How to Color Grout Yourself

When it comes to coloring your own grout, the possibilities are endless and the same steps apply, no matter the hue or grout type. This is an easy way to add even more personality to your mosaic pieces than just using ready-made grout colors!

Instructions

1. Choose a color you love from among the acrylic paint color choices available at any craft or discount store. Always buy at least two bottles of the color. Some regularly available brands are Apple Barrel Colors, Delta Ceramcoat and Folk Art. They are very inexpensive and come in small two-ounce. bottles.

2. Buy the grout you will use in Pure White not Snow White. Snow white grout may appear grayish or off-white, which will be a little yellowish. To get the truest, clearest color, you need to start with real white.

3. Mix your grout according to steps provided in the related eHow article "How to Mix Grout for Mosaic Projects." Stop mixing just before the grout reaches peanut butter consistency. Then, when the grout is still a little crumbly, add your paint. It will probably take the entire bottle of paint to achieve the hue you want because the white of the grout will dilute the color. Squirt some color in, mix it up and evaluate.

4. Squirt some more color in and re-mix well if the grout color is too light. If the grout is too wet, add some grout powder, a little at a time, to thicken it up. If the grout is too dry but just the right color, simply add a tiny bit of water at a time until it reaches that perfect-to-use peanut butter consistency.

5. Experiment and adjust the powder, water and paint until the grout and color is just right to begin grouting your mosaic project. Next time, you can experiment further with metallic paints and paints with sparkles for a fanciful effect, as well as darker versus lighter colors.

Tips & Warnings

• When choosing a color, buy the darkest version of the color you want for the end result because the white of the grout dilutes the color when you mix. For example, a dark burgundy paint will turn light pink when mixed with white grout, and hunter green will turn into mint or sage.

• If you want dark, saturated grout colors, you can purchase ready-made ones like navy blue, brown, black and terra-cotta. You can never really create dark grout colors yourself because you are always adding white.

• Black grout (while the messiest) will give your project the gorgeous effect of "stained glass," especially if your tiles are bright colors. Plain white grout always looks fresh and summery no matter what the tile choice.

• Remember some basic grout color choice rules when matching a color to your project: Outdoor projects require darker grouts, like black and terra-cotta, which do not show mildew and dirt. Indoor projects can take any color at all. Choose a color that contrasts with your tile color scheme to really show it off.

• Always keep lots of library books about mosaic projects on hand to get visual inspiration and ideas about different grout color choices.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish