This page discusses many issues of "staining" and "coloration":
- STAINING: For clarification of terms, we will define this as when an unwanted spotting has occurred, typically from a spilled liquid. Not to be confused with purposefully applying a coloring "stain" (colorant).
- COLORATION: This is when a chemical, oil, powder, or other treatment has been applied in order to darken, lighten, or otherwise create a wanted change.
Stain: Grout color is mismatched or stained (See below for discussion of surface materials other than grout. )
See also in this Problem Solving section list: "Installation of Surfacing Materials" - "Grouting - How To" page for most of the reasons behind grout color problems.
See also
for the use of sealers to effect color of surfaces.
Stain: Grout or surfacing color needs to be darkened, color is uneven, grout or tile has light staining
First Step:
Remove stains and old sealers as discussed elsewhere in Problem Solving.
Next:
This is what is done by one of the major grout manufacturer's when they encounter uneven color problems in the field:
Choose the appropriate sealer for the surfacing type that has the designation "color enhancing". This will darken surfaces a few shades and tend to mask or even out color differences. Since you have to seal the grout anyway, this can accomplish both purposes at once.
Note: there are a number of grout colorants (paints) on the market designed for grout. They can do a good job to change the color, however, here are some considerations:
- Very labor intensive to apply to grout joints, then clean from tile surface. You are trying to paint the grout only, not the tile.
- The epoxy type paints can have a very small window of time to clean from the tile face. If left too long, it can become very difficult to remove.
- The finish usually looks artificial. It is a matter of your taste and what pleases you. Just consider that normal grout has a somewhat grainy texture with subtle shading of the sand particles. A grout colorant will look like paint on grout, not grout.
Coloration: Surfacing Material Or Grout Has Severe Batch To Batch Color Problems. Problems so bad that it either needs to be color tinted or torn out and there is little to lose by experimenting agressively.
The following applies to installed tile, stone, brick, etc. with batches that do not match in color - and absorbent enough to take a sealer. If necessary, surfaces can be roughened with abrasion (light sanding) or acid etching (limestone, marble, concrete) to enable coloring to absorb. If acid etching, do not use dangerous muriatic acid. Instead, use a strong dilution of Aldon "Grout Residue Remover / Brick and Block Cleaner".
Grout Residue Remover
If the color mismatches are so bad that one of our color enhancing sealers will not be sufficient, there are two options:
- After removing all sealers - use a solvent type color tint to correct color problem. Make a test piece first and stop short of the goal color to evaluate the additional color effect from an Aldon color enhancing sealer. Choose a sealer of low solids - highly penetrating charactor (solvent-penetrating) to assist bonding of the stain to the surfacing. S-B-S Sealer is a good choice for this.
S-B-S Sealer
Premium Stripper,