If you’re worried about the gaps between your tiles, it might be time to fill them up. Grout can fill up the holes and keep your tiles intact. However, you probably have some reservations as to whether sanded or unsanded grout will be best.
Sanded grout is perfect if you want to close up the titles on the floor, as it’s more durable than unsanded grout. However, you might choose to buy unsanded grout if you need grout for polished, high-quality tiles on your wall.
The rest of this article will detail the differences between sanded and unsanded grout and when you should use them. Remodeling your home can be a complex process, but with sanded and unsanded grout, it doesn’t have to be. Read on to learn how you can make grouting easy.
Why Do I Need to Use Grout?
People use grout to fix any gaps that their tile floors and walls might have. At times, dust and dirt particles can get trapped underneath your tiles and cause the tiles to lift.
If you find the gaps between your tiles opening up, you might want to use grout to close them up to avoid damaging your walls or floors. You also want to consider whether sanded or unsanded grout will be best for your tiles.
Grout is a handy tool, and you’ll want to use it for fixing your tiled floor or wall.
What Is Sanded Grout?
Sanded grout is a great way to keep your floor tiles intact.
Sanded Grout as the name already implies – is grout made out of silica sand. Sanded Grout comprises mainly inorganic chemicals, making the product affordable from $10 to $40 depending on the color and quality.
An excellent feature of sanded grout is the diversity of its colors. With sanded grout, you can try new aesthetics or colorful lines between your tiles to spark up some flair to your space.
Where to Use Sanded Grout
Sanded grout doesn’t fare well with polished tiles or tiles placed within the walls. It is better suited with bathroom and kitchen floors.
Pros of Sanded Grout
Sanded grout has several benefits over unsanded grout. Let’s name them:
More Affordable
Sanded grout is usually very affordable. You don’t have to worry about spending hundreds of dollars on expensive grout. You’ll spend less money and be able to use it at a low cost.
Very Durable
Sanded grout can last you a pretty long time. It has low grout shrinkage, which will help the spaces between your tiles stay close together for a more extended period. This low grout shrinkage is especially beneficial if you want to do less work on the floor.
Many different colors
Sanded grout comes in many colors. If you feel like your tiles seem to lack pops of color, sanded grout can fix the problem.
Places Seamlessly In Bathrooms and Kitchens
Sanded grout is the perfect placement for your bathroom and kitchen. It can withstand water or damp environments, and it can make a stunning addition to these rooms with its visually appealing colors.
Works Best With Rustic Tiles
Sanded grout looks fantastic on rustic tiles. Keep in mind that if you’re using polished tiles like marble, this sort of grout isn’t necessarily going to be appropriate. Tiles with a matte finish are also a great choice.
Easy Application
Sanded grout is easy to apply and an excellent DIY method. You don’t have to worry about calling any professional with sanded grout.
You can easily DIY your tiles and mix the grout for simple placement and installation. As long as you know how to work with it, you’ll be proficient in installing your tiles.
Cons of Sanded Grout
There are some disadvantages or cons to using a sanded grout.
Walls Are Not a Good Placement
You can’t place sanded grout on your walls. It doesn’t attach well to walls and will likely look messy if you attempt to do so.
Scratches Easily
Sanded grout can scratch easily. Though this type of grout is cheap and affordable, you get what you pay for. Pets and other incidents that can scratch up your tiles will probably leave a mark. They can scratch through sanded grout quickly, and it might be a downside for your home.
Not Good for Vertical Installation
Sanded grout isn’t a viable option for vertical installation. In addition to not being suited for walls, it can’t be placed vertically, either.
If you were planning on putting your tiles vertically, unfortunately, it likely won’t be effective.
Not Recommended for Polished Tiles
Marble or polished tiles will not work effectively with sanded grout. Even though it is excellent for rustic and matte tiles, it’s unsuitable for shiny, expensive, or high-quality tiles.
What Is Unsanded Grout?
Unsanded grout is also a good way to keep your tiles together and is a little more convenient with the placement that sanded grout.
Unsanded grout is composed of water and cement. It has no sand particles and contains high-quality products, making the product quite expensive, with a gallon costing possibly over $100.
