Brown grout for tiles. Which tile grout is better - professional advice

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Manufacturers offer a wide range of tile grouts. Therefore, it is always possible to find a suitable option, including by color, option. The main thing is to consider a few simple rules.

Basic rules for choosing a grout by color

Even if the tile was laid by a professional, many small defects may occur. Fortunately, hiding them is also not a problem - just cover up the connections. The difficulty lies only in what color to choose a grout for tiles. Not only the color, but also the shade of the fugue must be 100% combined with the color of the facing material.

If you refuse to use the fugue at all, then a fungus will form in the cracks, insects will settle there, dust and dirt will accumulate.

When considering grout colors for tiles, as a rule, choose from those that are as close as possible to the shade of the lining. However, do not forget about the possibility of using contrasting colors. You can create spectacular and unusual interior. Whatever decision you make, consider the following tips:

• panel-shaped cladding in bathrooms and kitchens is usually rubbed with a tone-on-tone compound. The interior will look solid and unified;

Important! One of the most important rules how to choose the right grout color for tiles, says the need to take into account that after drying, the filler will become lighter. Get a composition that is 1-2 tones richer and darker than a tile.

• if you don't like boring and monotonous design solutions choose contrasts. Light colors tile grouts look really stylish with dark-colored tiles. However, there is also a "but" here. The cladding must be in perfect condition. If it is cracked or frayed, then the contrast of materials will highlight and emphasize defects;
• contrasting solutions can be advised to those who laid the mosaic. However, in the case of mosaics, choosing the right shade is really difficult. If the filler color palette has led you to a dead end, choose a neutral gray composition;
• you can add originality to the interior if the colors of the filler and accessories match. In order to highlight, for example, furniture, you can use the same design move. But if the decor of the room is designed in the same color scheme, the contrast solution will not be the best choice;
• if you have - small room and lining with light + dark tiles, you can visually enlarge the space using a light solution. If the room bigger size, and you want, on the contrary, to visually reduce the space, choose a dark joint filler.

Color spectrum tiles and light/dark tones should match. If you have difficulty with how to choose a grout for a tile by color, choose a fugue of any white tone. However, keep in mind that in the case of floor cladding, such a choice would be impractical. Opt for shades of grey, blue or brown.

Purchase Features

Consider grout colors floor tiles stands, having with him a sample of the cladding. Going to a specialized salon, grab a piece of tile. Choose a filler in a store that offers the widest selection of options. If possible, try applying some of the mixture to the cladding and wait for it to dry. In this case, you can correctly determine the color easily and accurately.

The purchase of any building and finishing materials is profitable and convenient through the online store. But in the case of grouts for joints, this fact does not work. Why? Because it is impossible to correctly convey the shade of tiles and filler from the photo. It all depends on the color setting on your PC or smartphone. Even if an online consultant assures you otherwise, do not give in to his persuasion.

Another thing is if you purchase both tiles and grout at the same time. In this case, the manager of the online store will really be able to offer you the best combination. In all other situations, contact only the "land" point of sale.

Assortment - what options to consider?

Manufacturers offer fillers with a sand or resin base. Also on sale is a wide selection silicone sealants. It is necessary to mention the various variations and subspecies. For example, cement mixtures may have the following compositions:

• sand + portland cement;
• portland.

In which sand is added, it can damage the surface. If you are going to fill the seams of glazed or enameled tiles or marble, then you need to refuse this option. By the way, at sand solutions poor colors: they are either white or with a yellowish tint.

In order to be sure of the high quality of the result, choose a material with latex and polymers. The composition of the resin filler may contain:

• furan resins;
• epoxy + portland cement.

However, such compositions can only be used in industrial premises. Before you buy a particular product, you should look not only at its color and shade. But also on the information on the packaging, in particular, on the purpose of the material.

In the process of repair, we inevitably face a lot of problems, both serious and minor. The beauty and convenience of our home will depend on how seriously we take the solution of each task. The choice of color for grouting tile joints is not a matter of paramount importance, but it is better to think about it in advance.

What to choose: in the color of the tile or contrast?

