When carrying out renovations in an apartment, every owner hopes that in this form the home will last for a very long time and will not have to repeat all the work performed in the near future. In order for these hopes to come true, it is necessary to approach the issue of repairs responsibly, carefully selecting building materials. In this case, not only the quality of materials plays a significant role, but also the correctly selected colors.

Nowadays, few renovations can be completed without laying tiles. Many people take the choice of grout color rather superficially - they simply buy the first one they come across. Therefore, it often happens that expensive tiles are completely deprived of their attractiveness when combined with grout that is poorly matched in color. So when creating individual design It is very important to pay due attention to this material.

Selecting grout color for tiles

The classic option is to select a color that is 1-2 tones different from the color of the tile. This jointing will ensure maximum harmony. In order for future renovations to be pleasing to the eye, you need to decide on your own color preferences.

The choice can also be influenced by the pattern on the tile and its structure. To avoid making a mistake in your choice, it is best to take a tile or part of it with you to the store and apply it to all grout samples.

Advice. Apply to all colors, not just similar shades. Quite unexpectedly, you may discover an interesting combination.

Not long ago, contrasting grout colors became popular. This method allows you to shade and emphasize the color and structure of the tile. The most common combinations:

• black - pearl;
• beige – cocoa;
• olive – graphite;
• gray – mahogany.

A contrasting combination looks bold and impressive, but there is a fairly fine line in selection, crossing which you can end up with ridiculous and disharmonious combinations.

Standard grout colors

There are several nuances that should be remembered when choosing grout. White will match any color of tile if it is a wall tile. It is always appropriate with light tones, and with dark ones it will create a good contrast. However, white fugue is in no way suitable for grouting floor tiles, because after a while the color will turn into dirty gray. But the gray color of the grout is suitable for the floor, no matter what shade of tile you plan to put there.

Types of grout by composition

But pick up suitable color not always enough. You need to pay attention to the composition and properties of the grout, because different rooms There are different conditions. At the moment there are three main types of fugue:

• cement-based;
• using epoxy resins;
• silicone grout.

Cement grouts are considered the most common at the moment. They have slight differences in composition, and depending on this, they are used for tiles of different colors and qualities. These grouts have a small color scheme And besides, they do not tolerate water well.

Cement grout for tiles

For different widths of joints it is necessary to use different grout. Thus, cement fugue for wide joints contains sand, which prevents the cement from cracking after drying and retains its shape.

You can buy such a fugu in finished form in buckets or in the form of dry powder.

Fugu made from plastic buckets can be used immediately, however, despite the ease of use, this also has its drawbacks: the mass dries out quite quickly, so it is necessary to use it all at once.

Grout in powder form must first be mixed with water or latex. The advantage of such a fugue is that you independently determine the volume you need, and you don’t have to worry about the contents drying out.

TO merits such grout can be classified as:

• low price;
• ease of use;
• versatility;
• strength.

Flaws:

• is destroyed under the influence household chemicals;
• not resistant to dirt.

Grout based on epoxy resins

Grouts using epoxy resins contain a hardener. This allows it to retain color for a long time and not be washed away by water. However, applying such grout requires experience, which is why they are not used so often during ordinary do-it-yourself apartment renovations.

Epoxy grout can be used in baths, swimming pools, and also in places where tiles are often exposed to household chemicals: kitchen walls, countertops, laboratory rooms.

This fugue is sold in the form of two separately contained components:

• epoxy resin filled with quartz sand;
• hardener.

To work, you need to mix two components. At the output we will get a viscous mixture, which is difficult to work with even for experienced craftsmen. However, the result will not disappoint you - grout made from epoxy resins can retain its appearance for several decades. It will not change color, brightness, or structure.

Advantages such a fugue:

• resistance to chemicals;
• frost resistance;
• water resistance;
• constancy of decorative appearance;
• durability;
• strength;
• resistance to fungi and mold.

Flaws:

• labor intensity;
• high cost.

