Painting grout will give us a quick way to freshen up our kitchen or bathroom. Thanks to this article you will learn how to paint grout to look great!
Many people still use acrylic paint to paint their grout. However, this is a huge mistake. Unfortunately, bathrooms and kitchens are often exposed to moisture. Acrylic paint can peel over time, so it should not be used for such renovations.
To make the grout last longer, you need to buy a special grout paint. It is resistant to moisture and abrasion. Modern preparations for painting grout are produced on the basis of a high-quality polymer binder. In addition, they have in them special fillers and modifying agents to make the paint extremely resistant
Choose one that is in the form of a pen, because it is much easier to apply it to the grout surface. However, the paint itself is not everything – you should also add pigment to the tube, with the help of which you will get a satisfactory color.
Before you paint your grout with the color of your choice, you should clean and degrease it thoroughly. Grout collects dirt, dust, oil residue and limescale, which does not look very nice
Use a special grout cleaner that will help you clean the grout before painting. It’s a good idea to apply it to the grout at first, and then wait about an hour for it to dissolve all the dirt. You can also use a separate product to get rid of scale from the tiles. It is a good idea to clean the grout with a brush in order to wash it well. For small areas, a toothbrush with hard bristles proves to be ideal
Grout is much easier to repaint with a grout refinisher in a brush or with a special sponge, with which you cover the surface. If you have a dispenser, press the bottle lightly against the grout and move it downwards. After applying about 1 m², let the paint dry for about 30 minutes. After this time, take a sponge with a sharp surface – a dishwashing one would be suitable – and start washing off the excess paint
Keep in mind that the full drying time of the paint is about 2 hours and the hardness of the coating will be reached after 48 hours. Therefore, take your time to wash off the excess paint from the tiles so that it doesn’t remain on the surface
Another way is to cover the grout with a marker pen. It is much easier to use because you can get it in different shades, without having to mix paint with pigment. Apply the tip of the marker to the grout and use it to paint it. You will cover about 200 meters of grout with one marker – so it is extremely economical.
Unfortunately, grout can become much darker over time, which does not look very aesthetically pleasing. On the Internet we can find many patents for lightening or darkening grout, but they can be time-consuming and not bring the expected result. So, it is better to spend this time trying to clean and renovate your grout with paint or touch-up pen.
Remember, however, to clean and dry the grout before applying paint or refinisher to it. The new coating will not last on a damp surface. If you are not sure about the color of the paint, you can apply a small amount of it on a less presentable part of the grout. This way you will find out if the color you choose will coordinate with the tiles and the rest of the kitchen or bathroom.
Main photo: Anna Shvets/pexels.com
