Dyeing grout

[Humphreyp]

So, I have a lot of mica dyes for various epoxy projects I do, including really cool coffee tables.

I'm curious if anyone has dyed their own grout colors? If it worked, and how they did it? More to the point if they used iron oxides or mica, or any other colorant.

I plan on dark green grout on black slate. Why buy it when I have a ton of white grout overhead and colorants.

Pat

[jadnashua]

Darker colored grouts tend to use a grey cement versus white. As a result of using white, to keep the desired cement concentration, it's much harder to get a dark, intense color, but more of a pastel.

Now, if you were using an epoxy, you could color that often fairly clear stuff pretty dark.

Some of it will depend on how fine the color particles are and how fine the cement was milled.

[Humphreyp]

I was just debating using sanded vs non sanded as it's finer aggregate. Idk if a grey base for a deep green might be a starting point. I've assessed I can make ( with tint on hand) 3 3lb batches with what I have based on what I've used for clear epoxy...I've doubled the amount by volume, of colorant, for grout. So, I'm wondering if I can go one white sanded, one white non, and one grey non sanded. I feel the black slate I'm going to tile will take 3lb or less.

[cx]

Saw that title and thought you were fixin' to ask for donations for medical expenses for your poor, geriatric ol' grout and so was prepared to move this to the Mud Box, Pat.

Now that I see what you really want, my response is easy; I got no eye-dee what "mica dyes" even are, so I can authoritatively say, "I dunno."

Hope that was very helpful.

[Humphreyp]

Lol! I saw that. Idk how to edit it.

Mica powder is a concentrated dye. In it's raw form it's a non-active natural element.

[Kman]

I thought the same as CX.

If you have another thread title in mind, let us know and we can change it for you.

[jerrymlr1]

Hi Pat. I have made my own grout for over 20 years. I have only used iron oxide and have used green more than once. I use IO because, to the best of my knowledge, it never fades. Blue, green, and red organic pigments will fade over time. I just looked up mica to see if it's an organic pigment and from what I can tell it is. I did a jacuzzi with dark green grout over 15 years ago. I was just there a few days ago and the grout looks as good as the day it was done.

As for your green grout, I would use white, add the green, and add black to the desired color. After a couple tries at making samples you should get a feel of what to add to get the color you're looking for.

[Humphreyp]

Kman,

Just correct dying to "dyeing grouts" please. Thanks!

Jerry, awesome info! Will update as I go.

[cx]

Well, that won't be nearly as much fun, Pat, but, OK.....