Silicone grout

Silicone sealants have a huge color variety and you can choose such grout for any type of tile, regardless of color and texture. In addition, this type of grout has an antifungal composition and increased resistance to water, which makes it possible to widely use it in rooms with high humidity such as kitchen, toilet, bathroom.

If you don't have the color you want

Sometimes it happens that the store does not have the required color in stock, or you simply do not like the colors that exist in the standard offerings of manufacturers. In this case, you can create a suitable shade yourself. This can be done in two ways: by mixing white grout with grout of a different color until the desired shade is obtained, or by using color.

Colors are sold at any building materials store. You can experiment with shades by adding various colors into white grout until you achieve the desired result. The color saturation depends on the amount of color, and the shades depend only on your imagination.

Primers and additives

Various primers and additives will be a good help. There are additives that make grout from ordinary grout moisture-resistant or frost-resistant, or give it anti-deformation and antifungal properties. Overall, it adds the characteristics you want.

If for some reason it is not possible to purchase fugu with the desired properties, you can obtain them using special additives. For example, you need a tile putty suitable for heated floors, but there is no required color with such properties. It is in such situations that construction chemicals come in handy.

Advice. It is worth remembering that when using a dry mixture, after you fill it with water, it may seem to you that the color does not match the one you chose. Don't worry, after the grout dries, the desired color will return.

Experienced designers advise not to overdo it with the number of colors and adhere to the “three-color” principle. You can choose a grout to match the tile or the pattern applied to it, as well as to match the plumbing fixtures or furniture elements. But you should not use more than three colors in one room.

The choice of color depends entirely on your capabilities and preferences. We hope this article helped you figure out how to choose the right color and what to look for when choosing putty for tiles.

Do-it-yourself grouting: video

Grouting joints between tiles: photo

Laying ceramic tiles is not an easy process, since all fragments must be laid out strictly level, maintaining the same gaps. To smooth out possible inaccuracies in the work, hermetically “seal” the seams and give the decor a finished look, the joints are rubbed with special mixtures. These can be transparent or colored solutions, and in order to get the desired optical effect, you need to understand how to choose the color of the tile grout.

Tiling walls and floors is one of the most common ways to decorate the interior and protect the base from moisture. Most often, tiles are selected for kitchens, bathrooms and hallways, and decorative mosaics are used to create artistic compositions and panels in living rooms. Each grout manufacturer offers a wide range of colors, so you can finishing any shade. Basic recommendations on how to choose a grout color for tiles:

• The general appearance of a room decorated with ceramics is determined to a greater extent by the shade of the grout mixture than the tile itself, creating a holistic visual perception.

• When choosing a colored grout for tiles that exactly matches the ceramic, the effect of simulating a single surface is achieved. Thanks to this, the dimensions of the room visually expand.

• The use of contrasting color grout under the tiles favorably emphasizes the artistic component of the cladding. The emphasis is placed on the relief, pattern and geometry of the fragments.

• A compromise solution is to choose a grout color to match one of the tile shades. Helps balance the color palette in the room and eliminate design intrusiveness.

Previously, builders used dull cement mortar devoid of color. In today's market building materials such a wide range of mixtures is presented that even experienced designer It's easy to get confused. Colored grout is a decorative paste, the use of which enhances the optical perception of the finish.

Important: Grouting the seams between the tiles is not necessary for beauty, but to seal the joints hermetically, preventing the penetration of moisture and the formation of mold. First you need to focus on the quality of the material, and then on the decorativeness of the product.

Classic finishing - the use of white ceramics. The only type of cladding where white grout is suitable for joints. It is appropriate to apply this mixture in the kitchen and bathroom. In other rooms, snow-white seams quickly become dirty and take on an untidy appearance and a dirty shade. It is irrational to choose white tile grout for the floor, since the composition does not withstand abrasion and mechanical loads. To white cladding Any will do color, but all shades give a different effect:

1. Using an off-white mixture for white tiles visually increases the space in the room.
2. Light gray and beige compositions look neutral and inexpressive. Dark gray paste helps highlight the Scandinavian style.
3. To enhance the contrast perception, white tiles are combined with dark grout, for example, anthracite or brown.

