We're building a new house and the contractor put the wrong color grout on the wall/shower of the master bath, but the right color on the floor. They'd like to dye the wall/shower to match the floor and correct the error. I'm concerned that even if they match the color to the floor in the long-term there will be issues, i.e. fading. The grout is a pewter grey color and I'm afraid it won't hold up as well as it should if it was done the right way...plus it will be the most used bathroom in the house. Can anyone help me understand the pros/cons of dying the grout? Or should I make them rip it out and do it all over?

the choice is yours.

it is new construction and you deserve to get exactly what you paid for.

i would tell them to completely redo it, and seal it for the inconvenience they have caused you.

By redoing it, i mean to remove the grout and regrout with the right color.

Dying it could cause bleed through into the tile itself, depending on the porosity of the tiles face finish and edges, and if that happens a complete tearout of te tile wil be required to fix it.

We have tried matching existing grouts with dyes before and although we came close, unless it is black, an exact match is vry hard to get.

In the end it is your money and your house.



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I agree with the above but do have one caveat. In ripping out the grout there is a risk run of damaging a few tiles with the scraping action during grout removal. So what you say, then replace the damaged tile. Ok, not a problem to replace but may be a problem to get them flat with the surrounding tile if the wall behind the tile gets damaged during removal and the integrity of the wall is compromised. And do you have enough of the same caliber and dye lot tile to be replacements? If not then the whole job - tile, cement board and grout will have to be new. Now you run the risk of damaging the tub, and the time delays until you can use the room build and build.
Try the grout colorant route first, there are many good ones out there, price usually being a good indicator unfortunately. These colorants are made to go on tile grout and the coloration is very very good. The additional benefit of a good colorant is that it also acts as a sealer keeping the grout color uniform. AquaMix makes a good line. Also try www.groutdye.com They have a good site and explain the process very well so you can see if this might fit the bill.