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gretch1964

Grout colorant

gretch1964
16 years ago

has anyone used these?? I went to lowes the other day to get grout. Not much of a choice in sanded grout which i like to use. And today we went to home depot. They have more colors but not all the ones i would love to try. Giggle. Bf rolled his eyes and said yeah honey. LOL.. So i saw these on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.com/GROUT-COLORANT-3-oz-bottle-MOSAICS-Cement_W0QQitemZ230208662641QQihZ013QQcategoryZ41372QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Comments (34)

  • nicethyme
    16 years ago

    use them all the time! I only every buy white and black grouts, every other color I make myself.

  • bamasusanna
    16 years ago

    I've never used these either! I've only used the quickcrete liquid stuff. And just the black in that to darken my gray grout!
    Where do you get yours from NT?

  • hrsg
    16 years ago

    Personally I use Rit dyes to color my grout, but that Ebay seller also has an Etsy store. They live only about 30 minutes from me so I had contacted them for a pickup instead of shipping.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Beachcrafter's Etsy Store

  • LinLee
    16 years ago

    So are those possibly the same grout colorants that
    Clare Dohna uses in her mosaics??? Looking
    for INTENSITY of color here :)
    Linlee

  • chickeemama
    16 years ago

    Doesnt Clare Dohna make all her tiles using clay and a kiln? that could explain her color intensity on all her stuff. I think I remember reading that about her.

  • LinLee
    16 years ago

    Yes she does...however I am referring to those amazing
    grout colors. How is that done???huh???

  • bamasusanna
    16 years ago

    Ritz dye? Really? Hmmm I never thought about that.
    A while back Lowes had some stuff on sale. It was the "part A" of the spectralock stuff. I think that's just the coloring agent isn't it? Could you add it to regular grout to change the color?

  • nicethyme
    16 years ago

    ... nah, it's also the "aggregate" for spectralock which is an epoxy system grout... high quality but high $$ too and caustic as well.

    I use the cement colorants from Delphi

  • chickeemama
    16 years ago

    Linlee- after I posted I realized you were talking about the grout. Her grout color is always so bright..your right I wonder how she does it.

    Those colorants are pretty vibrant arent they on the links you guys gave. Do you think they stay that bright when mixed with white?

  • chickeemama
    16 years ago

    I emailed Clare Dohna about her grout color, hoping see will answer me back...couldnt hurt to ask I thought!!!

  • Shades_of_idaho
    16 years ago

    I have not tried the colorants either. I have some too.

    HRSG, Rit dye. Hummmmmmmmmm do you mix it in water and then into the grout or mix the dry into the grout then add the water? When I use the paints for color the grout dries much lighter. How is it with the Rit dyes?

    Chris

  • tamar_422
    16 years ago

    Shades - I used black Rit dye on the violin for the holiday exchange. I just mixed it in dry. It seems to dry a little darker.

    DH stuffed my stocking with several little bottles of the Mosaic colorants, so I will be playing around with that.

  • Shades_of_idaho
    16 years ago

    Thanks Tamar. I think I am going to try this next opportunity I have to grout something dark.

    Chris

  • hrsg
    16 years ago

    The Rit dye works best when you add the dry dye ti warm water, and let it dissolve. Use as much as you like to get the darker outcome.

    I've found if you use the dry dye you get speckles in your grout sometimes. Which can be good in some instances depending on your taste.

    Mixing the dyes gives you a wide range of colors to choose from.

  • cindiloo
    16 years ago

    I have used the colorants from Beachcrafters and am still experimenting and learning....a little goes a loooong way,
    it always dries darker. It says to mix with water first, but I just sprinkle the dry powder while mixing up the white. Works for me! Good Luck!

  • Shades_of_idaho
    16 years ago

    For some reason, I do not remember why, I have several boxes of dye. I am going to have to try this. Thanks for the idea.

    Chris

  • shrty411
    16 years ago

    I have the colorants from Delphi,but I think I'm going to give the rit dye a try

    Maria

  • gretch1964
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Oh cool you guys. Now i will go to the store and get some rit and try that too. Woot think i will have fun playing around. Thanks for all your help.