To choose the right grout color, you need to decide what effect should be achieved in the end - combining fragments into a single whole or visually delineating the surface using contrasting variations. A bold step would be to use bright colors, but the tiles must be laid perfectly. White tiles “do not argue” with dark seams if the interior is made in the style of minimalism, hi-tech, Scandinavia, or rough industrial design.

Gray ceramics are more difficult to select when choosing grouts. The color is neutral, but can be deep and rich. To prevent the interior of the room from looking boring, gray materials are selected for the walls and floors. grout mixtures one or two shades darker than the main background. As a result, the space of the room acquires additional visual volume. Strictly black paste creates reverse effect, against her background facing material looks casual, but general view the interior is dramatic.

The use of gray shades in fashion, the color palette looks impressive in a functional high-tech or minimalist style. It is better to exclude flashy tones and limit yourself to the choice of grout for deep gray tiles. You can experiment with white mixtures, which will appear snow-white against a gray background. Gray plus gray – perfect solution for kitchen splashbacks and bathroom walls.

Strict classics in black require carefully and carefully selecting the grout of ceramic tiles. Glossy black material on the wall is completely excluded, since all dirt and stains are clearly visible on it. It is better to choose black matte tiles or fragments with texture. Which grout to choose for a black finish:

• Wall coverings that do not come into contact with water are treated with a very dark black paste. The tiles look expensive, stylish and luxurious; dirt must be removed immediately.

• For the floor surface, it is recommended to use dark gray mixtures. During wet cleaning, wet gray seams do not look dirty.

• The shade of charcoal softens the drama of the overall composition and mutes the strict black. In this case, the tone-on-tone visual effect works well.

The contrasting grout of black ceramics is white, the tiles look bright, and the geometry of the fragments is clearly visible. Black tile grout is practically not used in combination with bright colors, but red paste is suitable for individual bathroom interiors. Snow-white plumbing helps to dilute some of the gloominess of the black-and-red background.

To give decorative design The interior has an original twist, colored grout is used. It is suitable for pastel, warm, cold, combined compositions. It is important to choose the color of the paste so that it does not contradict the general background of the cladding, but complements or emphasizes it. How to choose the color and shade of grout for colored ceramics:

3. Red ceramics looks quite bold and bright. To smooth out the strong effect, you can combine it with white tile paste.

4. With light pink, delicate greens, and light green ceramics, the white solution accents the attention softly and unobtrusively.

5. Colored bright light tiles acquire expressive contrast in harmony with the dark mixture.

6. To give your eyes a rest when looking at blue and turquoise ceramics, match it with the same grout that is an order of magnitude lighter.

7. To create the most holistic effect for colored ceramics blue choose strictly the same blue grout.

A win-win combination that works on vertical and horizontal planes, – beige grout paste to a brown background. From all of the above, we can draw conclusions: black grout creates the right contrasts, and when paired with white tiles it looks theatrical and dramatic. The gray color of the mixtures is universal, suitable for all finishing options, presented rich palette– light, rich pearl, dark anthracite. Choose flooring mixtures for light-colored floors in dark colors, for a dark coating - gray, since light seams quickly get dirty. Doubtful to use bright colors grout on plain non-colored coatings - yellow-white, blue-black, pink for beige tiles.

On video: Grout changes everything

The mosaic fragments are very small in size, so the colors should not contradict the general background of the artistic panel. When laying mosaics between the elements, a huge number of seams are created. If the mixture clashes sharply with the shade of the glass fragments, the composition will be tiring to look at. But when using monochromatic elements laid in compliance with strict geometry, you need to play on contrasts, otherwise the effect of mosaic masonry will be lost and you will see a uniform, unexpressed surface. How to choose grout for mosaic tiles:

• Gray or colorless mastic will suit any mosaic. The rule works for mirror and glossy compositions.
• The multi-colored panels are quite bright; it is worth choosing epoxy transparent grout with a “chameleon” effect.
• Multi-textured mosaic with patterns looks expressive in all planes - it is better to choose a neutral color for the composition.
• To emphasize textured surface, choose a paste to match. If you need to highlight many small mosaics, use contrast.
• It is important to use grouts with the effect of gold, silver, copper in monochromatic mosaic compositions to emphasize the details.

