How to Select the Right Grout.

Selecting the right grout adds the finishing touch to the overall appearance of your tile installation.  The color you choose can dramatically affect the look and feel of your tile, making the selection of grout just as important as picking the right tile.

Color Selection

After choosing your tile, the next step is to decide what effect you want.  There are two schools of thought when it comes to choosing a grout color.  One is TONE ON TONE, which means selecting a grout color that is a close match to the tile.  The grout then acts as a background and creates a more uniform look.  You can also choose a shade or tint slightly different from the tile color which will give your installation more depth and interest.

On the other hand, if you prefer to emphasize each tile, you would choose a grout that is a CONTRAST.  The grout then acts as a frame for the tile , giving each one as individual look and the installation a grid effect.

You should also consider where the grout is going to be used.  In a heavy-use area, a dark shade tends to show less dirt.  And always remember to seal grout with proven excellent sealers for ease of maintenance.

You can use our color card to choose the color that bests fits your tile and the look you want to achieve.  Simply place your tile next to the grout color and begin exploring the possibilities.  Of course, with our range of colors, you might just consider picking your grout before you pick your tile.

Care and Maintenance

Now that you've found both the perfect tile and grout, be sure to protect your investment with our proven excellent products, a complete family designed to clean, protect, restore and beautify stone, tile, grout and masonry.  You will have years of beauty ahead.  Easily, Safely and Effectively.

Types of grout:

There are four types of grout - sanded lime-based cementitious, lime-based cementitious unsanded, sanded epoxy-based and unsanded epoxy base. Unsanded grout is typically paired with softer stones such as marble and limestone. Sanded grout is usually used with harder surfaces. You cannot hone and polish if sanded grout has been used with soft stone. Epoxy grout does not need to be sealed because it will not absorb moisture. Epoxy grout is commonly used in restaurant chains.

Tile bathrooms are the #1 problem in commercial buildings. Toilet bowl cleaner is usually used - with little success.

Original grout color is very difficult to maintain with common tile cleaning products. Grout gets dirty and needs to be sealed.

Grout in countertops gets ugly and unhealthy and needs to be cleaned and sealed.

;A heavy duty alkaline cleaner and degreaser, should be used to remove greasy soil from stone and tile floors, kitchen counters, bathroom shower stalls, and other natural stone and ceramic tile surfaces. For extremely stained grout, you can add an Energizer to the solution to bleach the grout while cleaning it.

Directions:

• Test in several inconspicuous area to determine the effectiveness and desired results. Especially test the integrity of the grout in several areas - some problems are hidden by soil - such as cracks, discolorations, bubbles in grout, dark spots, coatings etc. that don’t show up until after cleaning.
   
• Make sure all surfaces to be cleaned are swept or vacuumed to remove loose debris.
   
• Apply mixed solution with a clean mop, towel or sponge - or use the Turbo Hybrid Hard Surface Tile and Grout Tool or the Turbo Floor Tool attached to a high-pressure portable extractor, such as a Hard Surface Cleaning System.
   
• Allow plenty of dwell time for the degreaser to work on the soil.
   
• Agitate with a scrub brush or a floor machine equipped with a nylon grit as needed. NOTE: Nylon grit brushes are only for tiles that won’t scratch!
   
• Remove using a sponge, wet/dry vacuum, extractor equipped with a hard surface tool, or damp mop.
   
• Rinse area well with clean water.
   
• To protect the areas from future soiling and staining, after complete rinsing and drying, apply impregnator sealer, per label instructions.
   
• To restore grout haze and remove grout residue from porcelain and glass only, use an acid-based grout cleaner: Acid-based products will etch most polished marble and limestone surfaces! Apply mixed solution with a brush, sprayer, scrub brush, clean mop, towel or sponge. Agitate with a scrub brush or floor machine as needed. Remove using a sponge, wet/dry vacuum or damp mop. Rinse area well with clean water.

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