Grout: Your Choice

Grout: Your Choice

Tile selection for entrance halls, kitchens, bathrooms, playrooms, mud and laundry room floors and walls is extensive. Consider that not only colour and texture are important to the overall aesthetics to your rooms, but geometric shape and size pulls all the elements of design and functionality together. And so too is your choice of grout.

Grout is either cement-based or epoxy, which is more expensive but resistant to water, chemicals and other stains. Grout becomes more resistant to cracking and shrinking if sand is added to it. Sealant allows grout to breathe – important for light colours and trafficked water-prone areas. Grout kits are available to stain the colour if needed.

Grout either frames the picture on your floor in its entirety – or becomes the frame to each individual tile. It’s the filler, fixer and protection to keep tile edges from chipping.

Some professionals may recommend that you match or blend the grout to your tile colour, allowing the design and colour to predominate and show off the tile.

Darker or contrasting grout not only creates contrast for lighter tiles and highlights complex tile patterns and design – it hides the dirt. The opposite might be true too of darker grout – it may give the impression of being dirty.

Neutral cream, beige and gray grouts are functional and serve a variety of purposes, although consider your high traffic areas like your kitchen and mudroom for example.

Put together a couple of samples to satisfy what type, colour and finish works well for your floors, backsplashes or bathroom walls. Take your time with your choice of grout.