Have you ever had the perfect stone or tile installation and the only problem was the grout? Your client gets so upset because they had everything pictured perfect in their mind.
"The grout's the wrong shade, its blotchy" and the list goes on - I know you hear the whining as you read this. Well let's think about the problem, what causes grout to shade?
First, keep in-mind that grout is a Portland cement, which means it will cure differently at different claimants, such as heat, moisture, cold and so on. If you walk around your neighborhood and look at your neighbors driveways, you'll see in most cases, uneven color. No one seems to complain about concrete looking uneven or splotchy.
Less is more... Too much water can cause the color pigment to get washed out, make sure your grout is mixed into a peanut butter consistency. Also, make sure you don't over wash the grout during clean up.
Don't drop acid...... Muriatic acid is extremely harsh on grout joints. Using a mild acid such as Phosphoric or a Sulfamic acid is best. These acids will help in removing any grout haze left behind on the tile and wont damage the grout if used as directed by the manufacture. Always wet the grout joints before using any acid. Over use of acid and acidic products will wash away the grout color and eventually eat away the cement in the grout. CAUTION!!!! Don’t use acid on acid sensitive stones, this opens another topic altogether.
Remove spacers.... Leaving tile spacers in the grout joints will cause a couple of problems, 1st - you'll have uneven depths in the grout joint which will cause uneven curing of the grout which can cause the grout over the spacer to be lighter in color. 2nd, if the spacer is too close to the surface, it can cause the grout to be weak and crack over time as people walk over it.
Cover that installation.... Use 40 lb kraft paper to cover the tile job if other trades are still working on the job. Gypsum dust from drywall or plaster is very fine and will fall into the grout joints making the grout color appear to be lighter. Covering the installation will also protect it from other dirt and dust from other construction conditions.
So, how do you fix the job if you have these issues?
Grout colorants – there are a lot of them out there to choose from, you have grout stains, paints and more. Because of my background I’m more partial to talk about their product and will be more than happy to talk to you more specifically outside this form.
Grout colorants can save a job from being torn out and giving you and your client peace of mind. Some colorants go as far as being a sealer as well which is an added benefit for the job. Most colorant manufactures have a set color pallet to choose from, I only know of one that has their 24 standard colors and can match any of the major grout manufactures colors.
My recommendation, contact a restoration company to apply the colorant. These companies have had the training from colorant manufactures on how to use and apply the colorants. All of these manufactures will be more than happy to provide names of contractors that use their product.
