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jenmflaherty

Bedrosians Cloe tile spacing/grout

5 years ago

Hi!

I’m installing Bedrosians Cloe tile as my kitchen backsplash. I want to achieve the seamless/no grout look below, but I’ve been advised not to stack them directly on top of each other due to expansion and contraction of the wall as due to temperature changes. Will I still be able to achieve this look (pic below for reference) if I use very small spacers and white grout? If no, how far off will it be? Are there any folks out there who used spacers and white grout? How did it turn out?

Also, grout recommendations would be appreciated! Thank you!

Comments (101)

  • 4 years ago

    We used white grout and white Schluters with 1/16 spacers. Sharing in case helpful to anyone! I had a lot of worry about the variation in the tiles, spacing, etc. and spent a lot of time stressing. In the end, it all came together beautifully. You can see the variation more in the evenings when there is less light. The sheen/texture is stunning and helps pull all of the tones together.

  • 4 years ago

    All the white's we found had a creamy/yellow undertone which I hated. The only clean white we found was Artic White at Home Depot and we used a white metal schlueter. No spacers.

  • 4 years ago

    schluter comes in matte and shinny.


    custom brand arctic white grout is grey-blue-white. it is my go-to grout when i don't want any yellow undertone, but I would not call it true white. It depends what tile it is up against, but it leans very cool. not neutral. there are a lot of warm tones in cloe, if you have warm colors or metals in the space, may not be the best choice for everyone.


    i used "ash" grout in my laundry room with cloe and it is another good chioce if you don't want white contrast or warm white. it was the best match to have it disappear with my lighting and space.


    for backsplash trim, I used the matching bedrosians cloe pencil liner, personally i didn't like the schlueter against the tile. I would like it in a shower or more modern application, however.


    if you have a Dal Tile showroom near you, they sell all the colors of custom grout (much more than you find at HD) with the matching tile caulk, as well as various finish options of metal trim.

  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    I ordered the white schluter and was surprised that it was more creamy. The bright white was out of stock so I got the Matte bright white. The matte tones down the bright white just a bit. So many people talk about using the white schluter but I wasn't sure which of the whites they meant.


    I'm also debating between Mapei white vs Mapei avalanche grout.

  • 4 years ago

    We did Mapei grout in Avalanche, Schluter metal white trim & no spacers. Love the way it came out.





  • 4 years ago

    We did Mapei grout in Avalanche, Schluter metal white trim & no spacers. Love the way it came out.





  • 4 years ago

    @realtorjess1081 Your kitchen is beautiful!

    So you used the white not the bright white schluter then? Does it appear warmer? The white one I ordered was creamy, more off white.

  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    Thank you! I am 99% sure we used the white and not the bright white. If memory serves me, when they went to buy it, the bright white was not available but the white was. I am happy with it.

  • 4 years ago

    @realtorjess1081 Can I ask you what color your walls are? I have a similar color pattern in my kitchen and like that your walls aren't white either. Thanks!

  • 4 years ago

    @Steph Creen It's Sherwin Williams - Agreeable Gray.

  • 4 years ago

    hi realtorjess1081! i love your kitchen! can you tell me the color of your white cabinets?

  • 4 years ago

    @Steph Creen If you use Benjamin Moore, try Horizon or Grey Owl at 25% lighter. My walls are very similar.

  • 4 years ago

    Thanks @Molly H. We painted our walls Edgecomb Gray, but now I'm wondering if I should go with white grout or warm grey. I don't want it to look too sterile since our cabinets are a warmer white and our walls are a greige.

  • 4 years ago

    Check out custom brand ground in Ash or rolling fog. Bright white is warmer white. I have bright white in kitchen with Simply White cabinets. And ash in the laundry room, almost no contrast with cloe tile.

  • 4 years ago

    @Steph Creen see above. If you choose a warm grey grout, you will have contrast and notice the grout lines. I personally wouldnt like that, want to notice the tile and other elements of kitchen, not grout.

  • 4 years ago


    This is Ash grout.



    And this is Bright White

  • 4 years ago


    Walls in this photo are Grey Owl 25% less, white grout.

  • 4 years ago

    @Molly H. This is what my kitchen currently looks like. We used bright white grout and bright white schluter. The tiles need to be redone due to poor installation so now's my chance to change.



  • 4 years ago

    @beachbabee They are not custom, they are by Fabuwood and the cabinet is from the Galaxy line, and the color is Frost. Sorry I can't give you the paint color!

  • 3 years ago

    my husband just installed this backsplach , i love it! we are grouting this wekend but trying to figure out if we need to seal the tile first? also i dont want the grout to standout so im torn between white or a light grey- any suggestions?



  • 3 years ago

    @Lisa Perez You only need to seal the grout, not the tile. Cloe is glazed tile and sealer should not be applied. You are sealing to protect the grout from stains and discoloring and make it easier to clean. It should be done every 6-12 months, depending on how heavy use and washing.


    If you don't want to see the grout, Custom Brand bright white is a better choice than grey. Make sure you use the matching tile caulk and not grout where the countertop meets the tile, otherwise it will crack.


    Given your white cabinets, white grout will give you the clean white kitchen look if that is what you are after. Not sure what your benchtops will be, however, with farm sink and black hardware, the modern farmhouse look can certainly call for contrating grout. But in my opinion, is not as classic and may date faster than all white.


    If you are worried about keeping it clean, the very lightest greys also are close match to the tile, I used Ash in our laundry room. It almost disappears, but I did not use the whitest tiles and omited them. (I posted photos of both above, but photos are never true to life). But almost all the greys available will give you contrast and you will definitely notice the grout more, and the tile will not be the star. It is a different look and doesn't seem to be what you are after. It also depends on how much natural light and what kind of artifical light you have if you can pull off a grey and not have it pull too much focus.