Craftsmen recommend “trying on” different options before choosing a grout color so that the shade is successful. Manufacturers produce a wide range of decorative mixtures of various shades. Depending on what color is chosen for the beige, black, blue cladding, the tile will sparkle with new colors or lose its expressiveness.

Manufacturers of grout mixtures introduce coloring pigments into their compositions to color the paste for finishing works. The main palette is represented by materials of white, gray, beige, black. Each manufacturer produces its own line of decorative products, so buyers have huge selection to select grout for ceramic tile joints.

Ceresit

A recognizable brand whose products are widely popular among domestic consumers. The manufacturer produces several types of grout with CE markings 25, 33, 40 in a fairly diverse color palette. On the website of the official representative of the company http://www.ceresit.ru/ru/practices/tiling/Grout_colors.html there is a program with which you can simulate the general appearance of the cladding and select best compositions for grouting white and other tiles. The Ceresit range of grout mixtures includes:

1. White, beige, caramel, peach compositions.
2. Mixtures of beige, brown, chocolate colors.
3. Grouts in turquoise, sky, blue, blue, tones.
4. Interesting sand, violet, lavender solutions.
5. Grouts graphite, burgundy, olive, cocoa, juicy greens.

There are many variations, so it’s easy to choose a grout for the floor to match any tile. Ceresit brand compositions do not allow moisture to pass through, are resistant to deformation, and are characterized by minimal shrinkage. There are no problems with pastel and neutral shades - they are identical to the colors indicated on the packaging. Variations from a complex palette after grouting differ from the color on the package with grout.

Litokol

The manufacturer produces cement and epoxy pastes with truly Italian aesthetics and quality. The product range is extensive and varied, including several collections color palette for all types of mixtures https://www.litokol.ru/upload/medialibrary/6c2/svodnyi_-katalog-litokol-_-2018-_-2.pdf. Consumers are offered a choice of:

1. Glamorous shades in bright colors– coral, rose, lime, lemon, red tile grout.
2. Classic range - white halftones, anthracite, titanium, silver, brown mixtures.
3. Metal pastes with a spectacular shine - copper, bright gold, platinum, bronze.
4. Cool colors for blue and blue tiles - crystal, heavenly, pink.

Despite high cost, Litokol grouts are in wide demand, both cement and epoxy. It is important that the color of the seams after drying, which is shown on the manufacturer’s packaging, does not differ from the real result. Even the gray color of cement mastics is presented in four variations. Therefore, you can easily select the desired composition in the Litokol line of grout sealants.

Atlas

The Atlas brand's palette of mixtures includes basic white and black, several successful tones of gray, a rich blue range, spectacular colored grouts - red, green, blue and exotic options. You can choose pleasant azure, pistachio, apricot, turquoise, cornflower blue mixtures. The manufacturer's assortment includes grouts for any ceramics, and for finishing mosaics, colorless sealants are provided that do not interfere with the light perception of the patterns.

Cement products of the Kiilto brand from Finland meet all the wishes of consumers. The mixtures can be used in the kitchen for grouting white tiles, in the bathroom for colored finishes, and for treating seams between mosaic fragments. Stable pigments protect formulations from ultraviolet rays and fading. The color range includes more than thirty shades:

• Pastel green, gray, bright, classic.
• Basic red, brick, orange, pink.
• Basic yellow, sand, brown gray.

You can choose an expressive purple option or give preference to delicate turquoise. How to choose the right grout color is already clear. To get desired result, you need to combine the compatible.

