Ployblend Grout Renew - An Affordable, Easy Way to Update Grout Color

PageFarmChick
by PageFarmChick
$6
4 Hours
Easy
We built our home in 1985. In 2000 DIY hubby laid ceramic tile directly over cheap vinyl flooring in our two baths, kitchen, dining room and laundry room. We went with a light tile, but for some reason I wanted the grout to be dark. My thinking was that it would hide stains on the grout and help each tile to "stand out". At the time it was a large improvement over the damaged sheet vinyl. Over time, however, the dark brown grout discolored or became "hazy" in places and it just always looked "dirty".
I first became aware of the ability to "paint" grout lines on that wonderful, informative, inspirational tool: Pinterest. After some research I located and purchased Polyblend's Grout Renew in Antique White ( at Home Depot. See for yourself the transformation from "ugly, dirty" grout to a renewed, clean floors!
The Polyblend Grout Renew is a "colorant and sealer" all in one. Each grout line must be painted individually and dries very quickly. The instructions say to use a toothbrush, but I used a medium stiff small stencil brush (or two). My grout was sanded and it "ate" the brushes. You must take care to wipe the product off of any surface that you do not want colored before it dries. I did do a second coat on each of my grout lines for coverage. I painted a section, wiped off any excess, moved on to another section and then backed up to the previous section with a second coat, wiping off excess and then moved forward, until the job was completed. A very tedious process, but well worth it! I used a little over 1/2 bottle of grout renew on two baths. Cost per bottle is approximately $12.00!
These pictures were from a guest bathroom. I've already completed the master bath. The baths had 6x6 tile. Now I move on to the 12x12 tile in the kitchen, dining room and laundry room.
sealer, color,
Update (Nov 2015): We continue to LOVE our updated tile in the two bathrooms. Since posting in 2013, the only issue I have had was where water sat on an area for an extended time and it was obvious that the water penetrated the colorant as it bubbled and rubbed off. This area is where I stand and do my makeup and hair daily. I feel certain that the hairspray I use acted as a sealant and I did not get it cleaned well enough. I have since cleaned and repainted that small area and you can tell no difference from the rest of the floor. Looks Great! I have just completed my dining room (took me a while) and am moving on to my kitchen along with some other renovations in those areas.
Before :(
Tedious, but oh! so worth it!
After!
PageFarmChick
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
3 of 15 questions
  • Bul33347571 Bul33347571 on May 04, 2018

    If you want to add a second coat of poly blend grout renewal how long do you have to wait before you can apply it again?

  • Bul33347571 Bul33347571 on May 04, 2018

    If you want to add a second coat of poly blend grout renewal how long do you have to wait before you can apply it again?

  • Valerie Waddelove Valerie Waddelove on Aug 29, 2021

    Can you use it in showers?


Comments
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3 of 164 comments
  • Laura Laura on Jan 05, 2020

    Love it. It’s beautiful. We pulled up an ugly carpet years ago . I thought by keeping up with the times was better. Boy, do I miss laying on the floor watching tv playing with the kids. My house doesn’t feel cozy since the carpet removal... I’d rather shampoo my carpets than keep scrubbing my grout.

  • Rye Rye on Oct 22, 2021

    Will absolutely try it. Had been cleaning my dirty formerly white grout with a spray bottle with toilet bowl cleaner and water mixed. (Spray the soiled grout, let sit ten minutes, scrub with grout brush or similar stiff brush. Rinse well, keep kids and pets away until dry.) Toilet bowl cleaner is nasty stuff, this new way is definitely worth the money and a try.

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