Black grout was made popular with the rise of Modern Farmhouse Style and it hasn’t started to drop in popularity at all. Today I am going to go over the good and bad about black grout and how to care for it if you do have it.
Modern farmhouse style was made popular with the tv show Fixer Upper. Pairing white subway tiles with black or charcoal grout was a fairly standard practice during this show and many people have used this combination in their own homes.
I have this exact combo in my kitchen. I have white subway tile and dark charcoal grout and it looks amazing with my Carrera marble countertops.
Let’s discuss all the details about this gorgeous color grout.
*This post contains affiliate links. For more details see my full disclosure.
Is black grout a good idea?
If you have ever had a light-colored grout then you know that dirt and mildew can get into it and make it darker. It’s incredibly frustrating to keep light-colored grout clean.
Because of that black colored grout is great for hiding dirt and discoloration! But it’s not completely perfect.
Black grout might hide a multitude of sins but has a tendency to fade especially when exposed to water on a consistent basis. It is very important to keep your black grout sealed to keep this from happening.
Is black grout available?
You can buy black grout at just about any home improvement store. It’s very common, especially with the increase in popularity of modern farmhouse style.
Here is one from Amazon that is a great price and has really good reviews.
- EXCELLENT ADHESION: Adheres to all types of ceramic & mosaic tile
- USE ON WALLS & FLOORS: Adheres to tile, masonry, wood and wallboard
- EASY TO USE: Formulated to a user friendly consistency
- WATER CLEAN UP: Cleans up easily with soap and water
- MADE IN THE USA: Proudly made at our factory in Pryor, OK
If you are a Home Depot or Lowes shopper then you can click on the name in bold and it will take you to a product on each of their websites.
Is it hard to clean black grout?
Black grout is no harder to clean than any other color grout. As I stated before, it hides a lot of things which is awesome.
It’s always best to test a small area first to make sure that your cleaner won’t change the color of the grout.
What is the blackest grout you can buy?
Many manufacturers have black grout and many call it charcoal. Obviously, charcoal is lighter than black but it is very close.
Jet Black would be the darkest color you can buy. If you google it you can find many grout manufacturers that sell this.
Is ready mixed black grout as good as the powder?
There are a lot of advantages and disadvantages to ready mixed grout. First, it’s already mixed and you don’t have to worry about doing it. It saves time!
The negative is that ready mixed grout is more expensive. You are paying for that product to be mixed for you.
One advantage to using the powder is that it can be stored for use on another project. The ready-mixed stuff can dry out and not work for more than one project.
Black grout cons
Black grout with white tile can be absolutely stunning! But with anything else there are some cons about using it.
Black grout can fade especially when it comes in contact with water on a regular basis such as in showers. To prevent fading you need to make sure the grout is sealed regularly.
Black Grout Pen
If you have your heart set on black grout in your wet areas or maybe you inherited it when you bought your house and are having trouble with fading I have a great solution for you! It’s a black grout pen.
This pen allows you to essentially paint over the faded spots and make the black grout black again.
Also if you have a light color grout and want it to be black you can go over it with the black grout pen. You might have to purchase several pens to do an entire kitchen backsplash or shower walls but it’s totally doable.
These pens come in different thicknesses. The 7ml should work for most projects but it’s always a good idea to measure just to be sure.
If you happen to accidentally get some of the black on your tile then you can wipe it off right away with a damp rag. So no need to be perfect, lord knows I am not!
Other Tile and Grout Posts You Might Like:
- How to Choose the Right Grout Color for Your Tile
- How to Tile a Shower Wall
- How to Install a Slate Tile Floor
As a licensed Real Estate Agent and an avid home decorator, I strive to give my clients the very best I can when it comes to staging, selling, and decorating their homes. I have lots of experience with paint color choices and love to DIY my home so I can have everything just the way I want it. I share my ideas and projects with the world in the hopes that I can help others have their homes just the way they want as well.