The main feature of epoxy mixtures is high speed hardening and short lifespan of the prepared solution. The mixtures are expensive, and the dried composition is not easy to clean. Therefore, you need to work carefully and immediately choose the appropriate color for sealing the seams. A variable range of epoxy grouts is produced by the Litokol company. If you have no experience working with an expensive and quick-drying composition, it is better to entrust the matter to professional builders. Two-component grouts have the most extensive palette, including sparkles, gloss, mother-of-pearl and other unusual solutions.

The choice of grout mixture to match the color of the tile should be based on the harmony of shades. Colors should not “argue” with the rest of the decor or reduce the advantages of the finishing material. In your work you can use transparent, basic and colored grouts, which give the surfaces an unusual optical effect.

How to choose tile grout by color (2 videos)

Grouting tile joints (22 photos)

True elegance and beauty are, as always, hidden in simplicity. Simple things are always distinguished by their unique elegance, are easily combined with other items, and do not lose their relevance regardless of capricious fashion trends. All of these statements are true for white tiles.

Finishing with white tiles is a classic and quite strict option, but at the same time universal and not boring. White tiles always remain at the peak of demand in interior design and this can be explained by the fact that a white background can easily be made bright by simply decorating it with colored or neutral elements. White color combines perfectly with a variety of color shades.

But when choosing white tiles for finishing floors or wall surfaces, the question often arises - how to choose the color ceramic tiles of such a light shade? Should it match the color of the tiles tone-on-tone or is it better to choose grout in a contrasting color? Is it possible to choose dark grout for white tiles? We will try to answer all these questions in the following sections of the article.

Tips for choosing grout color for white ceramic tiles.

So which grout should you choose for white tiles? Traditionally, tile joints are either made strictly to match the material, or a composition is chosen for them that is as contrasting as possible to the color of the tile. This rule is true for ceramic tiles of any color, not just light ones.

It should be understood that the choice of grout should really be as contrasting as possible, otherwise the seams will appear dirty and untidy. That is, it is strictly not recommended to use beige, cream or grayish grout with white tiles.

Professionals use three variations of grout material with white tiles:

Compositions identical in shade to the tile itself;

Dark gray grout mixtures;

Dark grout.

Colored grout can also harmonize well with white tiles. However, this is a rather extravagant solution, because bright seams will catch the eye and at the same time highlight the slightest defects and unevenness in the laying of the material.

How to choose tile grout by color if you still decide to choose this one bright option? One piece of advice can be given: in this case, the seams of the coating should repeat the shade that is already found in the decoration of the room. For example, to harmonize with the color of furniture or flooring.

Which grout should I choose for white tiles: dark or light?

Dark grout to match white tiles is definitely a practical option. Dark-colored seams will not lose their attractive appearance over time; you will not have to spend time regularly cleaning them from dust and dirt, and accordingly, all maintenance of the lined surface will be simplified.

If practicality is of little interest to you, and you think much more about the aesthetics of the overall appearance, then when choosing a grout color for white tiles, you should be guided by the following criteria:

Seams of a contrasting color will allow you to favorably emphasize the originality of the laying of the material and focus on the geometry;

When laying tiles vertically, dark grout will help make the room visually taller, but at the same time narrower. If you don’t need such an effect, then choose a grout material that matches the tiles.

When choosing the color of the grout material for processing the seams of light tiles, be sure to take into account the general stylistic orientation of the interior. The tandem of dark grout and white tiles looks sharp and daring and is therefore more suitable for ultra-modern styles.

There is one more rule for using black grout with white tiles - there must be other black elements in the interior. For classics, a harmonious combination of light tiles and light grout is more appropriate.

Which grout to choose? -Everyone who has ever dealt with tiles knows that the final hundred diya Its processing is filling the seams. Grout for joints is needed and its necessity does not raise any doubts, but what it should be, how to choose the color of grout for the tiles, how often it will have to be updated - all these questions do not have clear answers. To figure it out, let’s turn to professionals and start with the most important thing - technical characteristics, functions of grout 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 tile covering to fill the joints.

