Beauty and comfort with your own hands: choose grout for tiles

Everyone who has dealt with tiles knows that without grouting its appearance will be imperfect. If in ordinary life we ​​do not think about such materials, then during the repair, the question of how to choose a grout for a tile becomes relevant. In order not to fall into a stupor in a hardware store, you need to know what tile you have and what grout will suit it. It is also important not to lose money with color.

white grout

Why grout

Previously, people used ordinary cement mortar to seal joints between tiles. With the advent of brittle facing materials, a need arose for softer and more pleasant-looking formulations. In fact, grout is a colored or colorless mixture of polymeric materials intended for processing a tile coating. Grout performs the following functions:

  1. Aesthetic - smoothes out the roughness of the walls, small errors of the installer.
  2. It can correct the tile itself if there are errors on it.
  3. Decorative function - the appearance of the coating becomes more accurate and interesting if the grout is in harmony or effectively differs in color.
  4. Tightness - makes the tile stronger.
  5. Protects surfaces from dirt, moisture, fungi, mold and germs. This is especially important for places with high humidity: in the bathroom and in the kitchen.

Types of grout

Tile grout is divided into 4 types according to the type of material:

  • based on cement
  • based on resins
  • latex
  • silicone.

Each group has its own technical characteristics. Grout should be selected, relying not only on the type of facing coating. It is necessary to take into account its color and the width of the seams. Consider the types of grouts in more detail.

Cement

Cement based products are the most popular. This is explained by a low price and a wide range of applications. Cement mix is ​​used for all coatings, it fills the entire space between the tiles well. Recommended seam width - up to 0.5 cm.

cement grout

Purely cement grouts are used for narrow joints, while cement grouts with sand are used for wide joints. However, the stability of the cladding must be taken into account here. If it is fragile and enameled, then such a tool can ruin it. Another disadvantage of cement and cement-sand grouts is low water resistance. And the color choice of this species is relatively small.

Resin

Almost no cons and expensive mixtures - grouts based on resins. These products are for professionals, so do not use resin mixtures without first exploring their features.

Important
Resin-based products require skill or at least some experience.

There are two types of resin grouts:

  • epoxy
  • furan.

The main advantage of epoxy grouts is durability. They are used for lining pools, saunas. Epoxy resins make the grout resistant to chemicals. Also, the tool will protect the tile from mechanical damage. Such a product retains the freshness of color for a long time. It is chosen for processing joints from 6 mm or more.

resin grout

The product is difficult to apply due to its increased viscosity. If you handle it carelessly, it can get on the lining and it will be difficult to wipe it off, so entrust the work with epoxy grout to a specialist.

For furan grouts, application technology is even more complex than for epoxy grouts. They are used for facing work in large-scale production facilities.

Silicone and latex

Representatives of this group compare favorably with others with a rich color palette.

Silicone mixtures have antiseptic properties. They are easy to use and inexpensive. This type should be chosen for the refinement of inaccessible places on the tile. However, they do not have the proper stability, therefore they are used only in special cases, for example, for an interesting design of the bathroom.

Latex is the last word in grout production. Modern material is highly resistant to moisture. The palette of colors for latex grouts is the widest among all types. Such a mixture can be used in places with a temperature different from room temperature. Choose latex for a warm floor, balcony or loggia.

silicone grout

The increased resistance to high and low temperatures and water of the latex material explains its cost. It is higher than that of a conventional cement mixture. To save your family budget, purityis.decorexpro.com/en/ recommends not using a fully latex grout, but a latex-based supplement. It increases the stability of the cement product.

How to make a choice

Finally, you started to repair the bathroom. Which grout to choose, which is better? First of all, a determinant, what is more important for you: price, reliability, and maybe an unusual color palette? To make the right choice, rely on the following points:

  • combination of grout composition and facing material,
  • seam width
  • grouting purpose
  • manufacturer,
  • Colour,
  • moisture resistance.

tile grout

Basic selection rules:

  1. For enameled tiles and other brittle materials, choose a grout without adding sand.
  2. Stop using tar grouts if you have no experience. In pursuit of the longevity of the repair, you can just ruin the tile.
  3. If you have chosen a cement mixture, then you can give it additional properties - water-repellent, antimicrobial, firming or frost-resistant. In these cases, chemical additives are added to the grout. Decide on the goal that you want to achieve, and do not skimp on additional chemical components. They can be found in the same hardware store.
  4. The safest material for independent work is latex. Such grouts and the color palette is diverse, and the application process is quite simple.

How to choose a grout color for a tile

So, you have decided on the material of the grout mixture. Now it's up to the small - successfully pick the color.

Tip
For a trip to the store, stock up on a sample of the facing material to compare colors, and not take at random.

tile grout colors

There are several design techniques that will help you decide on the choice of color:

  1. The principle of contrast. To highlight the tile pattern, the mixture is selected in a contrasting shade. It should be borne in mind that such a coating will attract attention, so you need to rely on the tile, not the furniture in this room. The emphasis in the room is chosen alone.
  2. The principle of homogeneity. To make a neat wall or floor, choose a grout to match the tiles. It will be a good background for home decoration.

Color is one of the most important points in choosing a grout, because it can correct errors in the work of the master. Using color, you can visually hide the roughness and minor defects of the facing material. A well-chosen shade can emphasize the beauty of the tile. To make the cladding homogeneous, shades are chosen lighter than itself. And vice versa, to highlight the tile, the mixture is taken in a contrasting or dark color.

Tip
Use contrasting colors only if the tiles are laid perfectly perfectly. Dark seams will make all errors even more pronounced.

There are also colorless grouts. They are used in the case of a colorful pattern on a tile. The bathroom looks good grout in tone plumbing.

Some more tips:

  1. Take the time to choose a remedy, it is better to think it over than to correct what has been done unsuccessfully.
  2. Try to rely on your own taste.The fashion for elaborate combinations will pass, and you will have to live in an apartment with an irrelevant cladding, which quickly bothers.
  3. For a harmonious interior design there is an unwritten rule: no more than three colors. Such a room will be elegant and neat.

To improve the appearance and strengthen the tiles in the room, it is not necessary to resort to the services of interior designers. Arm yourself with knowledge, and have a good repair!

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