How to Choose the Right Grout Colour
The tiles you choose to fix on your floor or wall play an important part of the overall room design. You should also not underestimate the importance of the grout colour you use. Choose between colours which are complementing or contrasting with your tiles.
Tile grouts come in a variety of colours from light to dark, the majority are anti-fungal and mould resistant, and you basically have two options:
1. Contrasting Grout Colour
This grout is either darker or lighter than the corresponding tile. This will in effect frame each tile. The grout lines will become a feature of the overall tile design. Using small tiles with a darker grout can sometimes appear busy if used over a large area.
Floor Tiles with Contrasting Grout Colours
Galileo Black Floor Tiles with lighter grey floor grout
Montana Floor Tiles with a darker grey floor grout
Bathroom Wall Tiles with Contrasting Grout Colours
Portland Perla Wall Tiles with darker anthracite grout
Tokio Grafito Wall Tiles with lighter grey grout
Kitchen Wall Tiles with Contrasting Grout Colours
Liso Marengo Medium Wall Tiles with lighter cream grout
Liso Beige Medium Wall Tiles with darker anthracite grout
2. Complementary Grout Colour
This grout will be similar in colour to the tile. This will cause the tiles and grout lines to blend together. Effectively, blurring grout lines so that you see a complete swathe of the same colour. This can be useful over small areas to keep the space free of ‘clutter’.
Floor Tiles with Complementary Grout Colours
Slate Nero Floor Tiles with dark anthracite grout
Lounge Beige Floor Tiles with limestone grout
Bathroom Wall Tiles with Complementary Grout Colours
Exclusive Blanco Wall Tiles with white grout
Olympo Crema Wall Tiles with limestone grout
Kitchen Wall Tiles with Complementary Grout Colours
Azulejo Blanco Wall Tiles with white wall grout
What are Standard Grout Colours?
- Wall Tiles – White Grout
- Floor Tiles – Grey Grout
- Black Floor Tiles – Black or Anthracite Grout
Using Pale Floor Grouts
Unless you protect a lightly coloured floor tile grout, it will start to discolour over time. You will need to use a Tile Grout Protector if you are using a light grout colour such as white, limestone, cream or sandstone. This is why you will find most floor tiles are fitted with a standard grey grout.
In my opinion though, you can’t beat a cream floor with a complementing limestone grout. It takes a bit more work afterwards protecting the grout, but the results are worth it.
It is recommended to re-apply a grout protector every 2 years to prevent discolouration.
Tile Grout Colours
Most grout manufacturers such as Ultra and Bostik have stock colours from which to choose, including white, cream, limestone, sandstone, grey, chocolate and anthracite for both wall and floor tiles. With Mapei offering a staggering 21 colours to co-ordinate with your tiles.
Should you need further help or assistance, pop into the Creative Tiles and Laminates Walsall showroom or call 01922 610015.
Hi there
I’m having trouble choosing between white or grey grout, one wall and floor are patterned grey tiles and the rest of the walls are light grey.
Hi Keith
Both choices will work fine, the only difference you would probably find is that the white grout would probably lift the tiles and possibly ‘jump out’ a bit more whereas using a grey grout would tend to blend in more.
How is the natural light in the room? White will keep the design fresh looking.
Is it a large floor space? If so, it may take a while to apply the grout protector.
Are any shower areas used to excess? Grey grout will be more forgiving over time and use.
Using a grey grout is probably more maintenance friendly as lighter grouts do tend to go grey over time unless protected. So if you have any worries over keeping white grouts looking pristine, grey is the colour for you. Saying that, you can’t beat a white grout giving a crisp finish next to a grey tile…..it can look stunning.
I’m sure you’ll make the right choice. If you don’t mind spending a little money extra, buy a bag of grout in each colour. Lay down the tiles with a gap and put in some dry grout between the tiles, this can give you a good idea of how it will look once fitted.
Best wishes
Susan
Please can you suggest what colour grout to use on storm grey tiles for my bathroom
Hi James
With grey tiles I would say that you generally have 3 choices of grout to choose from and the final outlook will differ depending on how light or dark the grey tile is that you have. Your choices would be a white, grey or anthracite grout colour. Choose a white grout to lift the tiles and this would work equally with all shades of grey tiles. Choose a mid grey grout which will most likely blend in with a light or mid shade grey tile and create one swathe of grey. Or choose a darker anthracite which will contrast well with a lighter grey tile but blend in more with a mid to darker grey tile.
You didn’t say whether they are for the wall or floor, but if for the floor just remember to use a grout protector should you use a light white grout.
All the best
Susan
Hi Susan, Good morning. I’ve white tile flooring in my toilets/bathroom. Can I use white or dark colour. Please suggest me the best.
Good afternoon Ravindra
You can always use whichever colour grout you feel happiest with alongside your floor tiling. Of course, the lighter the grout colour, the greater the chance that it will darken and discolour over time unless you use a grout protector. You need to take into consideration maintenance issues as well as your aesthetic preferences. Which will look best with your white floor tiles? Do you want to highlight the grout joints or would you prefer it to be an all over lightly coloured floor?