SELECTION OF GROUT -To choose the color of grout for tiles, you need to know what design techniques exist. There are two main options: play with 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 convert special attention for tiles or for you furniture is more important and decorative elements in the room, the choice of grout color depends. If tiles are not the main thing you want to emphasize in the interior, choose a grout that matches the color of the tiles or choose a colorless option. If your goal is to play in contrast, to highlight the tiles, to play up some object in the room, take a bright contrasting grout.

The selection of contrasting grouts should be done by a specialist, as there are a lot of pitfalls here. If you are used to trusting only your taste, use our tips:

CHOOSE THE CORRECT GROUT COLOR

· Do not rush into the purchase under any circumstances. Think it over possible options and imagine the finished interior.

· Take with you a sample of the tiles to which the grout is matched to achieve the perfect match.

· Remember about fashion trends, but be guided by your own taste. Fashion passes, but style remains.

· It is worth purchasing several grouts in small quantities to experiment with what color you will get after complete drying.

· Small rooms are not intended for color experiments and are too dark colors tiles and grout.

Before grouting the seams on the tiles - When choosing several grouts for multi-colored tiles, remember that not all colors combine equally well. There are win-win color combinations that will look harmonious in the interior. But by combining several incompatible shades, you can ruin general impression from 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 surface is perfectly smooth

Consult a professional before combining several different colored grouts. Remember that contrasting grout is used only for rooms with ideal tile laying. The slightest flaws will become obvious if you use a contrasting grout color.

When choosing between light and dark grout, give preference to the 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 refresh tiles of any color, but it is not recommended to use it for floors

Such aggressively stylish combinations of grout and tiles add extravagance to the room

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

Designers think successful combinations beige and chocolate flowers, olive and graphite, pearl, pink and red with gray. A room with white tiles and yellow grout looks very fresh. It’s always sunny and bright in such a bathroom!

If you are a conservative person and experimenting is not your thing, try to choose a grout that is 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 option, about one or two tones, and if for walls, one or two shades lighter.

Professionals advise:

· Buy grout along with the tiles to find a beautiful combination.

· Try applying a little grout to the tiles and let it dry - this will be the final shade of the grout.

· For multi-colored tiles, choose either a universal colorless grout or a grout color that is predominant in the tile.

· For plain tiles, you can choose a contrasting grout color or tone on tone.

· For bright mosaic tiles, you can choose a colorless option, so as not to oversaturate the tile canvas with colors, and for a plain mosaic tile, you can choose a contrasting shade to give greater brightness to the main tone.

· Remember - light grout brings the tile canvas together, and 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 match almost any tile color.

· Do not use either white or black grout for the floor. Both types of grout get dirty too quickly.

The choice of grout should be conscious.

Don’t take what you don’t like, even if you don’t have time to carefully select it, because the right shade of grout will improve the overall appearance of the room, and the wrong color will give the interior a feeling of sloppiness and chaos.

If you doubt your taste, find a collection of tiles with ready-made grout options or ask 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.

MOSAIC GROUT - If you do not assign an aesthetic function to the grout, but use it solely to fill tile joints and prevent fungus and mold, take universal colorless grout. The basis for the manufacture of this grouting material is colorless epoxy resin. Glass, which is also included in its composition, provides a light-absorbing “invisible” effect. Thanks to the unique technical properties adapt to any color and type of tile, it is absolutely invisible. The cost of such 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 influences, has an antimicrobial effect and can be used even for fragile, non-standard types of tiles. It goes perfectly with mosaic tiles and a variety of tile panels.

Colored crystal grout is an ideal choice for multi-colored tiles

Colorless grout goes wonderfully with colored and plain mosaic tiles

Let’s summarize the information received by watching a thematic video, where a specialist will tell you how to choose the color of grout. Craftsmen do not advise choosing grout for a tiled floor in the kitchen to match the color of the wallpaper in the hallway. The right decision would be to choose a grout color that matches the main color of the material where the grout is being made.

