Oh no, what a bummer. What color is the grout?

They might not have known, but my tile setter would have done a test patch for approval first. The grout can be removed and redone, and it sounds like it would be worth it.

Good luck.

Grout makes a huge difference in glass tiles because of their translucent nature.
In general I like to match the grout to the color of the tile (even for non-glass tiles). I dont like contrasting grout. I test a sample board of tiles first.

What color was your grout? What is the size of the tile and the grout width?

Please post photos and someone may have a solution.

I would be upset too if my vision was not achieved!

Terrible news. so very sad for you.
I wish I had advice but can only send cyber
wishes this all gets better for you.

Well I don't know if this will help or not, but I know there is a grout stain available....maybe test it on a small sample?

"Well I don't know if this will help or not, but I know there is a grout stain available....maybe test it on a small sample?"

Very unlikely to penetrate far enough and evenly enough to fix the problem.

The grout is an off white, I can't remember the exact name of it. I have no experience with grout and tile, and the only examples I had to look at of different grouts were just small sticks that I could hold up next to the tiles. Of course, that didn't really change the color at all. I had seen a sample that had charcoal color grout and didn't like that look at all. Some of the more beige grouts just looked to me like dirty old "used to be white" grout. I don't blame my installer as he has no experience with glass tiles, so wouldn't really have known to do a test patch. He's done a wonderful job with the rest of the kitchen but ultimately is a cabinet guy, not a tile guy. I do think the people who sold me the tile should have given me better guidance. I don't think I dislike it enough to tear it all out - it still looks mostly red - just one of those "if I had only known then..." type of things.

I feel your pain! Seeing your post prompted me to (finally) register. I have LIVED on this forum since October when we first started to plan our re-model. I've learned so much by lurking here. I've quietly celebrated all of the finished kitchens and empathized with all the trials and tribulations. We started demo. on Mar. 3 and are still not done. I think we're in the home stretch, but don't want to get too excited yet. We've had so many unforeseen delays & problems with just about every aspect of our job.

Now, to the point that I wanted to vent about. We finally had our granite and backsplash installed last week. I love the tumbled travertine and the design I made up for the tile guy, but am so upset about the little 5/8 inch glass mosaics I had him use for accents. I had him do some "dots" around the counters and three rows of the glass around a mural behind the cooktop. I fell in love with the sample in the tile store and with the little 12 piece sample I brought home. It WAS a nice combo. of browns and "honey". The mix is called "honey espresso iridescent/non-iridescent blend." Sounds brown, right? It WAS a perfect complement to our granite, travertine, sink, faucet, cabinets, etc. etc.

Well, after it went up and was grouted it looks predominately BLUE! It still looks brownish at night, but all day it's almost completely a lovely iridescent blue. I could just about cry every time I look at it! I'm like you, I don't want to go to the trouble of tearing it out, but am sure disappointed. Yes, the tile store had samples of my granite and cabs. and knew I wanted browns. I don't think it was the grout color, as we used "Alabaster", which looked just like the one in the store. I cannot believe how different that tile looks in my kitchen.

I know how you must feel, after all the thought that goes into the backsplash. I know I labored over that design more than any of the other million decisions I've had to make. No one else seems to think it's a big deal and all say they like it.

Hey, my rant was longer than yours! :-) Sorry to go on so long with my own sob story. I just couldn't resist letting you know that somebody understands.

Kim

There still may be some grout haze on the tile. I remember Bill V. saying that glasstile should be installed with a certain type of thinset. I probably saved the info somewhere.

Welcome kimran!! Glad you're unlurked.

Re the glass tile, and thinking about the instructions that came with mine, it's not only the grout, but the color of the setting bed that's important. For my translucent and aqua glass tiles they recommend mixing bright white grout with a particular application material to get the right color.

I'm guessing that there's white behind Sunschyn's red tiles which is what's making them go pink.

The problem with Kim's is probably more the iridescent part. Iridescence is usually in the blue/purple tones. The more bright and direct light, the more they're going to shimmer blue.

Thanks, Pillog,
I'm glad to be here, finally! I've wanted to join for months, but never got around to it. It seems that every question I've ever had re my re-model has been answered here by reading the posts. What a great resource! Yes, the iridescence must be it. I love blue and had a blue kitchen prior to this re-model, but was really trying to go w/ browns. I guess I just should have done a little more homework. It is beautiful...It must be fate.

Yes, the thinset is white, but when it was on the thinset without the grout it still looked a beautiful red.

Kim - I've hardly posted here, but like you have learned a ton from lurking. I feel exactly as you do. Others say they like it, but its just not what I was going for. I have cherry cabs and the rich tones of the reds/browns in my tile complimented beautifully. And I avoided iridescent tiles for the exact reason you mentioned. But shouldn't the sales people give us a heads up about what our choices will look like in a real kitchen? Like "hey, just so you know, you will see alot of the blue from the irids once they are set on the wall"????

If you use a dark red grout the pink will go away. Red + white = pink. I've seen red tile done with charcoal grout and it looks great. If you don't like that look, do a dark red, or pick up the amber or the brown in the tile, in the grout color.

If you post a clear photo of your tile, and your counter, I will try and show you what it would look like with different color grout doing a mock-up in PhotoShop. Grout changes the look of tile so much.

Do a test board. My GC took one look at my tile selections - I am using glass as accents in both bathrooms and a mosaic that is travertine and glass for kitchen backsplash. He suggested doing test boards right away.

And don't feel bad - I was watching an old DYI episode of Kitchen Impossible and they were doing Amy's kitchen - she is a pro on another show. After her glass backsplash was grouted - she took one look and said she didn't like it and they pulled out all the grout and redid it. And she is a pro!

Do some test boards - figure out what you like and then have it regrouted.

so if I want to go that route...tell me a little more about re-grouting. They can reuse the same tiles or I have to buy more tiles?

I'll try to get some pictures, but I'm at work today so it will have to be later.

Yes, you would think the sales people (mine was a relative in a family-owned chain of tile/stone stores!) not just a kid on a summer job or something; would mention these little tidbits...Good luck if you decide to re-grout your job. :-)

sun... put a shout out to Bill V. one of our resident tile experts or post a question on the John Bridge Forum. They are amazingly helpful over there.

Here is a link that might be useful: John Bridge Tile Forum

Sounds like what you have is grout haze on the tiles that's making them look "pink"

For a DIY'er, try some simple vinegar - it should remove the haze
off of the tiles, and get the color back to what you had originally desired.

test some leftover tiles FIRST with some vinegar to see of the tiles react (which
i really doubt they will), then hit the entire area with the vinegar. as long
as your tile guy did not add tons of latex into the grout, you should be
able to remove the grout film with lot's of elbow grease and vinegar....

wash it all afterwards with clean water

my .02 cents worth

kevin