Usually buyers, without hesitation, choose the grout as close as possible in color to the tile. However, this is not the only possible option. Recently, contrasting color combinations are gaining popularity. For example, dark grout is selected for light tiles and vice versa. It is important to take the choice of color thoughtfully, otherwise a random combination of colors will only cause bewilderment.

If dramatic color combinations based on contrast are not to your liking, you can go the more traditional route. Choose a grout to match the tone of the tile, but focus not on the main color, but on the color of the pattern.

Spectacular contrasting combinations

Now they are releasing collections of tiles, to which grout options that are suitable in color have already been offered. The color combinations invented by the designers look really unusual and interesting. So, for black tiles, it is advised to choose pearl white grout, for beige - cocoa-colored grout or milk chocolate, to olive - graphite, to gray - mahogany-colored grout.

Previously, preference was given to grouting in neutral, soothing shades, but today designers have turned to bright, saturated tones. Increasingly, red, orange, green, turquoise, blue, purple and black grout is being chosen for bathroom decoration.

If you have chosen white ceramic tiles for finishing walls or floors in the bathroom, then it will be difficult to make a mistake with the choice of grout color. After all, absolutely all colors are combined with white. Some combination will be more successful, some less, but there will not be a complete failure. When working on creating a color pair, remember that it should be in harmony with the colors that are used in the interior of the bathroom. Therefore, try to choose a grout that echoes in color with furniture, doors, ceilings, etc.

It will be more difficult to choose a partner color for colored ceramic tiles. We advise you to use a special fan palette, which no designer can do without. Experiment with different color combinations, and maybe you will be able to find a really beautiful and original solution.

Colorless grout - universal?

Many people think that grout is called colorless. white color. This is not entirely true. White grout is indeed considered universal and is suitable for tiles of any color. True, with dark shades it forms a contrasting combination, which will certainly not appeal to connoisseurs of traditional solutions.

Relatively new on the market building materials a grout for tile joints appeared, which actually has no color. The new material is based on epoxy and contains glass. Due to its light-absorbing properties, the effect of "invisibility" of the grout is provided. This grout mixture is also called a "chameleon", as it adjusts to the color ceramic tiles.

Colorless grout is a rather expensive product, but it is worth the money. Created using modern technologies, it has excellent characteristics: easy to apply and easy to clean, not subject to mechanical damage, does not interact with aggressive chemicals, resists the appearance of fungus and mold.

Colorless grout is most often used to work with glass mosaic and for creating decorative tiled panels.

It is better to buy grout at the same time as buying tiles. So you can sort through everything on the spot possible options and stop at the most successful combination. The choice of grout color depends, among other things, on the type of ceramic tile chosen.

• colorful tiles. Consider all the color tiles in the drawing. Determine which one is the darkest and which one is the lightest. Then everything is decided by the size of the bathroom. If the room is small, choose the lightest shade, and if the bathroom is spacious enough, you can choose the darkest color.
• plain tiles. If all the walls in the room will be decorated in the same color, then the shade of the grout should be chosen based on the importance you attach to the decor of the bathroom. If you want to draw attention to furniture and plumbing, then buy grout to match the tiles. And if in the center of the interior there is a wall or flooring, for grouting it is better to choose a contrasting color.
• Mosaic. Traditionally, a mosaic is chosen either in a shade that contrasts with its main tone, or in a neutral color, such as beige or gray. You can also use a colorless grout to decorate the mosaic: it contains transparent components that absorb color and mask tile joints.

The following recommendations will help you in choosing the color of the grout for ceramic tiles:

• Go for grouting at the biggest hardware store. This is exactly the case when the variety of choices is beneficial to the result. The more tile + grout combinations you sort through, the more likely you are to find the perfect color pair.
• Some stores have test grout samples that you can apply to the tile and evaluate the result right on the spot. This opportunity must be seized. Be sure to wait for the composition to dry, as wet and dry grout differ significantly in color.
• For a ceramic tile panel, it is better to choose a grout to match the background or dominant shade - this way the pieces of the picture will unite into a single whole. But for small mosaics, contrasting grout colors are welcome.
• If the whole room, including furniture, fixtures and accessories, is decorated in the same color scheme, try to “refresh” the interior using a contrasting color grout.

