(BPT) – The visual appeal and functional design of a kitchen or bathroom starts with the floors, which make tile the perfect material for those surfaces. Tile is a logical option for kitchen and bathroom floors when you consider the wide array of sizes, styles, colors and textures available to match the look and feel of any home. In addition, as a durable and low-maintenance material, tile is an extremely attractive long-term choice for many kitchen and bathroom floors.
The importance of grout
The first step in any installation is selecting the right high-performance grout to complement the tile in appearance and quality. The most beautiful tile can be wasted on kitchen and bathroom floors installed with grout that stains easily, is fragile and/or has color imperfections. In fact, fewer areas of a home are more susceptible to dirt, grease, oils, mold, mildew and other stain-producing elements than kitchens and bathrooms. Fortunately, these performance challenges commonly associated with cementitious grouts can be avoided by using an advanced formula, ready-to-use grout like Fusion Pro. A single-component grout, Fusion Pro is stain proof, color perfect and crack resistant. It is ready to apply right out of the pail and cures extremely hard so installation can be completed efficiently.
Choosing a grout color
Once the high-performance grout is selected, the fun part of the installation process begins: choosing a grout color to match the tile. Many grout colors today are inspired by elements found in nature like water, sand and fog, providing a great deal of design flexibility to coordinate with an unlimited variety of tile. The growing popularity of tile with the appearance of wood has driven a trend toward picking a grout color that helps give the floor a single monolithic appearance. Conversely, contrasting the grout color to highlight the tile size, shape or installation pattern can give a bolder look to a floor that is desirable with some homeowners.
Consider these current grout color trends during the selection process:
* Darker brown tones that complement wood-look planks;
* Gray tones that blend well with weathered or distressed tile;
* Subtle blues and greens that play off glass tile;
* Reflective color grouts to dramatically accent tile.
There are lots of useful tools for finding the right grout color, including Custom Building Products’ online grout selector and mobile app, but testing it by installing a small sample area of tile on a piece of cement backer board or other substrate is recommended. With the right tile and grout selected, your kitchen and bathroom floors will be the hero of the house.
