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Question:

How do i colour cement between tiles?

Hello All, I have had fixed dark brown tiles on my bathroom floor, however the guys did a bad job at it, and i can see the white cement in beween the tiles.. and its actually making the whole pattern look bad.. I was wondering if there was any way I could kind of colour the cement filling in between the tiles so that it blends with the colour of the tiles... ?Also any suggestions for removal of cement stains off these tiles? PLEASE Help, i am really in a mess here.

Answer:

There is a product which colors and seals at the same time. Sold in pint bottles. I used a q-tip to carefully paint it on only between the tiles. (remember this will seal it too...so take your time and put care into the application). Go to either Home Depot or Lowes. Look in tile department. It says it is to color grout. But, grout and the white cement (really called either thin set or mastic) is the basically same stuff and will color the same way.
If as you say, the the job is of a poor finish you can rake out the joints using a flat head screwdriver when this has been done thoroughly clean the surface. You can purchase coloured waterproof grout from most DIY or hardware stores. If the grout is in powder form then you will need to put water into a container first, then add the powder stirring as you add it until it is of a thick creamy cosistency. Pour this over the tiles and using a rubber squeegy (the type you would use for cleaning your windows) spread the mix and ensure it goes into each tile joint. If it dries quickly then deal with it approximately 1 sq yard at a time. using a sponge and a bucket of water, clean off the excess grout and rub dry with a clean cloth. This should give you a good finish! As for the removing the cement stains this can be removed using a paint scraper and a scouring pad. Note this should be done prior to you preparing the above for grouting. Good luck.
If this was just done , get them back to redo the areas with the thin set showing through. If this isn t possible the next best thing to do is to dig out the area with the thin set showing and regrout , with the same color of grout. You need to get the same manufacturer of grout or it won t look the same.You just can t go get some grout from any place and think it ll match. Has to be the exact same brand and color.. The last scenario is to stain the whole floor with a grout stain. It works but is a last resort way to cover the thin set. Take off any lumps or excess cement with a plastic or wood scraper. Cement stains ( as long as we are talking glazed ceramic tiles), you can 1 st scrub , dry , with a white nylon pad. After this is done , use an OTC grout and effervescent cleaner. This you mix with water, rinse well. Get the cement stain off before you do any thing with the thin set and grout. Any questions you can e mail me through my avatar and check my qualifications there. GL

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