When you look at a professionally laid tile floor, what comes to mind first? Its elegance, patterning or sophistication?
Maybe it’s all the above. But it’s certainly not, “Wow! What great looking grout!”
That’s because grout doesn’t get too many kudos, even if it’s a colored type meant to contrast with the surrounding tile. However, grout is incredibly important. Without it, you couldn’t enjoy your tile floors — at least not for long.
What does grout do? Read on to understand the purpose of this humble and unbelievably essential substance.
Grout Keeps Tiles in Place
Imagine if you stuck tiles to your floor with glue. You’d have a tough time figuring out how to get them to look even. Your tiles would also come loose regularly.
Grout acts like porous cement between tiles, keeping them from sliding around. Over time, poorly maintained grout can chip and come out, causing tiles to pop out. However, if you take care of your grout per your installer’s instructions, you can expect years of high performance.
Grout Minimizes Bacteria Buildup
Have you ever noticed dark spaces between tiles in a public restroom? Those areas are where grout either wasn’t laid properly or chipped away. Spaces between tiles can become little germ factories, and you don’t want that.
After having your tile and grout installed, you’ll want to make sure the grout is properly sealed. Laying down a sealant covers even the most porous grout, allowing you to keep your beautiful floor free from invasive bacteria.
Grout Enables You to Create Lasting Symmetrical Patterns
Have a desire for a tiled floor with a mosaic look — or perhaps one utilizing a common pattern like herringbone, pinwheel or chevron? Thanks to grout’s adhesiveness, you can create various patterns with tile and count on them to stay where you put them.
Installers use special spacers to make sure tiles are kept at predictable, desirable distances apart. The grout covers the spacers, providing a smooth connection that brings even complicated floor patterns together.
Grout Can Become Part of Your Tile’s Personality
As mentioned above, sanded, unsanded and epoxy grout can all be dyed. Consequently, you can use your grout both for functional and decorative purposes.
For example, you may want to select a bright grout color that picks up a pattern in your tiles. For something different, you could even use a colorful grout to create the main pattern for your flooring. Talk with your flooring installer about the many options you have with grout. You might be surprised to learn it’s more aesthetically versatile than it seems.
What Type of Grout and Tile Are Best for Your Next Home Improvement Project?
When you decide to pick tile for any floor in your home, remember you’ll need grout to finish the job. After all, it’s the glue — literally and figuratively! — that holds everything together and keeps your floors looking amazing season after season.
At 50 Floor, our flooring experts can bring tile samples to your home so you can see what they’ll look like. We can also advise you on choosing the right grout for your needs. Just set up an appointment today to start your next project.