A grout paint review, plus tips for painting grout.
So, a little while ago, The Non-Consumer Advocate pinned this post about painting tile grout.
I’ve got some seriously funky grout in my house, even though the tile job is only a few years old, and I’ve tried cleaning it with various things like baking soda, vinegar, and spray cleaners.
Nothing really got it looking too fabulous.
I was scared to try painting my grout!
I’d heard of grout paint before, but I thought you had to be super careful not to get it on the tile, and that scared me off from using it.
(I am waaay not precise enough for that.)
After reading the Live, Love, DIY post, though, I realized that this job requires about 93% less precision than I originally thought.
Choosing a color
After I decided this was not going to be a terrifying project, Mr. FG ran out to Home Depot to buy some grout paint.
It’s made by the same company that made our grout, and it comes in all the colors that grout is available in.
You don’t necessarily have to choose a color that matches the original grout, though, because the paint will totally cover over your original grout.
I was most excited to use it in the kids’ bathroom, which has white tile and nearly white grout. At least, the grout used to be white.
Ahem.
How to paint grout
To use the paint, you just brush a small bit onto the grout lines with a toothbrush (of course, I used an old toothbrush, not a brand new one.)
The paint will soak into the grout but won’t soak into your tile.
I found it worked best to let the paint dry a bit and then wipe off the excess.
You can use a paper towel or a rag, and if you let it dry for too long, you can always scrape it off with your fingernail.
I am so very pleased at the difference. I never though I could get my grout to look this good, especially in this spot where my girls had spilled nail polish.
Yay!
Here’s another shot where you can see the difference.
The process is pretty time-consuming, but it can be done in little bits, here and there. (Unlike, say, kitchen cabinet painting.)
This paint is supposed to seal the grout and make it easier to keep clean in the future, but since I’ve only just applied it in the last week, I can’t vouch for that yet.
(see update below!)
Can you mix different colors of grout paint together?
Yes, I think this would work fine as long as you did one batch of mixing. That will help your colors stay consistent.
Does grout paint last and stay clean?
The grout does look good for a while, but it gets dirty over time. It’s not a permanent solution to fresh looking grout (such a thing does not exist as far as I know!)
Can you clean painted grout?
(Updated 2020) I’d say the painted grout is easier to clean than unpainted grout. Since the painted grout is a little more sealed than it would be otherwise, dirt sits on the surface and is easier to remove (vs. dirt that penetrates the porous grout).
Still, after a few years, you should expect to do a repainting job if you want the grout to look really new again.
P.S. A reader used this grout paint on her kitchen floor and sent me before and after photos!
GrannyB
Sunday 27th of October 2024
Previous owners had installed 1.5 inch tiles in our smaller bath, light ivory color with brownish flecks and veins. Nice looking tile. The color of the grout was the color of poop! It looked awful. The larger of our two bathrooms has light colored 10 inch tiles with whitish grout. No amount of cleaning brought that grout back to decent. I used this paint in both rooms. What a huge difference! This was about 5 years ago. Last year I noticed that in higher traffic areas, the paint was wearing thinner and the awful brown seemed to shadow through. I painted over it again. Now, it seems it's happening again. With so much grout in the smaller bathroom, I'm looking for an alternative. Or should I paint again and go over it with a sealer? The larger bathroom, which is used much less, still looks as great as it did when I first painted the grout. It washes well and hasn't peeled or done anything weird. I highly recommend it.
Missy Koch
Saturday 8th of August 2020
If I'm wanting to paint both the time and the grout (not the same color), which do I do first? My kitchen backsplash is a brown/tan mixture and nothing else (including the granite countertops) match it.
Kristen
Saturday 8th of August 2020
I have never painted tile before, but if I were to try that, I'd do the tile first and then the grout.
This particular paint will not stick to most tile, so you'll definitely need some other kind of product for the tiles themselves.
shirley
Saturday 1st of August 2020
Have you ever had a residue remain on the tiles? Maybe the tiles were not wiped quickly enough but a residue was left which picks up dirt easily and is not removed with my steam cleaner. Any suggestions besides scraping with my nails?
Kristen
Saturday 1st of August 2020
If I have extra paint left on the tiles, I just scrap it off with something plastic. Do you have something that's sort of like a plastic spatula that you use to cook with? A plastic tool of that type works great to scrape off excess dried tile paint from the tiles.
Stella Briggs
Saturday 28th of March 2020
I have small tiles on my bathroom floor so the grout lines are thin, does this grout paint wash off your tiles themselves
Kristen
Saturday 28th of March 2020
Yep, as long as your tiles are not absorbent (natural stone would absorb the paint!) you can wipe it off the tile when the paint is wet, or once the paint dries, you can scrape it off.
Maria
Saturday 15th of February 2020
Grout paint is still difficult to clean. I painted my grout with exterior paint and it works wonder. I use my steam vacuum to clean my tile and the paint in the grout stays and easy to clean.
Tina Salafatinos
Friday 10th of April 2020
do you think that would work for tile on the shower floor?