Is oyster gray "dark grout" or should I go with natural gray?
I am buying at HD in the AM and I am not sure how dark "dark grout" is.
Tile is off-white porcelain 12x24 neutral/slightly warm. Rental is nice enough that I might live in it at some point, which is why I am asking for help.
Real Estate Investor · Williamson County, TX · Member since 2011 · 1k+ posts · 961 votes
5y
@Patricia Aragon Oyster gray is a great grout color. It is more greige and is just dark enough imo, but it really depends on your tile. Thats why custom prints the color charts in stripes to place it between two pieces of your tile to see if it will look good. I like grout to blend in with the tile. I also like the fusion grout.
With an offwhite 12x24 throughout, any dirty tile grout is going to show more.
I'm interested in this "dark grout" concept to avoid cleaning between rentals and keeping the tile looking like it never needs cleaning, but where on the grout spectrum/what colors do people purchase to achieve this?
Manufacturer tells me that if the grout is "too dark" then the dirt will show (somehow). Is Natural Gray "too dark" then?
Too light and the dirt will show. Is "Oyster Gray" too light then?
The Natural Gray will look like a dark grid. I'm wondering if it is darker than people are purchasing when people say to use "dark grout" to hide dirt.
Contractor · Denver, CO · Member since 2014 · 38 posts · 24 votes
5y
@Patricia Aragon
I've installed lots of tile, often the grout colors most used are what is available on the shelves at HD. If you have a tile supplier near you, you can usually select from any of these Custom (brand) colors. From what I'm gathering, you might want to have a rule of thumb to help you select grout colors so you aren't mired in analysis paralysis in this process. These colors below work with a wide array of tile, and these seem to be the go-to grout colors for many home owners based on the desired grout's color family and shade.
Off-white, light: Antique White
Off-white, medium: Bone
Gray scale, light:. Platinum
Gray scale, medium: Delorean gray
Gray scale, dark: Dove Gray
Beige scale, light: Linen
Beige scale, medium: Haystack
Beige scale, dark: never had it happen, actually.
As far as stain prevention goes, just use an additive when mixing it up. Surface sealer used after install isn't as good, though it won't hurt. Some associates at home depot may recommend the "polyblend plus" (has orange coloration on the bag) because it has additive mixed in to the powder already and you don't have to buy separate liquid additive. But it isn't always DIY friendly as it sets up quickly and pretty hard, leaving a thick haze that can be difficult to remove, especially with rough textured tiles. A liquid additive like the following might be just the ticket: