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swirlycat_gw

recommend grout color for off-white tile?

swirlycat
15 years ago

i've read back through the threads and seen a lot of people recommending light gray grout for white subway tiles (platinum, if i remember correctly) - both for the look and for ease of cleaning.

any ideas what color grout might look good with off-white subway tiles? the look we are aiming for in the bathroom is contemporary, minimalist, neutral, and natural - with slate colored floor tiles (already grouted with slightly lighter-than-slate gray), light taupe/warm gray walls, dark walnut colored cabinetry, and then the creamy off-white shower wall subway-style tiles (running bond.)

i was thinking of using a complementary off-white colored grout, but that seems like it might be a maintenance nightmare. or maybe a warm gray or taupe - but would that clash or create too much contrast? i just have no idea. anyone else?

Comments (10)

  • bill_vincent
    15 years ago

    Bone or Ivory, from just about any manufacturer

  • weedyacres
    15 years ago

    I did my kitchen backsplash in matte biscuit ceramic subways and used Spectralock almond grout. I was looking for blend-in, not contrast.

  • swirlycat
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks, Bill V and weedyacres!

    I will check out your recommendations, particularly the Spectralock almond color - I would definitely prefer the grout to blend in (but was worried about maintenance with the off-white.)

    Speaking of grout, I have another question for anyone still reading (Bill V?): the "slightly-lighter-than-slate-color" grout we used with our floor tiles has now dried to a "much-lighter-than-we-expected-with-an-odd-pinkish-tone" color that we can't stand. Even the tile installer admits it's a far cry from the sample we chose.

    How difficult is it to use a colorant on the grout? Is it possible to remove the offending grout and redo?

    They are 18x18 tiles with 3/8 joints in a smallish room about 60 sf total.

    I'm asking about the regrout option because we have two other rooms with the same floor tile that aren't grouted yet and I'd like the floors to all look the same. Not sure if the colorant would turn out different than the new grout we'd choose, and grouting them all in the wrong color and then staining them seems crazy.

  • swirlycat
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Maybe I mean 3/16 joint . . . ?

    Anyway, the point is that it isn't THAT much grout (says the person who doesn't have to do the hard labor to remove it.)

  • bill_vincent
    15 years ago

    How many square feet are you talking about? I'll say this-- even using the very same color, you'll see a definite difference between the colorant and the raw grout. As for applying it, check out reply #2 in the following thread:

    http://www.floorstransformed.com/ceramic-tile-forum/2004/magic-secret-for-removing-grout-colorant-from-tile-14548.html

    you'll have to copy and paste it into your browser because I don't know how to post more than one link to a post, and I wanted to give you the link to the colorant, as well:

    Here is a link that might be useful: Aquamix Grout Colorants

  • swirlycat
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks Bill.

    The room is about 85 square feet, though there's only about 70 square feet of floor tile (subtracting the floor space taken up by the shower.) The tiles are large - 18x18.

    The tile installer agrees the color looks wrong - not at all what i chose. For now the plan is to grout the other room and shower floor in another color, then try to match them witht the colorant. If it doesn't look right, then we'll remove the grout and replace with the new color.

    And back to the original question - there's a warm light gray grout that looks like it might complement the off-white tile (and the warm gray walls of the room) really nicely . . . but with all the suggestions for a bone/linen color, I am a bit torn. (Especially given the fiasco with the floor!) I guess it may be best to try it out with a couple of extra tile pieces on a sample board first.

    And for another room - is it the Custom color "platinum" that people seem to love so much with the pure white subways?

  • bill_vincent
    15 years ago

    As for the warm gray, if that looks good to you, then go with it. You can see the overall picture better than we can imagine it.

    As for the Platinum, yes.

  • swirlycat
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    thanks bill.

    just a quick follow-up: we did go with the gray and it looks wonderful - a really nice complement to the wall color and the stone on the bench, sills, and vanity. i liked the bone/almond colors people suggested too, but the warm light gray adds a nice contrast. works for us : )

    and they are going to go ahead and re-grout the floor in the new color . . . everyone seems to agree the current color looks terrible and not at all like the sample we chose. i hate to create extra work, but after investing so much money and energy in this project, it seems stupid to compromise on something so noticeable if we make it right.

    thanks to everyone for the opinions.

  • craftsmangirl
    15 years ago

    You knew what you were doing. It looks really impressive!

  • HU-828614972
    3 years ago

    Why gray did you use?