Personally, in my kitchen which sees greater foot traffic, I have a beige polished porcelain with a grey floor grout. But, in my bathroom, I have white floor grout with white polished porcelain tiles and the grout is protected to keep it looking its best.
I hope this helps.
Susan
Hi. We are having white wood effect floor tiles in our en suite and the OH and I disagree about the grout colour! He says cream and I say light grey or beige to time with the tiles… I said white but now think that will be impractical. Walls are grey with white grout and suite is white… what do you think?
Hi Joanna
I have white polished porcelain tiles with white grout on my bathroom floor (and white tiles with white grout on the wall). I was skeptical about having white grout on the floor (my husband’s choice), but with the light tiles it does keep the whole room bright. I protected the grout with HG Super Protector and although it isn’t as pristine as when it was first laid, it is still pretty close to white (it has been protected twice in 11 years and could probably do with doing again).
You can of course choose darker grout colours and these tend to frame the tiles rather than blending as a whole swathe of colour. A light grey grout to blend with your wall tiles would be a nice option and does save the issue of protecting the grout. You need to decide if you want the floor to be as a whole shade or to make a feature of the shape of the tiles.
I hope this helps.
Sue
Hi Susan!
I am seeking your advice. We are doing our bathroom with a cream marble effect porcelain tile and matching floor tile. I am not sure what colour grout would suit better the limestone or the sandstone? Would it be ok different colour grout (darker i.e. Sand or coffee) on the floor and lighter on the wall ( lime or jasmin) due practical reasons or it would look weird? Also I really would like to add some mosaic. What type of mosaic would compliment the tile in your opinion please?
Hi Neomi
Sandstone grout can appear quite yellow when put next to a lightish tile. We tend to find the limestone grout goes better with more tiles so would suggest this or a jasmine colour as a choice for your wall tiles. You will find that the same tile when laid horizontally and vertically will look different in colour, so I wouldn’t worry so much about having a different coloured grout on the floor to the wall. For instance, most bathrooms will usually have a darker grout on the floor (which is great for practical reasons) and a paler or white grout on the wall.
As for mosaics, some porcelain tiles do have matching mosaics in the range and this is the ideal choice. However, if they don’t having matching mosaics with this particular one, there are some nice glass mosaics in brown, bronze tones that are available. Or you could look towards a natural stone mosaic. You didn’t mention whether the tiles you have chosen are matt or shiny. I’d probably recommend sticking to the same finish as the tiles if you can with the mosaic, rather than having some shiny and some matt.
One thing to consider when choosing mosaics from a different range is the thickness of the tile and the mosaic. Ideally, they should be the same or thereabouts, but if not it is preferrable for the mosaic to be the thinner of the two, so that it is only necessary to build up the adhesive for the mosaic rather than the other way round.
I hope this helps
Regards
Susan
Hi! I’m really struggling to choose a grout for pale grey matte 300 x 100 wall tiles, i want it to be a clean fresh look, It’s a small bathroom 2m x 2m. The floor is tiles in a white/grey wood effect tile. Thank you in advance for your help – jane
Hi Jane
It is a tricky one to decide which colour to use and a real pain if you find you don’t like it and want to change.
If you want a clean fresh look then I would suggest sticking to a traditional white wall grout. It will always lift the tiles once the grout is applied, as it frames each tile. If the grout colour is more in keeping with the colour of the tiles then instead, you will have a swathe of tiles/grout all one colour. You can use a darker grout colour with a paler tile, but probably at times when you are trying to tie in with a darker floor covering or maybe some furniture/fittings.
You sound like you want the room to be light and airy, so a white grout would probably work best. You can always introduce drama or deep colours by the use of accessories – such as towels etc…
If in doubt and you don’t mind wasting a few pounds, buy a bag of whichever colour grouts you can’t decide between. Lay out the tiles, and put some grout powder between the tiles (please do this somewhere you can easily clean up). This is simpler with floor tiles as they will be laid horizontally (as colours do change when fitted vertically), but it should give you some idea of how different it would look by changing the grout colour.
I hope this helps.
Susan
Doing a black n white chequard floor in ceramic large tiles 60 cm / 60 cm
I have bought white grout !!! I’m thinking of changing it to black really not sure
Would love to hear what you suggest
Regards christine
Hi Christine
I would say that aesthetically white will look the best although you will need to protect it from discolouring with a suitable grout protector on a periodic basis. So, for practical purposes black is ideal as you wouldn’t need to protect the grout.
Regards
Susan
hello there, i need an advise on small bumpy cream tiles smaller than a brick which i am using in the kitchen on the wall behind the cooker and back of the sink and i would like to know what colour of grouting i can use, white or light grey?
my kitchen is cream colour with cream appliances, cream stone floor tiles and moonstone grey paint on the walls, and lastly a feature brick wall.
many thanks and much appreciated.
kindest Reagrds
Ranjit
Hi Ranjit
I think it really depends on how strong your feature wall is going to be. If you frame the cream tiles with a grey grout, you don’t want it to be fighting with the feature wall to gain attention and there being too much going on. I’d probably suggest going with grey grout only if it is a fairly muted feature wall. If the feature wall is striking then stick to cream grout, this will keep the smaller brick tiles simple and the feature wall will really stand out.
Hope this helps
Regards
Susan