Staining Your Grout
Staining Your Grout

Those looking for a new look for their tiled areas can do one simple thing to completely change the look of the room. Staining your grout will add dramatic appeal without replacing the grout or the tile.

Why Stain Your Grout

People have their grout stained for two reasons. The primary reason is because it looks stained, dirty and old and they want their space to look new again. Staining grout back to its original color is a cost-effective way to achieve that. The second reason people want their grout stained is to change the look of an otherwise boring room. An example would be someone with white tile and white grout opting to staining their grout black, giving the room a chic, modern vibe. Grout can also be stained brown to highlight beige tile or a variety of other colors that can be used as accent colors to your neutral tile. Read on to find out more about the ins and outs of staining your grout.

The Process

You can stain grout yourself. It is a rather simple process, but will take a considerable amount of time to do it right and clean up afterward. You will need a couple of things for the project. The first thing you will need is a stain. Buy a staining product specifically for tile like a grout refresh product that includes a sealer in the mix. These are available at most hardware stores and you probably won’t need to buy more than one or two bottles. You will also need an applicator to stain the grout. You can use a small brush or a sponge applicator. These can also be found at hardware stores.

Step One

The first thing to do is to thoroughly clean your tile and grout. Use a good cleanser and make sure all water spots, soap scum and other problems are removed. Dry the entire area with a towel. **If the tile is older than a year, you will also need to steam clean the grout.

Step Two

It is recommended that you first apply the grout stain to a small test area to see how it looks. It doesn’t matter if you go outside the lines onto the tile but remember you will need to clean it off afterward. The stain won’t saturate into non-porous elements like tile but will seep into porous elements like grout, granite and other types of natural stone. You will need to be very careful if you are working around a porous stone. Use the stain according to instructions. Wait for at least 30 minutes to an hour until the stain is dry. Now, it is time to wipe the excess stain off. Using a water spray bottle, spray a section to loosen the stain. Then, wipe it off with a damp cloth. The stain will look like peeled paint as it comes off. You will need to rinse the cloth repeatedly as you do this. It will get messy and could take a couple of hours to clean the area, depending on the size of the space.

After you have wiped the area down, you will need to go over it again to give some extra attention to details. This is where you make sure grout lines are even and clean. You may need to touch up some areas where wiping removed stain from the grout. Most products advise to wait at least 24 hours before using a shower or getting floor tiles wet where staining was done.

While this is a project that can be done DIY, it may be easier for you to hire a professional to do the work. A professional tile expert will clean your tile, advise you on whether you should replace the grout or if staining will be all you need. Then, they will stain your grout and clean up afterward, leaving you with a beautiful, refreshing space. Hiring a professional will also insure your grout is sealed properly and that will extend its life for years to come.

Leave a Reply