How to Easily Change the Color of Existing Grout

Today, we’re sharing how to easily change the color of existing grout on a subway tiled backslash!

Do you ever pine over something and then you finally get it and it’s not exactly what you thought it was going to be?

That’s what happened with me and our kitchen several years ago. I’ve wanted a white kitchen for THE longest time.

Like years and years.

If you have someone even the tinest bit resistant to a white kitchen, you sort of have to ease into it until they feel completely comfortable.

First, we installed a white subway tile back splash. Then we painted the kitchen walls before finally painting the kitchen cabinets.

I thought we were probably done.

But as you know, one thing usually leads to another and we ultimately installed and painted shiplap completing the kitchen makeover.

I haven’t regretted painting the cabinets or installing the shiplap, not a single day.

In fact, my only regret was that we didn’t paint them sooner.

How We Decided to Change the Color of the Existing Grout…

Shortly after we finished the subway tile makeover, I started feeling like there was something missing…

…like maybe it was too much white and not enough contrast from the cabinets to the black granite countertops. 

If you’ve been a friend of The Crowned Goat for even a minute, you know white is one of my all time favorite colors…

…and I did dream of having a farmhouse style kitchen for over 7 years…

But I just couldn’t shake the feeling something was amiss.

Choosing the Right Grout Color…

I finally decided the kitchen was missing texture and maybe I needed a bit of color in the form of plants too.

There are plenty of ways to add texture to a space and the kitchen backsplash seemed like the most logical place to start.

After a bit of research online, I headed to Lowes to find a way to change the color of the existing grout on our subway tiled backsplash. 

The original grout color is called Alabaster.

Selecting the Right Product…

I finally settled on product called Grout Recolor in Silverado by TEC which allows you to change the color of your existing grout in just a few simple steps. 

Without a doubt, you’ll want to read and follow the directions on the back of the bottle provided by TEC if you choose to use this project.

How to Easily Change the Color of Existing Grout – Steps…

Using caution and care remove any electrical outlet covers with a screwdriver and place a drop cloth over your countertops and/or surfaces to protect them.

As per the instructions, I shook the bottle well before I started this process.

First, I placed a narrow bead of grout recolor on the grout joint. Then I used a toothbrush to spread the color evenly along the joint with a scrubbing motion working in small sections.

While the grout color was still wet, I wiped off the excess color from the surrounding tiles with a damp towel.

Some of the joints, especially around the corners, were a little tight. So, I had to put the grout recolor directly on the toothbrush before applying.

As you can see, I used a small toothbrush to make the application process a bit easier.

Repeat the process of applying the new grout color and wiping away the excess color until you have all the grout joints filled in.

Keep in mind, depending on what color you’re changing to you may need more than one coat. It was much easier to apply two thin coats than one really thick coat.

We waited about 45 minutes to reapply between each coat as per the instructions on the bottle.

Curing and Drying Time…

After about 4 hours, we wiped down all the tiles with a damp cloth just to make sure there wasn’t any extra residue on them.

We also placed the outlet covers back on all the outlets.

As per the TEC Grout Recolor bottle, the curing time to recolor your existing grout is approximately 7-10 days. 

I’m still surprised at how easy it was to recolor our existing grout. It definitely helped to add another subtle layer of interest to the kitchen too! 

It’s fun to look back and see all the different changes our kitchen has undergone over the years.

So many of our projects started out super small.  But always we always say, even small changes can have have a big impact!

Have you ever used a grout recolor product before? We’d love to hear about your experience! 

Until next time, I’ll see you on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.

A Few Other Posts From Our Kitchen to Enjoy:

• One Room Challenge: Kitchen and Pantry Makeover Reveal 
• How to Organize Your Kitchen Into Work Friendly Zones 
• Kitchen Desk Makeover Reveal 
• Pantry Makeover: How to Stencil Textured Walls
• The Evolution of the Breakfast Nook

Many blessings,

CoCo