There are two criteria for choosing grout color: the type and color of dirt near the place where the tile is installed, and the appearance, meaning how it works with the tile color. The first criterion is the most important because the wrong grout color gets dirty immediately and will not wash clean.
How to Choose Grout by Color
The main rule: white and beige grout are the two least practical colors. They can be used only in grout joints on a bathroom wall.
White and beige grout only in the bathroom and only on the wall.
In the last photo, you can see the dirt rising through the white grout from the floor onto the wall.
The algorithm for choosing joint color on a kitchen or entryway floor: use grout one or two shades darker than the darkest place in the tile when the tile is not solid-colored, or use dark gray, anthracite grout as the universal option. For tile joints on a bathroom floor, match the darkest place in the tile exactly or use light gray, concrete-colored grout.
Bathroom grout should be lighter because the main dirt there is white mineral spots from dried water, which do not show on light gray.
For bathroom walls, either match the tile exactly, go one or two shades lighter, or use concrete gray as the universal option. Wall grout rarely gets very dirty from anything except dried water.
If you do not want to get into the details, choose concrete-gray grout. It is the most universal.
But I still advise choosing carefully because this is not a minor detail. The tile layout belongs in the same category.
Grout Color for White Tile
White tile is the one case where white grout can be used. Even then, only on walls and outside the kitchen. In a shower area and bathroom, white grout can still handle the wear. In every other room, it will lose its appearance very quickly. White grout is strictly forbidden with floor tile, even white floor tile, in any room.
Even with completely white solid-colored tile, it is better to use light gray or beige grout. Visually, it does not differ much from white, but it gets substantially less dirty. If the goal for some reason is to outline every individual tile, you can choose anthracite grout.
In the photo below, two different grout colors were used where the white and gray sections meet. You cannot see it with the naked eye, but know that this is possible too.
Grout Color for Gray Tile
For gray tile, the rule changes slightly. It is better to use gray grout, but always one or two shades darker on both the floor and walls. With gray, when the grout is darker than the tile, it creates an illusion of additional depth. But do not use completely black grout with gray tile. Although it is counterintuitive, black is much less practical overall than gray.
By the way, beautiful contemporary bathrooms often use gray. It is a current color.
Concrete-gray grout has proven best in bathrooms. Mineral spots do not show on it, and dirty water leaves no marks. Bathroom tile design should also be chosen with practicality in mind. Here is what to look for when choosing tile.
Gray tile and gray grout also work best for a tile backsplash.
Grout Color for Black Tile
Be careful with black tile. Black glossy tile is definitely not recommended because it always looks dirty. It shows the smallest fingerprints and tiniest scratches.
Choose black tile only with texture.
If black tile is installed on a wall that does not contact water, choose the blackest grout possible. It looks luxurious and is afraid only of mineral spots from dried water.
If black tile is installed on the floor, dark gray grout is better. Water always reaches the floor, at least during cleaning, and the floor is rarely wiped dry afterward. In the end, dark gray grout on the floor simply looks cleaner than black. You have probably noticed that this is the main criterion for choosing grout color.
Grout Color for Colored Tile
If you have colored tile, the main rule described above applies. When you cannot find a color you like, which often happens despite the large grout palettes from different manufacturers, choose gray.
It may seem that we suggest gray grout too often. That is because it really is the most practical and universal color, and you are unlikely to regret choosing it. Every other option is some kind of risk.
The main thing about colored grout is that it is needed only for tile of the same color. Never use colored grout with neutral tile. It will look terrible. The photo below has yellow grout with white tile, and it looks questionable:
What Grout Color to Choose for Mosaic
The rule for choosing grout color for mosaic is different: the closer the grout color is to the mosaic color, the better. The reason is the number of joints, which is incomparably greater than with tile. If the grout differs substantially, the huge number of small details will make the eyes ripple.
Gray grout comes to the rescue with mosaic too. If you have colored mosaic and cannot match the grout, simply use gray with the right saturation. Take several samples of gray grout, available at every tile store, and hold them against the mosaic. You will know when the brightness is the same.
Gray is also the standard grout color for mirrored and glossy mosaic.
Grout Color Palettes
Different manufacturers have different color palettes. They overlap on basic colors such as white, several grays, and black, but differ substantially on the others.
Ceresit Grout Colors
Ceresit is the grout most often used in former Soviet countries, although it is not a standard U.S. store brand. It has several types, including CE 33, CE 40, and CE 25. Ceresit CE 40 is used most often and has the broadest color palette. It handles moisture and small movement fairly well, which means it is less likely to crack from minor shrinkage and vibration. It is a decent choice, but the colors have some details.
The neutral colors are clear, and the label on the pail or bag gives you an idea of them. The more complicated colors, such as Jasmine, Crocus, Sahara, and some others, are another matter. After the joints are grouted and dry, the actual color looks nothing like the one on the package.
Maybe the colors differ in principle, or maybe the printing is poor, but the fact remains: choose a Ceresit grout color only after a test application has dried. Yes, this makes the process a little more complicated. But it is better to buy the smallest amount first, apply it, let it dry, and then buy the rest than to grout every joint and be unhappy with the final color.
Litokol Grout Colors
Litokol probably has the broadest range of both grout types and colors. We will mention its epoxy options later because they are not especially popular due to their high price. But its ordinary grout line deserves attention.
Among other things, the Litochrom line includes four shades of our beloved gray. We used all four in one apartment on different surfaces and had no problems with them. Importantly, the label color comes very close to the final joint color after drying. Although Ceresit’s grays caused no problems either.
Litokol C.10 Gray and C.30 Pearl Gray can be used as basic universal grout colors.
Atlas Grout Colors
Another popular grout brand in the source market. It is widely used, and the reviews are generally good. We have no experience with it, so we will simply show the Atlas grout color palette.
Kiilto Grout Colors
Unfortunately, we have no experience using this one either, and I do not want to make things up. But Kiilto has a fairly broad color palette, so we simply show it. If you have used this or any other grout, tell us about it in the comments.
Two-Part Grout
It is very expensive. Epoxy grout is not especially popular because of the price. Besides the cost, it is difficult to apply, remove the excess, and wash. If you have a decent budget and your contractors have experience with epoxy grout, choose it. It is much more resistant to dirt and is not afraid of moisture at all.
Most importantly, epoxy grout comes in a huge number of colors, including glossy finishes, glitter, and even glow-in-the-dark options. Litokol has a broad line of epoxy grout. But all of that is beyond the scope of this article.
Conclusions about what grout color to use:
- Match the tile, darker on the floor and lighter on the walls.
- If you cannot find a match, use gray with the same tone.
- Use white only with white tile, only on walls, and not in the kitchen.
