it classic or modern.
Grout That Blends
When you choose a grout that blends in with the tile’s base color, this will help your tile’s detail stand out, making your tile the focal point. For instance, a grout that matches the base color of marble will help the delicate veins to shine. Blending grout in this manner also helps the patterns, color and other details stand out.
This is a great choice if the area in which you are installing tile is small. It helps to make the area look and feel larger. The pattern of installation will fade, and the tile’s beauty will instead be what stands out.
When you are using natural stone tiles, such as marble or granite, your default grout selection may be matching your tile’s base color. This gives a classic appearance that will help people focus on the natural variations in color.
When you instead choose a grout that matches the veins of marble tiles, you’ll get an entirely different look. This will make the installation pattern stand out and give you a retro feel in your kitchen, bathroom or alternate installation area.
Grout That Contrasts
When you go with contrasting grout, the installation pattern itself will be the focal point. For example, pairing a light-colored grout with dark granite tiles can help pull the room together by picking out the color variations of backsplashes and kitchen countertops.
More modern designs might use gray grout together with white subway tiles. This is a current trend. It changes the look of the room completely. Whether your grout is lighter than your tile or darker, contrasting grout makes the pattern stand out. You’ll want to think about different offset installation patterns to make the room have a greater degree of visual interest. In addition to using this idea indoors, it can also work for outdoor designs as well.
You’ll also want to be careful that you select the right grout for your tile installation project. While sanded grouts are cheaper, they can scratch tiles such as marble but are safe for porcelain. Non-sanded grouts are more expensive. You should work with the person installing your tiles to select the most appropriate grout type for your project and your tile.
Tips For Choosing Your Grout
1. Take a piece of plywood and install some tile on its surface, using different grout colors. Give it time to cure, and then take the plywood and put it in the room. This will let you see how your light affects the grout colors. It can differ with natural, LED, fluorescent and incandescent lighting. Understand that grout may take days or weeks to cure. You need to make certain you have given it adequate time to do so before making your choice.
2. If you use light-colored or white grout, make certain you seal it. This will help protect the color of your grout and prevent mold and mildew build-up on it.
3. Dark grout help to hide dirt and stains, but sunlight may make their color fade.
4. It is a good idea to keep some unmixed grout from your project in case you need to repair it in the future.
When you are preparing to design your project, you can trust the professionals at Flemington Granite to help you select your natural stone or engineered stone tiles and grout. We also help you with your design and planning needs. Give us a call today to schedule your appointment.