Colors: what to do if the desired color is not on sale

Unfortunately, even in the largest hardware stores, the choice of colored grout for tiles does not cover the entire existing color palette. If you have chosen a grout color that no other grout manufacturer produces, do not rush to change your mind. Grout colors can come to your aid.

Here you have several options: buy a special tinting paste, buy a regular water-soluble color, or use gouache or watercolor as a color. Using any of these components, you can color the white grout, or make the shade of the colored grout more saturated.

If you decide to paint the grout with color, remember two important points:

• Try to do all the work in one day. Otherwise, the grout will dry out, and you most likely will not succeed in repeating the resulting shade the next day.
• After some time, the grout usually brightens, so you should use a color one or two shades darker than intended.

Everyone who has ever dealt with tiles knows that the final stage of its processing is grouting.

Grout for joints is needed and its necessity is beyond doubt, but what it should be, how to choose the color of grout for tiles, how often it will have to be updated - all these questions do not have unambiguous answers.

To understand, let's turn to professionals and start with the most important thing - specifications, grouting functions and its main types.

Grout - a colored or colorless mixture based on polymer materials, cement, additives, which is used at the final stage of processing the tiled coating to fill the joints.

It is impossible to overestimate the value of grout for a tile.

In addition to the aesthetic load and decorative function, the grout plays a huge role in ensuring the strength of the facing coating, protecting the surface from dirt, microbes, moisture, preventing the appearance of mold and fungus and ensuring tightness.

It also hides minor flaws in the tile itself or the work of the master. However, it is not worth hoping that after grouting the curved wall will become even.

Grouting in the bathroom prevents the appearance of fungus and mold

This video will tell you what grout is, what it is for, where it is applied, how it is selected, how the grout mixture is prepared.

Types of grout mixtures

There are several types of grouts:

• cement (for narrow joints);
• cement-sand (for wide joints);
• resin-based (epoxy and furan);
• latex;
• silicone.

Let's analyze each of them in more detail.

Cement grouts

The most popular among consumers, home craftsmen and professional builders, the type of grout is cement with and without sand.

The technology for using this type of grout is simple, the cost is low, and the scope is the widest.

Cement grouts are quite homogeneous, are easily distributed over the surface, completely filling the seams, and are used for any tile.

The addition of sand to the mixture makes it possible to use such a grout for wider joints, but limits the scope, since the delicate coating of some types of tiles can be deformed (for example, enameled lining).

Resin grouts: epoxy and furan

The application of resin grouts requires experience and some skill from the performer and therefore they are used only by professionals. They have a lot of pluses and very few minuses, except for the complexity of application and cost.

Epoxy-based grouts are durable, moisture resistant, have high performance and a wide range of colors and shades.

Most often used for facing surfaces in swimming pools, garages and saunas.

Furan resin grout without the addition of water is highly effective, resistant to external influences and chemicals, but it is used mainly for large industrial facilities, since the application technology is too complicated, it requires skills, additional equipment and special treatment of tiles before and after work.

Silicone grouts

An excellent option for grouting can be silicone grout.

Its antiseptic properties and ease of use captivate consumers, and its variety color palette allows you to embody the most daring and original ideas.

by the most modern look grout is latex. It is super resistant to moisture and has the widest palette of colors. It can be used for underfloor heating, and for balconies and loggias, as it is not afraid of either high or low temperatures.

The cost of such a grout will be higher than that of a conventional cement grout, but to save money, you can use a latex additive rather than a latex grout.

In this case, the properties of cement grout and its performance will improve significantly.

Latex grout - worthy alternative cement, and high performance characteristics allow you to use it in any conditions

To choose a grout color for tiles, you need to know what design techniques exist. There are two main options: play in contrast or match the grout exactly to the color of the tile, but there are many more intermediate options to choose from.

From whether you want to turn Special attention on a tiled floor or furniture and decor elements in the room are more important for you, the choice of grout color depends.

If the tile is not the main thing that you want to emphasize in the interior, match the grout tone-on-tone to the color of the tile or choose a colorless option.

If your goal is to play in contrast, shade the tile, beat some object in the room, take a bright contrasting grout.

A specialist should deal with the selection of contrasting grouts, since there are a lot of pitfalls here.

