Getting/making black grout dark enough for absolute black granite

13 years ago

The darkest grout in Polyblend's line that I see at my tile store in the sample box is 'charcoal' and it doesn't look black-black.

I'm having a lot of absolute black granite 12x12 tile installed and am wondering if there is a better unsanded grout brand to use to get a black color or any recommendations for ensuring the grout is dark enough to look great? (colorfast dye etc.) I like a sleek, consistent look and don't really want defined lines.

The tiles will be close together and tile store guy has already advised don't overdilute.

I see Mapei has not just a "charcoal" but also a "black":

http://www.mapei.us/Grouts_chart.html

And Laticrete has a 'midnight black.'

Tile store guy also said an enhancing sealer can deepen the color a bit. Wondering if I should ask the tile installers to show me the finished product before they seal it, in case an epoxy stain (or whatever its called) would be advisable first.

(Also, if there's any reason TO use a charcoal shade vs. a black-black shade, please advise.)

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Comments (5)

maggie200
13 years ago
Hi C. I just wondered how you worked out your vanity, sink and colors. I am behind on this site and you sure have moved on. Any pictures you can send to us or me of so far, so good?

Maggie here, snooping.
cat_mom
13 years ago
We used TEC XT grout in Raven #941 with our MB porcelain floor tile and the saddle, which is honed and enhanced absolute black granite. The saddle was enhanced prior to installation, so the grout is not enhanced at all.

The grout color looks good with the saddle. Of course, the saddle is only grouted along the edge that butts up against the first row of tile (and where the base of the door jambs meet the saddle). I don't know if it makes a difference whether the absolute black is honed or polished (with regards to the Raven grout match), but it worked well for us.
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cinnamonsworld
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks cat_mom and Maggie, hi and thanks for your interest!

I don't have any pics yet beyond the last batch I posted awhile back as to choices... we're about to order the stuff although I've already got the vanity. The big decisions were whether to tile up the walls or not ... I asked the contractor to go ahead and work into his final estimate that we'll do so ... and the tub. I have a deep old white cast iron tub that I am 90% sure I'm going to have reglazed, because it is a tight fit into the alcove and nothing I'm seeing is really quite as thin and also deep and also cast iron.

So if we do that, bathroom will be:

Black wood vanity, 49" kohler black enamel cast iron vanity top, black tub, black toilet (hoping for Kohler Santa Rosa if the rough-in will fit), and absolute black 12x12 tiles 8' up the wall. Above that will be an off/soft white flat paint section and ceiling, and the door will be that color. Will have a beveled 4'x4' mirror and a beveled-mirror medicine cabinet.

All the fixtures will be brass, and probably the knobs on the vanity too. Going with a couple round brass robe hooks (really knobs) instead of towel racks. Getting a black porcelain recessed toilet roll holder, and will have two 12x12 granite recessed niches in the tub alcove for shower and bath use. Will very likely add an all-glass sliding tub door ... though I'd love to do without that and without a shower curtain ideally ... I'm more of a bath person. (I was thinking I could always stash a shower curtain and rod in the hall closet for shower use occasionally... but most likely will go with the sliding glass door.

I'm going to get a black plantation shutter box for the bathroom window. And for lighting I will likely have a sconce on each side of the vanity with a black silk pleated shade... so there will be soft light and it will go up and down from the sconces. I may add a dimmable recessed light above the vanity but really would like to leave that option open (pre-wired) till I see what that place looks like and how much I have to tinker with lighting to get the soft glowy effect I'm after instead of glare from all the shiny black and brass. :)
maggie200
13 years ago
Boy how you can rattle this off now. That's great. So you picked the black cast iron vanity top.That's where I left off. You have come a long way and hope you share it with me.
You will be so proud. Maggie
cinnamonsworld
Original Author
13 years ago
Aw, thank you so much. It will either be really cool or 'what have I done' and 'that kind of looks like a Model-T bathroom'.

At least... I know my colors won't clash!

Getting/making black grout dark enough for absolute black granite

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maggie200

cat_mom

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Getting/making black grout dark enough for absolute black granite

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maggie200

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