Help with white grout for mosaic backsplash

12 years ago

Hi All,

Getting down to the finishing touches on the kitchen remodel...

I have glass mosaic tile installed as my backsplash and now it is time for grout. I'd like to use bright white but the fear of god has been put in my head that kitcheny stuff will make the grout not so white in the future. Therefore I am seeking advice on the best approach to keep my white grout white.

I'm not considering epoxy due to the yellowing factor but I am going to do unsanded because of my small spaces. Currently I'm thinking of using laticrete and using the "Admix". Any thoughts or suggestions on this or preferred unsanded white grout for keeping it as white as possible?

Secondarily is the sealer issue. I will have tons of grout lines and can't paint each line individually. Any suggestions on good sealers that I can "paint on" and then wipe off the tile easily? Or should I scratch the sealing process all together?

Thanks all...(How do I include a photo?)

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Comments (7)

gsciencechick
12 years ago
What color are your tiles? You need to be sure you are using the right grout color for your glass tiles, or they will change the color of the tiles. I recall seeing a post where someone used white grout where they should have used tan, and their brown tiles looked pink.

Yes, you absolutely need unsanded because sanded will scratch the tiles.

We have blue glass mosaics with bright white unsanded grout that was recommended to go with the tile.

It has been about 3 years, and I did did use sealer. It looks fine. I just wipe up any splashes right away.
jejvtr
12 years ago
mrm

I would rec posting a pic of the glass mosaic - you will get more traffic/responses.

I personally would be hesitant in using white grout - while you may not experience yellowing(epoxy), you may regret the choice due to maintenance & staining
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kelleg, please forgive me getting a bit off topic by ansewring morton5's question above. I hated how pale the grout turned out on my granite. The installer said that I'd have to dig it out, etc... if I wanted it darker. Since I actually ended up RE-finishing all of my cabinets myself after hiring several other professional painters with no success, I have had to learn more about paint and tricks than I ever wanted to know. So, when it came to glaze...I knew I wanted oil. I also learned to not be so skittish or shy about glazing. I actually like the cabinets more dramatic than I ever thought I would It just feels right. My kitchen table is distressed, counter chairs are distressed, and other cabinets in the house are distressed. Distressed is EASY to do and easy to live with. It's just very time consuming. Back to the grout: originally, it was supposed to be darker grey to hopefully compliment the granite. However, it paled...and got paler. I decided to wait until I had the doors and drawers up, then re-evalute the situation. I felt the same: too pale. So, I tried the glaze on a sample stone with grout that I had. I really did like it so much better. The oil glaze is great. It looks matte, not shiny. It actually is somewhat of a sealer, too. I have NO regrets at all glazing the stone or grout. After seeing what a mess the doors could look like and seeing how the brown wax, looks like tar, made white doors glow, it gave me courage to glaze the tiles. I just can't wait to get the rest of the kitchen done now. I'm almost done, then will post photos. Here is a link that might be useful: original grout color choice on sample card with sample grout
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davidro1
12 years ago
with Groutboost admix, white grout will look good and resist dirt well.
sue_b
12 years ago
use search box for the words how to post pictures and follow the easy instructions.

Easiest is to go to photobucket.com and get your free username and password. Then every pix you want to post here you upload to your photobucket account and then you'll have a link to cut and paste whenever you need it.
uroboros5
12 years ago
The installation instructions for my glass mosaic said that I HAD TO USE SANDED GROUT. Unsanded wasn't an option.

Maybe it's to allow for the coefficient of expansion of glass which may be different from that of ceramic, but that's just a guess.
blondelle
12 years ago
All the high end designer tile showrooms in Manhattan use sanded grout with glass and marble tile. White grout can be harsh and all you see are grid lines instead of the mosaic. Please post a photo of your tile so we can advise.
mrmagic
Original Author
12 years ago
Okay, here's a photo. Natural maple shaker style cabinets with Lagos Blue Ceaserstone. The wall in the background could become a different color.

Sorry for the grainy phone quality:
http://i1238.photobucket.com/albums/ff498/mistamagic1/Snapbucket/41B060DD.jpg

Here's a link to the tile with photos using white grout:
http://www.covefinishings.com/WM01.html

Help with white grout for mosaic backsplash

Comments (7)

gsciencechick

jejvtr

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Help with white grout for mosaic backsplash

Comments (7)

gsciencechick

jejvtr

Related Discussions

davidro1

sue_b

uroboros5

blondelle

mrmagicOriginal Author

COMPANY

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mrmagic
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