New black floor tiles, grout not fully black

[Richard Payne]

Hello,

I have had a tiler do my bathroom walls and floor. The tile work is good but the grout is not black as it is supposed to be.

The grout used was ultra colour plus black

I've read around on here and from what I gather this is efflorescence. I was told by my tiler to clean the floor with water to get the dirt out caused by the other restoration work going on in the house. He said the floor did not need sealing and I should try using HG shine restoring tile cleaner. This hasn't worked.

I'd love some advice on this as I don't know what I'm doing and my tiler certainly doesn't seem to.

Many thanks in advance,
Richard

 

[Spare Tool]

Might be wrong but looking at your pic seems to me especially round the edges there's white grout been dropped on the floor then washed over turning your black grout grey, did your tiler grout the whole bathroom walls n floor same day?

 

[Dan]

As above. Lots of white stuff might not be grout if you've had other trades wondering around on it and they haven't protected the floor themselves if it's a bathroom/loo they're using or whatever.

You just want to use a grout colourant on it.

You tend to find black is usually more a charcoal anyway. I've never seen a deep black grout.

Is it tiled to a wooden floor of some form? Seems to be Lino in the other room there?

 

[Dan]

That cutting is shocking. And has the "tiler" just whacked grout in the gap between the wall and floor tiles?

 

[Andy Allen]

Mapei is about the only make of grout I've come across that is black...Most others tend to turn out dark grey....or end up patchy..

 

[Richard Payne]

Might be wrong but looking at your pic seems to me especially round the edges there's white grout been dropped on the floor then washed over turning your black grout grey, did your tiler grout the whole bathroom walls n floor same day?

Hi, thanks for your reply. Yes, he pretty much did the whole thing in a day. Up close it doesn't look like white grout, it's more like a white dust, a dust unlike normal dust that I can't get rid of.

 

[Richard Payne]

View attachment 74992

As above. Lots of white stuff might not be grout if you've had other trades wondering around on it and they haven't protected the floor themselves if it's a bathroom/loo they're using or whatever.

You just want to use a grout colourant on it.

You tend to find black is usually more a charcoal anyway. I've never seen a deep black grout.

Is it tiled to a wooden floor of some form? Seems to be Lino in the other room there?

Hi,

I'll try that in an area, thanks for the advice. He put board down before tiling of some sort.

 

[Richard Payne]

View attachment 74993

That cutting is shocking. And has the "tiler" just whacked grout in the gap between the wall and floor tiles?

Yes now that you mention it, he has.

My plumber has done the sealing in the bathroom and that's less than perfect too. Think I'll need to do that again myself. Damn

 

[widler]

Ive never seen a black grout not got lighter on floors after time.
But its probably dust, try a stiff tooth brush in the joints with just a bit of water see if that cleans it.
A word of asvice though, clean the tooth brush after really well, you don't want the black grout on your teeth when u use it again

 

[Richard Payne]

Ive never seen a black grout not got lighter on floors after time.
But its probably dust, try a stiff tooth brush in the joints with just a bit of water see if that cleans it.
A word of asvice though, clean the tooth brush after really well, you don't want the black grout on your teeth when u use it again

I have tried cleaning it a couple of times, not with a toothbrush but with a cloth.

Are there any products I could use to aid the process?

 

[Richard Payne]

Mapei is about the only make of grout I've come across that is black...Most others tend to turn out dark grey....or end up patchy..

Oh dear, so I'm doomed?

 

[Richard Payne]

View attachment 74992

As above. Lots of white stuff might not be grout if you've had other trades wondering around on it and they haven't protected the floor themselves if it's a bathroom/loo they're using or whatever.

You just want to use a grout colourant on it.

You tend to find black is usually more a charcoal anyway. I've never seen a deep black grout.

Is it tiled to a wooden floor of some form? Seems to be Lino in the other room there?

Should I clean the grout with anything special beforehand? And should I deal it with anything after? Is there a particular colorant to go for?

Thanks!

 

[Glynn]

A lot of the problems with dark grout can be traced back to washing off to soon has this will wash out the pigments, less pigments less colour. Though there is no set time for washing off the rule of thumb is to be patient and let the grout firm up in the joints, this could be up to an hour if the conditions are cold, then wash off using as little water has possible. Also when mixing the grout it needs to be a thick paste not a runny liquid, on the packaging there is always a water to powder mix ratio which should not be exceeded.

 

[Glynn]

There is a company in Stockport who specialize in restoring stone and stone floors, maybe they have a product that may help. The company is Tilemaster (not the adhesive manufacturer) or All-stone from Nothop Hall, Flintshire, they make a product call Grout Renue'n'Seal.

 

[Richard Payne]

I've just had another tiler round, he thinks the dirt is within the grout itself, so the previous tiler didn't tidy before hand to get rid of all the dust and now it's embedded in there.

If this is true then I think my best solution would be to stain/dye the grout black.

What's the best black dye to get?

Thanks

 

[Dan]

Universeal Grout Rescue - Colour & Seal 237ml Black £16.50 in stock - next day UK delivery plus Tile Cutters and Tiling Tools

This is a good one. There's a video on there telling you how to apply it too.

 

[AliGage]

I'm sorry but why are you even entertaining the idea of doing this yourself?
Get your tiler back to sort out his mess!

Too much water. Did you say he grouted walls and floors? Did he use the same sponge I wonder?

It is not down to you to buy products, colorants and such to clean up after your tiler.

 

[Dan]

I was on the understanding there was other renovation work going on, so it just hadn't been covered properly by the other tradesmen or whatever?

Seems to be flecks of all sorts on the tiles.

Perhaps need some more photos? Close ups and stuff?

But the "tiler" doesn't appear to be an actual tiler. Seen the cutting?!? Shocking stuff.

 

[White Room]

The chances of getting pure black grout is near on impossible, it can't reproduced...I used some and you will find it's either a very dark brown or a very deep blue but in this case it looks as if to much water has been used to wash or even to early.

 

[John Benton]

Too much water used here for starters. I've used Mapei Black before without any trouble, but its not a pure black, just a very very dark grey. This particular one in the pic is my normal grout manufacturer I use, Benfer. It's blacker than black!!!

 

[Richard Payne]

Thanks for the advice people. Yes he has done a crappy job in places. I'm going back to him to get him to tidy it up.

I'm thinking get him to put some more/ better grout over the top of the existing one. Would that work.

I'm also going to get him to re tile that ugly corner.

Thanks again

 

[Lee@emctiles]

Grout Rescue colour and seal. The best way to resolve this IMHO.

 

[Richard Payne]

I had my head in the sand telling myself they'd done an ok job. Here's some more damning pictures. I'm currently waiting to hear his response.

He kept saying it would clean off but it's clearly white grout. Sloppy

 

[p4ulo]

I think this is probably why I grout the floor last??!!

 

[Dan]

Too much water used here for starters. I've used Mapei Black before without any trouble, but its not a pure black, just a very very dark grey. This particular one in the pic is my normal grout manufacturer I use, Benfer. It's blacker than black!!!

That's a nice black.