If you are used to trusting only your taste, use our tips:

• In no case do not rush to buy. Consider all possible options and imagine the finished interior.
• Take a sample of the tile you are grouting with to ensure the perfect match.
• Remember about fashion trends but follow your own taste. Fashion passes, but style remains.
• It is worth buying several grouts in a small volume in order to experiment what color you get after complete drying.
• Small rooms are not intended for color experiments and are too dark colors tiles and grouts.

When choosing multiple grouts for multicolored tiles, remember that not all colors work equally well. There are win-win color combinations that will look harmonious in the interior.

But by combining several incompatible shades, you can spoil the overall impression of the design of the room, even if everything else is done flawlessly.

The combination of red tiles and white grout looks very harmonious if the tile is perfectly even.

Consult with professionals before combining several grouts of different colors. Remember that contrast grout is used only for rooms with perfect tiling.

The slightest flaws will become apparent if you use a contrasting grout color.

When choosing between light and dark grout, give preference to a lighter option. This choice will make the room visually more spacious and harmonious.

Bright colored tiles and white grout look stylish in spacious rooms

White grout will freshen up any color of tile, but is not recommended for flooring.

Black tiles should be used very carefully, in small rooms it is not appropriate at all, but white grout will give the visit lightness and airiness

Such aggressively stylish combinations of grout and tiles give the room extravagance.

White tiles and yellow grout are a surprisingly organic and win-win combination that makes the room feel homely.

Designers believe successful combinations beige and chocolate colors, olive and graphite, pearl, pink and red with gray. The room looks very fresh with white tiles and yellow grout. In such a bathroom it is always sunny and light!

If you are a conservative person and experimenting is not in your rules, try to choose a grout as close as possible to the color of the tile.

If the grout will be used for the floor, feel free to take a darker version, about one or two tones, and if for walls - one or two tones lighter.

Professionals advise:

• Buy grout along with tiles to find a beautiful combination.
• Try applying some grout to the tile and let it dry - that's what the final shade of the grout will be.
• For multi-colored tiles, choose either a universal colorless grout, or the color of the grout that prevails in the tile.
• To a plain tile, you can choose a contrasting grout color or tone-on-tone.
• For a bright mosaic tile, you can choose a colorless option so as not to oversaturate the tiled canvas with colors, and for a plain one - a contrasting shade to make the main tone more bright.
• Remember - a light grout collects the tiled canvas together, and a dark grout divides it into separate fragments.
• For small rooms, light colors are preferable, for large ones, dark ones.
• Light gray and light beige grouts are suitable for almost any color of tile.
• Do not use white or black grout on the floor. Both types of grout get dirty too quickly.

The choice of grout should be conscious.

Do not take what you do not like, even if you do not have time to carefully select, because correct shade grout mixture will improve the overall perception of the room, and the wrong color will give the interior a feeling of slovenliness and chaos.

If you doubt your taste, find a collection of tiles with already ready-made options grout or contact a sales consultant for help.

Almost every hardware store has layouts with examples of grouts that can be combined with ceramic tiles of any color.

If you do not assign an aesthetic function to the grout, but use it exclusively to fill tile joints and prevent fungus and mold, take a universal colorless grout.

The basis for the manufacture of this grouting material is epoxy. Glass, which is also included in its composition, provides a light-absorbing effect of "invisibility".

Thanks to unique technical properties adapt to any color and type of tile, it is absolutely not noticeable. The cost of such a grout is slightly higher than usual, but the performance characteristics are pleasantly surprising.

Chameleon grout, as it is also called, is easy to use, resistant to mechanical damage and chemical attack, has an antimicrobial effect and can be used even for fragile, non-standard types of tiles.

It is ideally combined with mosaic tiles and a variety of tiled panels.

Colorless grout is an ideal choice for multi-colored tile sheets

Colorless grout blends wonderfully with colored and plain mosaic tiles

Let's summarize the information received by watching a thematic video, where the specialist will tell you how to choose the color of the grout. Masters do not recommend choosing a grout for a tile floor in the kitchen to match the color of the wallpaper in the hallway.

The right decision is to choose the color of the grout under the main color of the material where the grout is made.

