COLORING GROUT

As a beginner mosaicist, I have always used “natural grey” grout.  I now would like to experiment with custom coloring my grout.

• What brand of grout colorant do you use?

• Where do I purchase the colorant in the Twin Cities?  Online?

• Do you mix the powder color into white grout?

 

     ANSWERS BY GUILD MEMBERS:

• As far as the grout colorant.  You can purchase it online at mosaicsmalti.com . You add the pigment directly to your thinset. I have never used this product so I have no tips.  I do know this is the best way to color your thinset.  Never add paint.

 

• I usually color my grout and have tried several methods.  The most successful for me is to add powdered paint pigments to a purchased grout. I have used several brands of pigment meant for grout or cement and sold at Mosaic on a Stick or even at Menards.  All brands I've tried have worked.

   

  When I want a vivid color I add Gamblin powdered pigments to white grout.  I also alter commercially colored grouts by adding paint pigments to them for a more subtle change.  You can get Gamblin powdered pigments at art stores like Dick Blick or online.  These are fine art materials so they're more expensive, but a little goes a long way.  You can even blend them, like mixing paint, to make other colors, (ie. yellow with a bit of blue makes green).

   

  Mix a small amount of pigment into the dry grout.  Wet a spoonful of it to see if you have the color and intensity you want, and add more pigment if needed.

 

• I bought some colored powders (to mix in white grout) from Delphi glass. They came in a package of ten colors. They have the name Colorants. You mix them in water and then add them to the grout. www.delphiglass.com. You can order a catalog or look this up on line.​

 

• Tints- All is usually considered the highest quality colorant for grout.  You can contact them to find local suppliers:

 

Sheffield Bronze Paint Corporation
17814 S. Waterloo Road
Cleveland, Ohio 44119
Phone: 216-481-8330

    http://www.sheffieldbronze.com/tints-all/

        email: sheffieldbronze@ameritech.net

 

• There are also "natural powdered pigments" available at:  sherriwarnerhunter.com

 

 

WELDBOND AND MIRRORS

I have a question about a mirror I recently made and was wondering if you could help?

 

I glued the mirror on to plywood with weld bond. Will i need to worry about weldbond harming the mirror back at all? And I placed the glass pieces touching so I did not grout. The glass is glued down with weldbond also, what are the negatives to not grouting?

 

I am thinking about selling it but want to make sure it will last for years to come.

 

     ANSWERS BY GUILD MEMBERS:

• I don't  have experience with this yet, but everything that I've read and heard in discussions. over time, it will damage the mirror...it is necessary to use an epoxy or silicon to avoid silver damage.
   

• You can find special mirror mastic for that purpose.  Most other adhesives will pull the silver off over time.