C.J. Braden • 5 Minute Read
Pros and Cons of Black Grout and White Tile Backsplash
In a recent online search, I can see that many people have been asking tons of questions about black grout and white tile. Since my husband and I installed our DIY black grouted kitchen backsplash in Summer 2021, I decided it would be a great idea to share what we like about it, what we don’t like about it, and a little more.
Read on to learn all about our DIY experience with black grout and white subway tile.
Schoolhouse light with black grouted backsplash
We choose to DIY our backsplash since my husband has done it numerous times before. We even made a YouTube video of our tile project in our previous home (see below) showing how easy it is. However, the space we decided to tile in our Sanibel Island home was a much larger space than any of our previous tile projects.
Black and white kitchen
We decided to not only tile the backsplash, but the entire wall behind the kitchen sink. The white cabinets with the slim black handles we installed needed to be surrounded with matching tile and grout. Design-wise, it made sense.
We used Satori brand marbled white tile
We chose a matte white subway tile from Lowe’s that had a bit of gray and black swirled in it. It was like a marbled white tile. I worried that choosing a plain white tile would be overkill with the white cabinets. I also worried that the whites of our cabinets, counters and tile may not match. A tile with a teeny tiny bit of color was exactly right for us.
DIY TIP: Want the look of black grout and white tile but don’t want the long term commitment? Try a peel and stick version.
My husband, installing the kitchen backsplash
My husband did the math and figured out exactly how many tiles we would need. We purchased ours at Lowe’s and the tile came in approximately 12” x 12” sections. The subway tiles themselves were 4” x 1 ½”. We also purchased mortar (to attach the tiles) and pre-mixed black grout. The total cost of the entire project was roughly $300. This is a huge cost savings versus having a professional do it.
White Marbled Subway Tile Backsplash
If you want to learn the process of tiling a backsplash, I suggest reading my article How to Tile a Backsplash. It’s not near as difficult as many would think. You just need to have some time, patience and some measuring and math skills.
Our marbled white subway tile almost all the way installed
After we finished this tiled backsplash, we were very happy with the results. It looks exactly how we envisioned it. However, there are a few pros and cons to using this black and white combination.
Sponging away the black grout
Here are the pros of using the black grout and white tiles:
We love the look. It’s modern and different.
It won’t stain like a white or gray grout. It is dark and will never show any dirt.
Black grout is messy
It would be a great floor grout. Think: NO DIRTY GROUT LOOK!
It’d look great in a bathroom. I wouldn’t hesitate to use it again in other areas of our home.
The black grout didn’t stain the white tiles as my husband tiled. It washed away easily.
Using black grout on our white tile
Here are the cons of using black grout and white tiles:
It shows every mistake. If you don’t get your lines exactly straight, black grout will highlight it.
It shows how thick or thin your grout lines are. We ended up having a thicker grout line at the top of our ceiling (we started at the bottom) and while it looks fine, it bothers me a little. I think we will eventually do a wood ceiling, so that line will be covered, but for now, it’s there. You would have never noticed this if we used white grout.
Black grout and white subway tile
It can stain trim. We used painters’ tape to protect it, but it still stained it a bit. We need to paint ours anyway, but I thought it would be good to note this.
Completed black grout and white subway tile backsplash
It can be time consuming and stressful. If you plan to do this yourself, take your time. My husband did the entire project in a weekend because he took his time, but he stressed about it. He said it was really hard to make sure it was perfect and that made him take even more time with it.
We made our schoolhouse light
It’s messy. Well, most grout is really messy, but black grout is especially messy. Use lots of drop cloths. It stained my husband’s nails for a couple of days too. I was very worried about the black grout staining our white stone countertops, so we covered them in thick contractor paper, then covered them again with some plastic drop cloths. We didn’t stain the counters or floors, so using all the protection worked.
Modern black and white tiled backsplash
If you like this DIY article, we think you’ll love this one: Our Favorite Barn Door Kit.
We love our new tiled wall!
Did you try black grout in your home? Leave us a comment below telling us what your experience was like! We love to hear from our fellow DIY’ers out there.
C.J. Braden is a regular contributor and editor for Carolyn’s Blooming Creations. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery, How To Be Yourself: 3 Little Ways to Get Back To You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.