Choose a manufacturer

Having decided on the required grout color, you should also pay attention to the manufacturer. After all, the grout mixture is primarily the protection of the room from moisture, and the tile joints from the appearance of bacteria and mold.

Almost all manufacturers promise us such protection, but should they be trusted?

Ceresit and Atlas are considered the main and most popular manufacturers of grout mixtures. Each of these trademarks has its advantages and disadvantages.

German Ceresit tile grout is used for interior and exterior work, for any tile sheets and is characterized as moisture-resistant, environmentally friendly, resistant to mechanical damage, adverse environmental influences.

They are easy to use and harden quickly during use.

Grout mixtures of the Polish company Atlas can also be used for both outdoor and internal works and have very broad scope applications.

They are simple and easy to apply, have a plastic homogeneous structure, do not scratch the tile sheet during operation, are resistant to mechanical damage and can be used for joints up to 0.6 cm.

If your tile joints are larger than 0.6 cm, take Kesto cement-based Finnish grouts. For reliable protection facing coating from moisture, Italian grouts from the Mapei company with polymers are ideal.

In this video, experts will show you how to use Mapei Kerapoxy grout.

So, you have chosen a manufacturer, what else to look for when buying a grout?

• for color;
• for the expiration date;
• on consumer reviews;
• on the complexity of use;
• resistance to moisture, mechanical stress;
• on the cost.

Grout update

No matter how sad it may sound, but from time to time the grout will have to be updated. From moisture, fumes, dust and frequent washing, the color of the grout mixture fades, is washed out and needs to be renewed.

You can change the grout yourself or by inviting a good specialist who will do everything professionally.

The renovation begins with cleaning the seams and removing the old grout. This must be done carefully so as not to damage the tiled canvas.

White grout can be updated with a special pencil, just clean the seam and run it several times.

Updating white grout with a pencil can be done independently

Updating colored grout is a more time-consuming process, especially if you made the grout yourself, and did not buy it ready-made in the store.

It is good that today there are ready-made colored joint paints for colored grout, and if you do not find exactly the same grout as you used, you can pick up a very similar one.

Moreover, after the qualitative removal of the old grout, its color will not be visible. Experts categorically do not advise applying a new grout to the old one, since the seam will turn out to be sloppy, and the color will be inhomogeneous.

To choose the right grout for tiles, you need to take into account several factors: who will perform the work on applying it, in what room, on what type of tile, what width and depth of joints.

For narrow joints and tiles in classic shades perfect option– cement grouts, for wider joints and creative ideas a latex or silicone grout would be preferable.

If you take into account all the selection criteria, the result will exceed all your expectations. And remember that operating conditions have greater value than the cost of the material.

It would seem that it could be easier than choosing a grout for a tile, but no - there are a lot of pitfalls here, but, knowing all the subtleties, do right choice will be easy! We hope that our article will be useful to you!

Practically in every apartment, in one or several of its premises, the surfaces of walls and floors were finished using ceramic tiles. The range of this material in hardware stores is constantly updated, which causes the desire of many homeowners to regularly change the hallway or kitchen.

If previously a conventional cement mortar, then in our time a wide variety of special formulations are available on the free market, which can not only transform appearance base material, but also securely close the gaps between the tiles, forming an airtight coating for walls and floors. Grout for tiles how to choose a color - this question arises most often among those homeowners who decide to lay tiles or “refresh” the appearance of the joints between tiles on their own without resorting to the services of designers and professional finishers.

In matters of organizing wall decoration with ceramic tiles, there are no trifles, so the choice of grout must be taken with all responsibility. It's simple - its wrong color can spoil the look of even the most expensive and high-quality finishing material. And, on the contrary, a well-chosen shade of grout can decorate not only the finish itself, but also transform the entire room as a whole, bring special harmony into it, and also create integrity and completeness of the interior composition.

When choosing a grout for filling joints, it is necessary to constantly focus on several criteria. The main ones are the performance characteristics of the material and the features of the room in which it is planned to carry out the finishing - this includes factors such as its purpose, possible temperature, humidity, and the level of load on the ceramic coating.