  • meadel
    16 years ago

    I used RIT dye to color grout too. But, It didn't last long with a outdoor mosaic.
    The lime green faded back to almost white. Any suggestions to keep the color?

  • LinLee
    16 years ago

    Well THAT'S important information to know!!! Thanks meadel.
    Back to hoping you get a response from Clare Dohna, Chickee.

  • nicethyme
    16 years ago

    10 -1 she uses tints-all
    and yeah, I really didn't think Rit would be all that colorfast

  • LinLee
    16 years ago

    Where might one find this 'Tint's All"?
    I got nothin' from Google.

  • LinLee
    16 years ago

    Found it at the 'Do-It Best Center.

  • nicethyme
    16 years ago

    also at http://www.sculpt.com/ under pigments.

    Slow learned of it from Laurel True I think and everyone swears it's nonfading

  • cacbeary
    16 years ago

    I have used Tints All & it didn't fade outside for me. I love this stuff. And it comes in many colors & you can make it as deep of the color or light of the color you want.

    I buy mine at Home Depot in the paints department - it's for coloring your paint & comes in little tubes. There is a chart to show you all the different colors & color tones with each color. I think if I remember correctly they are $3 - $4 a tube & they last forever.

    It does dry lighter than what you see when mixing.

  • LinLee
    16 years ago

    cacbeary,
    Have you seen Clare Dohna's website? I'm looking for that kind of color saturation..in your opinion having used the product, is this the stuff?
    Linlee

  • hrsg
    16 years ago

    I seal all my pieces, and have not had any color fade in the dyed grout. Guess it depends what sealer you use, if any, and if it is exposed to elements.

  • cacbeary
    16 years ago

    Linlee - I think it's what you are looking for. Look at this site with the tints all tubes. They have the circle with the color on it. But if you went to Home Depot it would show you a light, medium, & dark of each color. And I'm sure you could also make your own color combinations.

    Look at some of the colors - tangerine. Only purple though is the lilac. I bet she mixed & made her own colors.

    My pieces were exposed to all the elements with lots of direct sun but during winter months I just put on my covered porch.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Tints All

  • texaswild
    16 years ago

    The guy at Mosaicartsupply says that Tints All is the ONLY colorant that won't fade w/time.

  • chickeemama
    16 years ago

    Thanks for the tints all link...they have glow in the dark pigment powder. Wow how cool is that!!!!

    Im gonna try some of that tints all for my chair when its done I think..now I have to figure out what color I want to use.

  • d3bbi
    16 years ago

    Gretch, I use the grout colorant that you linked on e-bay. I have used it for 2 1/2 years with no problem of fading. I have one tube of tint but haven't used it yet. I also use acrylic paints to tint my grout.

  • meadel
    16 years ago

    OMG..... That's another reason why I love this forum!! I have 7 tubes of tints all in my craft room right now! I never thought to use it for grout!! I bought it at Home Depot in the paint section. ( think I got some in a paint store too! ) I use it for mixing wall paint ( for my faux paint crafts) Holy crud... hitting my head!

    hrsg: I used the rit dye for a birdbath.. It was pretty exposed to the elements!)

  • drtchnj
    9 years ago

    as an artist and a crafter I have used food dyeon various projects and to my dismay have found that in all cases it fades significantly,both liquid food dyeand Wilton frostingcolorants

  • steiconi
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I used universal colorant--what they use in paint stores to tint paint. It's the same as "tints all" but I got it free by bringing in little bottles. Some paint guys will give you free tint, some won't.

    It gave great, intense color, (teal) but has faded some in the year since I did it. I live in Hawaii, and it's outside in the rain and tropical sun, so this has been an extreme test. I actually like the lighter color better, the mosaic pieces were kind of overwhelmed by the bright grout.

    And for indoor mosaics, you can color finished grout with watered-down acrylic craft paint. This also lets you use different colors for different areas, and completely changes the look of a piece.

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