Backsplash grout drying/color uneven, what to do???

12 years ago

We had new backsplash installed in our kitchen last Tuesday. We chose a 3x6 crackle glazed tile in cream. We wanted light grout lines to blend in with the tile, the tile associate recommended bone. We thought the color was a bit dark but they assured us that it lightens 2-3 shades once dry. After the install we noticed the color seemed a lot darker than what we were wanting but the line at the bottom closest to the granite was the light color we were hoping for. So we figured the rest was wet and would eventually dry to that color. It's been 5 days and the grout is drying unevenly(blotchy, dark right next to light). Has it had enough time to dry, will it stay like this, will it eventually all blend in? What should we do?

Featured Answer

pupwhipped

12 years ago

I had a horrible problem in my bathroom with Customs Prism Sure Color Grout.....ya know, the grout I paid extra for so it would be "the best" with guaranteed color through out. NOT! Light here, dark there,(can you say speckled?) and certainly not Sure Color! We contacted the company, a rep came out, and he did ask that we give it a good three weeks to cure...sometimes that is what it takes. Oh, and he also asked us to spritz it down with water every day or something or other. It didn't help. The route we took was to "stain" the grout with a product they have for this. Customs paid for our tile dude to do this and it was a lot of work. I was very skeptical that it would solve the problem......but it did! The grout looks completely even now. Alas, I can't attest to the durability of it as this is a guest bath in a lake home, and the bathroom has not had much use.

HTH
pup

Comments (7)

txsuszq
12 years ago
The same thing happened to me with my floor. I got all kinds of explanations from the hard water in my area, to the salt in the foundation coming up into the grout, to the grout being mixed incorrectly, etc. After trying multiple fixes with no luck, the grout manufacturer sent someone out to look. He gave us a suggestion. It did not work. At that point the grout manufacturer sent out more people who decided that it was a bad batch. They ended up paying for someone to come in to remove the grout & redo it. This process took about 2 months, but it is now all uniform. I would go back to whomever you bought the grout from to see what they say. If that does not work, contact the grout manufacturer. Perhaps someone will chime in with some suggestions other then chipping it out & starting over. Good luck!
barbcollins
12 years ago
"but the line at the bottom closest to the granite was the light color we were hoping for."

Are you talking about where your backsplash meets the granite? If so that probably is not grout. I should be caulked. That might be why the color is different.
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alexism
Original Author
12 years ago
TX- Thanks for the advice but I'm really hoping it doesn't have to come to that, fingers crossed :)

Barb- Actually, it is grout around the perimeter ( the new tile wasn't as thick as the previous tile and the granite installers had put the granite over the existing tile so there was quite a bit of space left when the old tile was removed)

I left the windows open today and it seems to have helped some but it is drying at a snail's pace.
lazy_gardens
12 years ago
Grout does that, and depending on the local humidity, can take a week or more to dry.

Even in AZ we had to wait a full week for the bathroom tile to be dry enough to seal.
alexism
Original Author
12 years ago
The tile guys have offered to come look at it this week and have offered to re-grout it if necessary. My question is, Will the blotchiness fade evenly once it is fully cured? Should it be dry by now or does it take longer (3 weeks?).Is the lighter grout color near the granite the true color of the grout ? It seems darker and blotchy everywhere else. We live in Houston so I'm wondering if the humidity that lazygardens posted about could be the issue. Any thoughts?

*Also, if they do have to re-grout it should we use a lighter color? The grout used was polyblend in bone. The tile is Emser Cape Code Cristallo Crackle in Artisan Cream, 3x6 tiles with 1/8 " grout line. Our cabinets are painted Benjamin Moore white dove and our granite is similar to delicatus cream/bianco antico.
Fori
12 years ago
If the tile guys are willing to regrout (sounds like good guys!), I'd suggest giving it longer to dry and make a decision later. Maybe they'll have a better idea on how long it should take.

I'd make a joke about Houston, like how it'll take fall to dry out anything there, but you probably have the AC on. :)

Backsplash grout drying/color uneven, what to do???

pupwhipped

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txsuszq

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Backsplash grout drying/color uneven, what to do???

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txsuszq

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