How To Change Grout Colour Using Grout Paint & Seal Grout
Are you looking to spruce up your bathroom or kitchen? Perhaps you need your tiles painting or want to change the colour of your grout. Did you know removing and replacing grout isn’t necessary? You can use a grout colourant. Grouting paint suits most grout types, allowing you to breathe new life into your tiles. You must clean your old grout well before applying grout paint, and to ensure an aesthetically pleasing and protected finish, you should use a coloured grout sealer.
Should I Re-colour Grout Or Replace Grout?
Grout colouring is a simple, effective way of revamping tired tiles. However, you may wonder whether replacing old grouting or re-colouring is best. If your present grout has gotten mouldy or damaged, it may be best to remove it and replace it. Although colouring your current grout is easier, broken or unhealthy grout may be best replaced. That said, you can usually clean grout using grout cream or cleaner. Many kitchen or bathroom cleaners can clean grout and make it look brand new. Once your grout is clean and ready, select your tile grout colour and get to work!
You can apply grouting paint to the tile joints once clean and dry. Be sure to select a grout colour complimenting your tiles and the room's design for the maximum ‘wow’ factor. Most grout paint includes sealer to ensure your grout is protected. This guarantees that your grouted tiles are waterproof and aesthetically pleasing. It is important to remember that grout painting modifies the grout's colour but does not address mould growth, missing grout, or cracks, so a thorough check before you start is always important.
Benefits Of Re-colouring Grout
Re-colouring grout has many benefits over replacing grout. These include:
Cost-effective – Painting grout is much cheaper than replacing it. You would likely have to pay someone to replace the grout, including their labour and the materials.
Quick and easy – Re-colouring grout provides an instant makeover for your room. It is fast and easy to do and does not require loud, messy or disruptive work. Even when working with large areas, the time it will take is minimal compared to re-grouting.
Boost appeal – A clean and newly painted kitchen or bathroom will instantly lift a setting and impress guests and potential homebuyers, boosting the appeal and maybe even the value of your home.
Preserves existing grout – Painting and sealing grout helps to maintain it, reducing the chance of breaking tiles during removal. It also leaves them waterproof, which extends their longevity.
Customisable – You can match your preferred aesthetic with a wide selection of colours by re-colouring grout, which gives you greater design freedom.
Benefits Of Replacing Grout
Let’s balance the debate by considering the benefits of replacing grout rather than re-colouring it.
A brand new look and feel – you can completely transform a room and even a home by replacing grout and tiling. This could even increase the value and appeal of a property, which is a great benefit when looking to sell.
Professional installation – You will have peace of mind that the grout has been replaced professionally.
Longevity and durability: New grout is more resilient than older grout. Replacing grout can help preserve and extend the lifespan of your tiles.
Improved hygiene - Dirt, bacteria, mildew and mould can thrive on old grout. Changing the grout can create a healthier atmosphere, particularly in bathrooms and kitchens.
Enhanced functionality – Cracked and broken tiles and mouldy grouting could damage the structural integrity of a place. New grout will prevent things such as water damage, mould and cracks.
Pros And Cons Of Both
Re-colouring Grout – Pros
Affordable
Quick and simple
Customisable
Boosts appeal
Preserves grout
Re-colouring Grout – Cons
May not fix issues caused by damage
Need to thoroughly clean grout first
Need to match the colour
Replacing Grout – Pros
New look
Longevity
Hygienic
Durability
Professional installation
Replacing Grout – Cons
Costly
Time-consuming
Disruption
How To Paint Grout With a Grout Sealer
Grout sealer paint is an effective way of painting and transforming your kitchen or bathroom grout. You should always perform a test patch, which will help show how long the product can be left on the tiles. Depending on the tile, you may need to remove the product excess within 5-10 minutes or up to 30 minutes. If left too long, it will be difficult to remove.
Shake the bottle before use. Mix material if using multiple bottles of a single colour for an application to guarantee colour match and consistency. First, clean and dry the grout junction before applying Grout Magic. To apply evenly to the grout joint, squeeze the bottle and use a small, stiff brush or sponge to apply. The project test suggests wiping off extra sealant from tiles within 30 minutes. Work in small sections while applying and cleaning your test patch to determine when to stop and remove extra. Before showering or cleaning the grout, let it dry for 48 hours.
Poor grout colourant application can cause scorching, cracking, and de-bonding of the colour sealer. It may permanently discolour unglazed tiles and natural stone surfaces, so avoid using this product. Grout sealant is intended for internal use only.
What You’ll Need
So, you are ready to re-colour your grout and want to be prepared. Say goodbye to stained grout and prepare to paint over tiles and make them brand new. Follow all product health and safety guidelines and use protective equipment when necessary. Here is your checklist of everything you need:
Toothbrush and cleaner to clean your tiles and joints
Suitable cloth and sponge
Disposable clothes
Smartseal grout magic pre-treatment / cleaner
Grout paint with sealer
Paintbrush or sponge applicator
Smartseal has a range of grout cleaning, re-colouring, and sealing products, so read the information to determine which products are most suitable for you. These can treat tiles and grout on any area's walls, surfaces and floors. The amount of product you will require will depend on the size of the treatment area and the condition. You can always contact Smartseal for advice and browse all available products here at Smartseal.
Scrub the Grout Joints
To prepare your wall or floor for treatment, you must scrub, clean and dry the grout joints. You will need an old toothbrush, a water sprayer, protective gloves, sponges and a cloth. Spray grout cleaner on the tiles and grout joints and scrub with a toothbrush to remove dirt, mould and mildew.
Try a Grout Sample
You should perform your test once you have thoroughly cleaned the tiles and joints. Smartseal offers samples to make sure people like and buy the right colour. You can choose from a collection of ten colours. Applying with your toothbrush, leave your sample for 15-20 minutes, then spray water to wipe away and view the result.
Use A Grout Cleaner
Here, we tell you how to clean grout in tiles and how to clean grout haze. Samrtseal grout pre-treatment is important as a sealer will not take to a surface if not cleaned or mould is on it. Once you have used the pre-treatment, you can apply Smartseal grout cleaner as per instructions and enjoy fresh, clean tiles and grout ready to be re-coloured.
Apply The Grout Paint
Apply the grout paint in the same way as you did during the sample patch. Some tough areas may require two coats, but only one coat is usually needed. Leave it for 15-20 minutes, depending on the room temperature. If you leave the paint on for too long, it will make it harder to wash away excess paint.
Wipe Any Left Over Excess
After the paint has had time to work its magic, it is time to wash off any excess product. Wipe down the tiles and surface, leaving you with your new grout colour! Once you have wiped the excess paint away, you will know if a second coat is needed.