An excellent feature of unsanded grout is how seamless it dries with the tiles and how smooth it appears as a whole. With it, you can be sure that your tiles will look clean and professionally done.
However, unsanded grout offers a limited choice of colors and might not leave much room for creativity or bold aesthetics.
Where To Use Unsanded Grout
Unsanded grout is better suited with quality tiles and can be placed almost anywhere in your home, including your walls.
Pros of Unsanded Grout
Let’s discuss some of the pros of purchasing unsanded grout.
Great for Polished Tiles
You can use unsanded grout on polished tiles. If you have more expensive and quality tile like stone, marble, or ceramic, unsanded grout will be gentle and keep those tiles intact. You don’t have to worry about scratches or screw-ups.
More Placement Options Than Sanded Grout
Unsanded grout gives you so many options for placement. You can place unsanded grout virtually anywhere in your house. Typically, it is more suited for walls and vertical arrangement but can still work well with floors and high-traffic rooms.
Not Prone to Scratches
Unsanded grout is less prone to scratches because it contains high-quality materials. You’ll not have to worry about pets or your tiles cracking under the pressure of the grout.
Looks Great Once Dry
Unsanded grout is also durable and dries seamlessly. It can last you a long time, and you’ll not have to worry about remodeling your floors or walls often. In most cases, unsanded grout comes in darker colors but will dry into a bright, white color that can match most tiles.
You Might Not Need Grout Sealing
Though there’s some unsanded grout that needs grout sealing, there are some products that don’t. You’ll be able to save some time and money because of this.
Cons of Unsanded Grout
There are some disadvantages or cons as well regarding unsanded grout, which we should mention.
More Expensive
Because of the high quality and various benefits, unsanded grout can be costly. A gallon can cost over $100.
Less Options for Color and Design
If you were looking to try some new colors for your tiles or test out a specific look for your house, you’ve lucked out with unsanded grout. It comes with a limited selection of colors.
Instead, unsanded grout mainly comes in neutral colors like white, light shades of beige, and even a very light shade of gray.
If you want some colorful lines between your tiles, consider looking at sanded grout.
Reconsider if Working With Wider Gaps
Since unsanded grout doesn’t have any sand particles, it won’t be easy to fix up broader holes because it tends to be thinner.
If you’re looking for more thick pasting, you might have to apply a little more unsanded grout to see if you can fill in the larger openings.
Sanded vs Unsanded Grout: Which One Should You Buy?
Both sanded and unsanded grout have their benefits and disadvantages. They’re outstanding choices for renovating your floors or walls, and either one will be a valid option for your home.
If you want an inexpensive alternative that is long-lasting, simple to use, and available in a variety of colors, sanded grout is the way to go. If you’re looking for something to install your high-end tiles and want to spend a little extra on high-quality grout that comes in neutral hues, unsanded grout is the solution.
Let’s point few examples:
- Sanded grout is excellent for those who want to save their money and experiment with colors on their floors, but it might not be a good idea if you’re placing tiles on the walls or vertically.
- With unsanded grout, you get dull colors and might stress about wider seams, but it’s also of utmost quality, lasts a long time, and can fit most spaces (including vertical or wall placement).
- Both of them are still relatively durable and will last you a long time. With either sanded or unsanded grout, you’ll not have to worry about remodeling or renovating your floors, walls, and tiles in the foreseeable future.
- Both products are easy to use. If you enjoy doing things yourself without spending money on someone coming over to help you, sanded and unsanded grout will not give you any problems or be complicated to install in your home.
Best Sanded vs Non-Sanded Grout
If you’re looking for recommendations on some of the best grout (sanded and unsanded), I recommend the following products:
Custom BLDG Products Sanded Grout
The Custom BLDG Bone Sanded Grout is an excellent choice for sanded grout.
In addition to being affordable, the Custom BLDG Bone Sanded Grout can be mixed with water and is extremely easy to apply. It is also polymer fortified and guaranteed to make your tiles look fantastic.
Polyblend Non-Sanded Tile Grout
The Snow White Polyblend Ntypegrout. This product is durable, non-shrinkage and doesn’t require latex additives. and is polymer-modified. The product also comes in a neutral color that will likely match your house and tiles well.
