Grout may look like one of the simplest parts of a tile installation, but the technology behind it has changed considerably.
For years, choosing grout often meant deciding between traditional sanded and unsanded Portland cement products. Those grouts are still used today, but modern high-performance cement and epoxy grouts give installers more options for improving color consistency, stain resistance, workability, and overall performance.
Grout is no longer just the material filling the space between tiles. Choosing the right product can affect how an installation looks, performs, and holds up over time.
Quick Answer: How Has Grout Improved?
Modern grout products are designed to address several challenges associated with traditional Portland cement grout.
Depending on the product, newer formulations can offer:
- Better color consistency
- Greater stain and moisture resistance
- Reduced efflorescence
- Less shrinkage
- More flexibility across different grout joint widths
- Faster setting times
- Improved workability and cleanup
- Options that do not typically require sealing
The biggest change is that the decision is no longer limited to traditional sanded versus unsanded grout. Today, installers can match the grout more closely to the tile, environment, and demands of the finished space.
From Traditional Grout to High-Performance Options
Traditional cementitious grouts established the sanded-versus-unsanded categories most people still recognize.
Products such as MAPEI’s Keracolor line represent that traditional approach. Sanded grout is generally used when wider joints need the strength provided by aggregate, while unsanded grout is designed for narrower joints and surfaces where a smoother grout is appropriate.
Those products still have their place, but cement grout can be affected by factors such as mixing, water content, installation technique, and curing conditions. Those variables can influence finished color, staining, shrinkage, and efflorescence.
Modern high-performance grouts were developed to improve many of those characteristics.
One example is MAPEI Ultracolor Plus FA.
Instead of requiring separate traditional sanded and unsanded products for many applications, Ultracolor Plus FA uses a fine aggregate and is designed for grout joints from 1/16 inch to 3/4 inch.
MAPEI describes it as a rapid-setting, polymer-modified, color-consistent, nonshrinking grout. It is also designed to reduce absorption, improve stain resistance, and help address common issues such as efflorescence and inconsistent color.
That represents a significant change in how grout can be selected.
Instead of starting with only “sanded or unsanded?”, installers can consider the overall performance requirements of the project.
Better Color, Stain Resistance, and Everyday Performance
One of the most noticeable improvements in modern grout is consistency.
With traditional Portland cement grout, variations in mixing and cleanup can sometimes affect the final color. Efflorescence can also leave a light deposit on the surface of cementitious grout.
Newer high-performance formulations are designed to make the finished result more predictable.
That matters because grout color has become an important part of tile design. A matching grout can make a tiled surface feel more continuous, while a contrasting grout can emphasize the pattern, shape, and size of individual tiles.
If color is still part of your decision, our guide to how to pick grout color without regretting it walks through matching, contrasting, and neutral options.
Modern grout technology has also improved resistance to everyday wear.
Traditional cement grout is porous, so moisture and staining can become concerns depending on the space. Products such as Ultracolor Plus FA use technologies designed to reduce surface absorption and help prevent water, dirt, and grime from penetrating the grout joint.
That can be especially valuable in bathrooms, kitchens, showers, mudrooms, and other spaces where grout sees regular use.
Epoxy Grout Has Evolved Too
Cement-based grout is only part of the story.
Epoxy grout has long been valued for its low porosity and strong resistance to stains and chemicals. Historically, though, epoxy products developed a reputation for being more difficult to work with than traditional cement grout.
Modern formulations have improved that experience as well.
MAPEI Kerapoxy CQ, for example, uses a color-coated quartz aggregate and is formulated for improved workability and water cleanability.
MAPEI also highlights its resistance to staining, chemicals, cracking, and color deterioration. The product does not require a sealer.
Improvements in aggregates and color technology are an important part of how epoxy grout has evolved. Manufacturers can now focus on performance while also producing more consistent, attractive finished colors.
That makes epoxy worth considering beyond demanding commercial environments. Depending on the installation, it may also be appropriate for residential kitchens, bathrooms, countertops, showers, and other heavily used tiled surfaces.
Is Traditional Grout Obsolete?
No.
The evolution of grout has not produced one product that should be used everywhere.
Traditional cement grout can still be the right choice for many installations. High-performance cement grouts provide additional versatility and performance, while epoxy products can offer another level of stain and chemical resistance.
The advantage today is having more choices.
Instead of forcing every project into the same sanded-or-unsanded decision, installers can select grout based on how the space will actually be used.
Choosing the Proper Grout for the Job
With more options available, choosing grout should start with the installation.
Important considerations include:
- Tile type and surface
- Grout joint width
- Interior or exterior use
- Exposure to water or moisture
- Potential stains or chemicals
- Expected traffic and wear
- Maintenance expectations
- Desired color and finished appearance
- Other materials being used in the installation
The grout that works well for a decorative backsplash may not be the same product selected for a busy shower or high-traffic floor.
MAPEI makes a similar point in its technical guidance on specifying the right grout for the right application.
The goal is not simply to choose the newest or highest-performance product. It is to choose the grout whose characteristics match the tile and its environment.
Choose Grout With the Tile, Not After It
Grout may be installed toward the end of a project, but it should not be an afterthought.
Tile material, surface, size, grout joint, and color can all influence which product makes sense.
That is why it helps to think about grout while you are still browsing the full tile collection instead of waiting until installation day.
Seeing the tile and grout together can help answer both sides of the decision: how you want the finished installation to look and what you need it to do.
Grout Is Only One Part of the System
Even the best grout is only one part of a successful tile installation.
Mortar, membranes, waterproofing, movement accommodation, grout, and the tile itself need to work together.
Southeastern Tile Connection carries tile supplies and setting materials alongside its tile selection, including grout, sealers, adhesives, mortars, and other installation materials.
STC also carries Schluter products for projects that require waterproofing, underlayment, shower systems, profiles, and other installation components.
Thinking about those pieces together helps prevent grout from becoming a last-minute decision disconnected from the rest of the project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is sanded or unsanded grout still used?
Yes. Traditional sanded and unsanded cement grouts still have applications. They are simply no longer the only options. High-performance cement and epoxy products have expanded what installers can choose from.
Is epoxy grout better than cement grout?
Not necessarily. They are different products suited to different applications. Epoxy can provide excellent stain and chemical resistance, while high-performance cement grout can offer versatility, improved color consistency, and easier installation for many projects.
Does modern grout need to be sealed?
It depends on the product. Some high-performance cement grouts and epoxy products are designed so that sealing is not typically required. Always follow the manufacturer’s directions for the specific grout being installed.
When should I choose my grout?
Choose your tile first, but discuss grout before installation begins. Tile type, joint width, location, color, and performance requirements can all influence which grout makes sense.
Grout Has Come a Long Way
The basic job of grout has not changed. It still fills the joints between tile.
What has changed is how much performance can now be built into that small space.
Modern high-performance cement grouts can provide better color consistency, stain resistance, and versatility, while improved epoxy products give installers another option for demanding applications.
There is no single “best” grout for every project. There are simply more ways to find the right grout for the tile, the space, and the way it will be used.