Choosing a manufacturer

Having decided on the required grout color, you should 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 we trust them? The main and most popular manufacturers of grout mixtures are Ceresit and Atlas. Each of these brands has its advantages and disadvantages.

German tile grout Ceresit is used for interior and exterior work, for any tile surfaces and is characterized as moisture-resistant, environmentally friendly, resistant to mechanical damage and adverse influences external environment. They are easy to use and cure quickly during use.

Grouting mixtures from the Polish company Atlas can also be used for both exterior and interior work and have a very wide scope of application. They are simple and easy to apply, have a plastic, uniform structure, do not scratch the tile surface 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, use Finnish Kesto cement-based grout mixtures. For reliable protection facing covering Italian grouts from the company are ideal for moisture Mapei, Litokol with polymers. So, you have chosen the manufacturer, what else should you pay attention to when buying a grout mixture?

· for color;

· for expiration date;

· to consumer reviews;

· difficulty of use;

· for resistance to moisture and mechanical stress;

· at cost.

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Tiles - piece finishing material, facing which causes quite natural formation of seams.

A standard grout, or tile grout, allows you to independently seal all the seams between the tiles, which helps to obtain an aesthetic and seamless coating in rooms for various purposes.

The right choice is extremely important and helps not only to independently obtain a decorative aesthetic coating when decorating the surface with tiles or tiles, but also helps to correct some defects when the elements are laid out insufficiently.

The tile grout mixture can be of the cement type or based on reliable epoxy resins, depending on the composition of the material and the intended use.

Cement-based grouts

Grout cement mixtures are dry powdery compositions, which are diluted with liquid latex or ordinary clean water before filling the joints.

If necessary, factory-prepared cement grouts are used, the cost of which is significantly higher than undiluted compounds.

Most domestic and foreign manufacturers of cement grouts use Portland cement as a base, but quality characteristics fugues directly depend on the additives or fillers included in the mixture, with the exception of the base component.

Today, three main types of cement grout are widely used, presented:

• fugues based on Portland cement;
• compositions based on dry hardener substances;
• mixtures based on latex and Portland cement.

The use of cement-polymer and cement-sand joints is important when creating joints whose width is 0.4-0.6 cm. If it contains a mineral filler, the grout allows you to seal a wider and more voluminous space. The advantages of such compositions include strength, ease of preparation and self-application, not too fast hardening and the ability to correct any flaws, maintainability and affordable price. However, cement mixtures are capable of absorbing moisture and shrink noticeably during the drying process, harden for too long and are presented in a poor color range.

Epoxy compounds

Modern epoxy grouts are represented by resins and special hardeners, which allows you to obtain a grout with maximum strength and resistance to almost any mechanical stress.

The cost of such compositions is higher, but epoxy fugue is the only choice if it is necessary to carry out work in shopping centers or stores, as well as in public and socially significant places.

This type of material is not very easy to work with, so it is used mainly by specialists.

The limitation for the use of epoxy fugue is the small thickness of the seam, which does not exceed 5 mm.

The advantages of the epoxy composition are elasticity and absolute waterproofness, the formation flat surface without pores, resistance to detergents and abrasives, non-susceptibility to deformation under strong temperature changes. The surface does not fade or crack, and the compositions are presented in a very rich range of colors and shades, including neon and luminescent mixtures, as well as “metallic fugues” and “chameleon fugues”.

The main disadvantages of epoxy fugue are the difficulty of its application and hardening too quickly, the fairly high price and the certain difficulty of removing the dried composition from the tile surface.

Tile grout: which is better?

Grout mixtures formed on the basis of cement, fillers made of marble chips and fine sand with color pigments and polymer additives are affordable and have good water-repellent properties. Epoxy grouts, which are more complex in their composition, are represented by two components that determine the quality of the grout.

