Epoxy grout color (help) with LARGE marble 'look' tiles?..

12 years ago

Hi, I have been lurking and searching for a similar answer but all of the posts I've found deal with white vs. gray grout for subway or square marble tiles.

I have to decide in a matter of 12 hours which grout color to use. Using Spectralock Epoxy grout on 12 x 24 polished porcelain tiles with a marble look, with 1/16th spacing. It's mostly off-white with medium gray veining; not too busy pattern, with large areas of white color. This same tile will be on our floors and shower surround, so we need to like the grout choice! :)

I have samples of: 18 Sauterne, 90 Light Pewter, and 89 Smoke Grey. The store did not carry 'SIlver Shadow' as I have read here in several posts. I am wondering if Smoke Gray is going to be too dark. Sauterne is very light, almost cream. Light Pewter looks tan, but I want to emphasize the gray in the tiles, not the tan. I understand why subway tiles would want to emphasize the grout lines, but in a larger format tile like I'm using, will the noticeable lines just distract? I also didn't know if the epoxy would look different, or if the polished surface of the porcelain mattered since the pics I've seen posted on here are of actual marble with gray grout (and the marble is obviously not as shiny as my porcelain).

Any help or suggestions? The store did not have an 'exact' grout match of the off-white background of my tile color, so that is not an option. I appreciate any help!!!

You can see the 3 colors here: http://www.grout-aide.com/colors2.html

Comments (13)

pricklypearcactus
12 years ago
If you specify the actual brand and name of the tile, other people may have the same tile and may be able to share the products they used.

I have Daltile Navelli Carrera Star and used Laticrete Bright White (I think Spectralock but I'd have to check the bag to be certain).

Also, if you're willing to buy a few bags of grout, you might take you top choices and grout a sample board (or boards) to see how it really looks with your tile.
davidro1
12 years ago
Sauterne is what i would go with
Related Professionals
Arcadia Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Bethpage Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Lynn Haven Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Port Orange Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · South Barrington Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Superior Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · West Palm Beach Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Winchester Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Del Aire Glass & Shower Door Dealers · Lakewood Glass & Shower Door Dealers · Malden Glass & Shower Door Dealers · Seattle Glass & Shower Door Dealers · Creve Coeur Window Treatments · Gadsden Window Treatments · Hanover Park Window Treatments
sunnyfr042
Original Author
12 years ago
pricklypear,
My tile has more contrast than the Navelli Carrera Star. The bright white from Laticrete I held up next to it, but it's way too white for it. Unfortunately, I got the tile at a bargain place and don't know the name or style, but I'll try to post a picture. I don't have time to try out grout samples because it needs to go in today (last-minute job)!
sunnyfr042
Original Author
12 years ago
can't post a picture in the gallery because it's over 500mb and I don't have a picture program that can compress it. Not sure how to attach it to this post- can anyone explain?
sunnyfr042
Original Author
12 years ago

i think I posted it?
First from the top is bright white, then Sauterne, Pewter, and Smoke Grey.
catbuilder
12 years ago
I would go with the light pewter. Your tile appears to have quite a bit of beige veining, and light pewter is in-between a blue-gray and a tan color. I think smoke grey is too dark.
weedyacres
12 years ago
I like the bright white best. I prefer my grout lines to blend in rather than stand out. IMO, the middle 2 are too tan and the bottom one is darker than I like.
sunnyfr042
Original Author
12 years ago
Ok, luckily I have 1 more day to decide, so grouting will start tomorrow. No one votes for the Smoke Grey? ANyone have an opinion on whether the gloss of the tile affects the decision on a different color than a natural stone tile?
bill_vincent
12 years ago
If they don't have the Silver Shadow, they can GET it. If they can get one Laticrete product, they can get them all.

One caution on white epoxy, and this goes for ALL epoxies, not just the Spectralock. Because the epoxy matrix is amber in color, it tends to add a slight yellowish hue to the finished grout. Not it's not so noticeable when the tile is a different color, but when used with a white tile, it tends to stand out.
enduring
11 years ago
Just ran across this post as I've been searching info on SpectraLOCK colors. Bill thanks so much about the info on the white. I have been wondering why the white on my sample brochure reads a weird white, now I know.
bill_vincent
11 years ago
Atleast I know I'm consistant. :-) I hadn't read the dates on the posts, and was getting ready to suggest silver shadow...... and then ran across my own post. LOL
pbx2_gw
11 years ago
Posted by bill_vincent (billvincent@hotmail.com) on Sat, Sep 10, 11 at 10:17

One caution on white epoxy, and this goes for ALL epoxies, not just the Spectralock. Because the epoxy matrix is amber in color, it tends to add a slight yellowish hue to the finished grout. Not it's not so noticeable when the tile is a different color, but when used with a white tile, it tends to stand out.

I'm going after the same look as the OP - white porcelian "marble look-a-like" with white-ish grout.
But am debating if the extra $750 upcharge is worth it for the Spectralock epoxy.

Now that I found this quote from Bill_V, am concern the blending of white-ish grout + epoxy may make that upcharge even more of a ridiculous proposition.

Thoughts?
axxis_rose
11 years ago
Even though I don't want my grout lines to stand out, I have an extreme fear of white grout looking yellow, so I am going with a very light grey. I took this photo of my neighbor's newly tiled bathroom, where she used Spectralock bright white epoxy grout that has a yellow/grey cast. Bill V is so right. I figured if white epoxy looks like this I might as well just go with grey.