    If you have tile left, I suggest you make a sample board and try a few different grout options. and hold it up so you can see what it will look like. There is no turning back once you start. If you don't have time or resources for that extra step, go with white (Custom Brand Bright White) and seal it well and often, especially behind cooking zones.


    Good luck.

  • 3 years ago

    Hi, I didnt see anyone mention sanded vs. non sanded grout for cloe tile? I am doing my showers with cloe 2x8 tiles and curious on which grout is best to use? My contractor wants non sanded, but the Bedrosians customer support said sanded would be fine. is there a better answer? thanks!

  • 3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    @Jennifer Cox it depends on the grout join size, 1/8" or more, you typically use sanded. floor applications are usually sanded. if less than 1/8, you use unsanded. I used unsanded for all my shower walls with 1/16-1/8" grout lines. many of the better quality grouts, like Custom, have micro sand in them to prevent cracking, so no reason to use a true sanded grout on a wall application.

  • 3 years ago

    Thank you for the info!

  • 3 years ago

    @Jennifer Cox my pleasure. if available, I'd use "Prism" which has a little sand. scroll up and I described in more detail. i only used true unsanded with marble tile that is soft and delicate and would scratch.

  • 3 years ago

    @Molly H. Ok, I will look for that. Thank you! I was interested in the color ”light pewter” by Lacticrete. Any chance you’d be able to list similar colors to that in the Prism brand?

  • 3 years ago

    @Jennifer Cox Laticrete makes good grout. It is popular and widely available in the pacific NW and other regions, but not as much in CA where I am located. I am not familiar with that color, but with a quick web search, I'd say Rolling Fog is most similar. It is a very light, warm grey.

  • 3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    @Molly H. Hi Molly, im trying to follow along with your advise. I am going to ne putting Cloe in my kitchen, and i want it to be a good warm white with a non yellowing color, the Custom Brand bright white is a good option? Where do I find this line? Or could you provide a link? Thanks!

  • 3 years ago

    hi @Travis Morehouse I would call it more of a neutral white that works with the warm and cool tones in the tile. It isn't a "warm" white per se. But not cool either. It disappears, for the most part, especially if you have undercabinet lighting and provides little to no contrast.


    Custom Brand is available at Home Depot (special order for some colors, but not the basics, like bright white which is on the shelf) and also at Dal Tile. It depends on where you are in the country, there are regional brands that are widely available. They sell matching tile caulk too.


    Good luck.

  • 3 years ago

    @Travis Morehouse Search Custom Building Products. They make one branded Prism and another Polyblend Plus. The brand is known as Custom, (not "Custom Brand"). :)

  • 3 years ago

    Thanks Molly - appreciate all the time you took sharing comments!

  • 3 years ago

    Hi everyone! We are installing white cloe tile in our kitchen but don’t want the kitchen to feel too “sterile”. I’ve been reading through the comments on many cloe posts and am leaning towards laticrete bright white grout.

    Despite the name, it seems like a warmer white? Anyone who has used this color grout, do you agree? Would this be a good option for us?

    If anyone has an other recommendations, I’m open to hearing them.

    Here is one side of the kitchen (we will be replacing the microwave and cabinet above stove with hood and backsplash to the top)
    Counters: viatera Calacatta sol
    Cabinets: SW pure white
    Floors: global gem heartland Champaign

  • 3 years ago

    @realtorjess1018 & Molly H

    What counter top did you use? Looking for something to match chloe white in a dark no natural light kitchen. Any suggestions are appreciated.

  • 3 years ago

    @Mary Laulis - Hanstone Montauk.

  • 3 years ago

    Beautiful!!

  • 3 years ago

    @mary laulis same - Hanstone Montauk

  • 3 years ago

    Thanks!!

  • 2 years ago

    @elizabethking do you have a pic of the artic white? i am debating artic vs bright white and have to make my decision today 😬 Would love your input

  • 2 years ago

    Reporting back on the use of Mapei white grout with our Cloe tile. It looks beautiful on our vanity wall, fresh and bright white, but it has yellowed slightly in the shower. I would not recommend using this grout in an area exposed to moisture consistently. It's a bummer.

  • 2 years ago

    When you take the tile out of the box is there a way to take them out so that they say random in color? We noticed each box has four stacks and are wondering if each stack it a different color? Did you use spacers between the tile? My husband doesn’t think we need them but I bought 1/16” spacers.

  • 2 years ago

    Sonya, unpack ALL of the boxes and randomly spread out all of the tiles. when tiling, grab tiles from diff spots that are laid out. this way it's all random. yes, they are diff shades.

    Also, very important, Make sure all of your tile boxes come from the same dye lot

  • 2 years ago

    How can I tell if they are from the same dye lot? The date?

  • 2 years ago

    sonya, on the side of the box there should be a number. sometimes it will say dye lot, or lot#, but it should be there. or check w/the place where you bought it. they should know

  • 2 years ago

    This all we see.

  • 2 years ago

    ok, see if all of the boxes have the Shade 7F24, and the same date on the box, 2-20-24. this should be when it was fired.

  • 2 years ago

    Thank you. I think the boxes match. Last question. Should we use a white schluter or the white Chloe Bedrosian trim that is meant for the tile?

  • 2 years ago

    Two choices for ends.

  • 2 years ago

    @Jessica J was considering the same from Laticrete bright white or possibly frosty. anyone have any experience with either of these?

  • PRO
    2 years ago

    I am installing a similar tile to Cloe (equipe artisan) ordered a sample of Cloe and the samples are identical. not sure what to do about the big window. we wanted tile all the way around it, but should we just add white schluters on the edges around the window. Might add a wooden sill at the bottom later on.

  • 2 years ago

    We ended using the aluminum schluter, not the tile trim made my their company.