The first substance is a color mixture based on quartz sand or a colored inert translucent filler. The second part of the grout composition in the form of a resin hardener or catalyst elements is responsible for hardening the composition, due to which epoxy grouts belong to the category of high-quality “reactive” mixtures that have practically no restrictions on use.

Grouting process

The exceptional adhesion properties of reactive fugue allow their use as an adhesive for tiles even in saunas or swimming pools. Such mixtures are marked “R2T” and are widely used as joint sealant and for gluing the edges of tiles, forming an aesthetic and monolithic surface with a long service life. Thus, it is epoxy grouts that are currently preferred, do not fade or fade, and allow you to obtain an absolutely waterproof joint space.

If there is no need to obtain a waterproof surface, and there is also no experience in applying grout, then preference should be given to easy-to-use and affordable cement grouting agents.

Choosing a color depending on the color of the tile

The overall appearance of the finish and the aesthetics of the room decorated using tiles or ceramic tiles directly depends on how correctly the color is chosen or the shade of the grout is chosen.

There are several main options for choosing the color of the grout mixture:

• Simulation effect uniform surface thanks to the use of a mixture having a color similar to that of finishing tiles. This option allows you to visually expand the space, so it is most often used in small rooms.
• Highlight effect tiled elements using fugue color. With this option, you need to choose a color of the mixture that contrasts with the shade of the finishing tiles. Best this method suitable when using tiles non-standard shape or with pronounced bright coloring.
• Effect of use grout composition in the same tone as the shade of the tiles. This combination makes the room calmer, without excessive expression.

It should also be remembered that tiles and grout in light colors help connect all the elements of the composition and visual expansion rooms, and dark tiles and grout can visually make the space appear more compact. The use of dark grout on light tiles divides the cladding into several segments, effectively emphasizing only specific interior areas.

White fugue is perfect for finishing any shade, helps to emphasize or mask the boundaries between individual segments, but requires regular and careful care.

Which grout is better to choose for the bathroom?

Tile is a very aesthetic, reliable and durable finishing material, but only if the joint space is properly grouted. In the bathroom, a well-chosen fugue prevents water from getting under the finish and gives the surface a finished and very beautiful appearance.

Experienced tilers recommend giving preference to modern epoxy grouts for the bathroom, which, unlike cement composition, do not collapse under external adverse influences and are sufficiently resistant to contamination. However, for grouting floor tiles Cement fugues can easily be used, which are easy to apply independently and are affordable to the average consumer.

Processing seams with colored grout

When using cement grouting compounds in rooms with high humidity, it is recommended to purchase special water repellents that give the treated surfaces water-repellent qualities.

Price

Today, the leading countries producing grout are represented by Russia, Italy, Poland and Germany. Affordable grout mixtures differ in color and complexity of self-application, but qualified specialists and ordinary users prefer the popular MAPEI brand and Ultracolor Plus grout, created according to the most modern technologies. This fugue is widely used in sealing tile joints when performing floor and wall cladding, and when organizing interior and exterior work.

The price of grouting compounds depends on several factors:

• high-quality cement fugue (2.0 kg) - about 150 rubles;
• plastic cement-sand mixture for thin joints (25 kg) - about 3000-3600 rubles;
• epoxy grout (1.0 kg) - approximately 900-1200 rubles;
• imported decorative fugue (10 kg) - approximately 5-10 thousand rubles;
• polyurethane compounds (2.5 kg) - 2.5-5.0 thousand rubles;
• latex grout joints (2.0 kg) - 350-650 rubles.

It will be quite expensive to purchase modern high-quality furan grout, a kilogram package of which costs approximately 1200-1300 rubles.

The most popular grouting compounds on the domestic market are mixtures produced by the manufacturers Ceresit, Atla, Weber Vetonit, Unis, Litochrome and Knauf.

Conclusion

According to experts, to seal very narrow cracks, it is advisable to give preference to plastic grouts without mineral fillers, and joints up to 0.6 cm are best filled with grouts with fine sand. A joint space that is too wide must be sealed with an elastic joint or plasticized cement grout with a special coarse filler in the composition.