In addition, it is necessary to take into account the fact that grouts for internal and exterior finish differ in their composition and performance. This directly relates to the reliability of the material, and to the maximum long period maintaining the grout composition of its original color. So, mixtures for outdoor work should have reliable tightness when solidified, high resistance to direct effects of precipitation and temperature extremes with a large amplitude, and resistance to fading under the influence of ultraviolet rays.

veneering surface various types tiles, I want to get a beautiful and reliable coating. But as a result, it turns out that even the use of expensive material and its high-quality styling does not give the desired effect. And all because the seams are sealed with improperly selected compositions. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully approach the question of how to choose the right grout color for tiles.

It is often believed that the grout does not affect the final appearance of the room. And the only benefit from it is the protection of joints from dirt. But this is a completely wrong idea. The seam may be small in size, but it is he who determines the final decorative look.

In general, when choosing a mixture for sealing joints, you need to take into account several factors at once:

• What will the room be used for?
• What is the operating mode.
• Features of the environment.
• Location of light sources.
• General view of the interior.

Of course, most of these parameters affect the choice of solution from a protective point of view. But the selection of the optimal color shade is very important. If you play correctly on the ratio of grout and tile, you can visually expand or reduce the room. And if you make a mistake, then the room will turn out to be uncomfortable, the general idea will be violated. Correcting this situation will be difficult.

On a note! It is not necessary to use a single color of the mixture for sealing joints. You can choose from several shades, as well as various options tiles. This will create a unique mosaic-like panel.

Which shade is more practical?

Currently, specialized stores offer a wide selection of solutions (fugues) for grouting. Therefore, it is not surprising that selection can be quite difficult.

Another factor to consider is practicality. It seems to have little to do with colors but they are directly related to each other. For example, if white compounds are used to seal the joints of ceramic tiles in the hallway, then in a week they will turn gray, and maybe even black. The opposite effect is obtained, the overall composition is disturbed.

Therefore, depending on the room, there are the following recommendations:

1. For objects with high traffic, corridors, hallways - grout is used gray color. Especially if the room is small. When work is carried out in rooms with large area, then zoning can be performed. For example, at front door, at the location of the hanger - lay darker products and select a mixture of a similar shade. Further, light tiles are used for cladding, as well as a white fugue.
2. Separately, it is worth considering a bathroom or shower room. Due to the strong influence of moisture, the inter-tile space can darken very quickly. But it is not always possible to seal it with dark grout. Therefore, it is necessary to give preference to solutions that have additional waterproof properties. And also carry out additional finishing with sealants.
3. For the kitchen will the best option- a two-component epoxy mixture that has a discreet color. It should be noted that it retains its characteristics for a very long time.

On a note! There is a modern fugue, which makes it possible to use it in any conditions. At the same time, even light colors do not lose their attractiveness. But there is a significant drawback - the high price and the inability to purchase it in any hardware store.

Selection rules based on the design idea

The color of grout for tiles should emphasize the beauty of the selected material. To put it simply, the fugue is the “frame” into which the picture is inserted.

Exist general rules, allowing you to get an interesting design solution:

The existing rules are not binding. Grout colors can be selected based on own desire. Naturally, one should think in advance overall composition so you don't have to redo it all over again.

original variants

For those who do not like standard approaches, there are quite original solutions. It is worth noting that these options may cause controversial associations.

So, for white tiles, there may be the following color combinations:

• orange;
• red;
• green;
• purple;
• black.

Black ceramics look quite interesting when grout is used:

• with a snow-white tint;
• slightly iridescent - mother-of-pearl;
• red.

On a note! In order not to be disappointed in the chosen mastic, the following is done. They take a piece of plywood, the used version of the tile is glued (baited) onto it. The size of the seams is taken into account. The selected reveal is applied. It turns out a small worn area, it is laid in the center of the room. Of course, this method will not give a general idea, but it will help you decide and not make a mistake.

New

Now it has become even easier to choose the color of the grout - modern compositions have appeared that are suitable for lovers of everything unusual and bright. They are:

1. Completely transparent. They are used with caution, because it is necessary to carefully prepare the seam.
2. Transparent, with the addition of sparkles. They look great on black tiles and mosaic panels.
3. Fluorescent. They have their own color, and in the ultraviolet they change it.

There are many grout options. But how do you choose the best one? Naturally, you need to take into account existing recommendations, but rely on your own preferences.