Mapei Avalanche Grout: A Favorite Grout Color For White Tile
If you’re looking for the best option for a lovely white grout that blends seamlessly with white tile, Mapei Avalanche grout has consistently given the best results! You would think that after all of the effort put forth in narrowing down the perfect tile, choosing a tile grout would be an easy choice. However, there are so many color variations that can make or break the look you’re hoping to achieve with your tile project.
For example, one of the most common problems I see amongst white tile projects is choosing a grout that is either too dark or has a yellowish or pink undertone, neither of which will do you any favors if you’re looking for a softer white grout look and more color consistency between the white tile and grout together.
Let’s take a look at a few projects that use Mapei grout in the color “Avalanche”, and I’ll give you a few tips and tricks in choosing the right grout and tile.
Why You’ll Love Mapei Avalanche Grout
If you’re looking to start a new tile project such as a kitchen backsplash or you’re thinking of doing a grout replacement to elevate the look of your current tile, finding the right tile grout is such an important decision!
Grout colorant comes in many different colors- most often in shades of white or gray (they can also be found in shades of brown, beige, navy, black, pink and green). These grout colors make such a difference in how your tile appears- for example, dark gray grout lines against a white subway tile backsplash will give an entirely different look vs a more classic white grout against a white tile.
I’m a huge fan of the latter- a classic white tile, whether it be traditional subway tiles or white zellige clay tiles or thassos white mosaic tiles, combined with a soft white grout. This look is not only timeless, but it gives the most subtle contrast in color, really making the tile be the star of the show, vs distracting the eye with a bolder color.
After numerous projects using various forms of white tile, Mapei Avalanche grout has been the go-to that I keep going back to time and time again. When I was designing both our white subway tile kitchen backsplash that reaches the height of our celling, as well as our kids bathroom shower walls and master bathroom shower walls, I knew I wanted a uniform color look between the textured tile and the grout lines (which also makes the room feel bigger!), and Mapei Avalanche does the perfect job in pulling off the look!
Not only has the white tile grout looked fabulous for years, it has been a breeze to clean for our baby & kids shower wall which gets a lot of use each day!
Mapei Avalanche comes in a few different kinds of grout (here’s a recap from the Mapei product page):
1) Keracolor S Sanded Grout
Premium Sanded Grout with Polymer
“Keracolor S Sanded Grout is a premium-grade, pre-blended, polymer-modified sanded Portland-cement tile grout that requires only the addition of water for mixing. It will grout joint widths from 1/8″ to 5/8″ (3 to 16 mm)”
2) Keracolor U Unsanded Grout
Premium Unsanded Grout with Polymer
“Keracolor U Unsanded Grout is a premium-grade, preblended, polymer-modified unsanded Portland-cement grout that requires only the addition of water for mixing. It will grout joints from 1/16″ to 1/8″ (1.5 to 3 mm)”
3) Ultracolor® Plus FA
Rapid-Setting, “All-in-One” Grout
“Ultracolor® Plus FA – with DropEffect™ technology and CO2 emissions fully offset in the product’s life cycle – is an ultra premium, fine-aggregate, fast-setting, polymer-modified, color-consistent, nonshrinking, efflorescence-free grout for joint widths from 1/16″ to 3/4″ (1.5 to 19 mm). DropEffect reduces surface absorption to help repel water, dirt and grime from penetrating grout joints. Ultracolor Plus FAis specially formulated with MAPEI’s High-Hydrated Cement Technology (HCT™) to eliminate common problems such as color consistency and efflorescence. Along with offering higher polymer content, HCT reduces absorption and increases stain resistance when compared with standard-performance cement grouts.”
- Fine aggregate (FA) allows for narrow joint widths and improved cleanability.
- No efflorescence
- Easy to install and stain-resistant
- Sealer not typically required
4) Mapei Flexcolor CQ
“MAPEI Flexcolor® CQ is a professional-grade, ready-to-use specialty grout for precision commercial and residential installations with porcelain, ceramic and natural-stone tiles. MAPEI Flexcolor CQ can be used to grout interior/exterior tile, and its dense composition helps to prevent water-based stains by providing water repellency to the grout surface. MAPEI Flexcolor CQ is formulated with the latest innovation in quartz aggregate, which ensures color consistency, ease of cleanability and improved workability. In addition, this grout can be used on sensitive tile surfaces once tested, requires no sealer and cures naturally from evaporation of the low level of water in the formulation.
Comparison testing of MAPEI Flexcolor CQ versus traditional Portland-cement grout has verified that MAPEI Flexcolor CQ is 30% more cost-efficient (based on typical rates of installers) and requires 65% less time to install.”
Unless you’re tackling a DIY tile project, be sure to check with your professional tile installer for the best option for the type of grout to use. However, most tile installers know exactly which kind of grout to use for each specific project, and you just need to pick out the right color!
While the Mapei paper color charts (often found as a handout or pamphlet at tile shops), might give you a general idea of color comparison, the plastic sample is highly recommended (call around to find a tile shop that carries these!). It’s so much easier to get an accurate representation of the varying Mapei colors up against a specific tile.
Mapei caulk is also recommended because it comes in all matching Mapei grout colors!
Where To Use Avalanche Mapei Grout (And Where To Avoid)
As mentioned above, Avalanche grout looks fantastic paired with white tile of all kinds- ceramic, porcelain, thassos (white marble), mosaics, and more. It has a brightness, yet a softness that truly complements any white tile, without being too bright. It does not have a yellow or pink undertone, which unfortunately some white grouts do.
And of course, you don’t have to use white tile! Mapei Avalanche can pair beautifully with any color tile, but it really steals the show with lighter colored tile such as lighter colored marble, blue Celeste marble, light blue, pink, or green mosaics, and the list can go on and on!
Mapei Avalanche is easy to clean, so it works well as the grout of choice for a shower wall, bathroom sink backsplash, laundry room tile backsplash, or a kitchen backsplash.
One thing to consider is if you choose to use Mapei Avalanche as the grout for floor tile, it might show bits of dirt more easily, or need more cleaning, depending on how much foot traffic there is. A larger floor tile will not use as much grout as let’s say a small marble herringbone mosaic tile. The less grout you have underfoot, the less there is to clean!
We have used Mapei Avalanche on the floor tile in our kids bathroom project, and I have found it quite easy to keep clean since we have large 12×24 porcelain tiles. However, for our powder room floors that have a small marble herringbone tile, with lots of grout (and lots of foot traffic!), I opted to use another favorite grout color- Mapei Warm Gray.
Mapei Avalanche Grout Color
Let’s take a look at a few projects where Mapei Avalanche grout color was used. It’s a fan favorite for interior designers, a beautiful neutral white that highlights lighter colored tile, and it’s the perfect grout refresh color to brighten up your current tile!
In the picture above, we used Mapei Avalanche as the grout for both the shower niche and the surrounding shower walls, for a consistent white tile white grout look.
Above, here is a close up of the shower niche where the Mapei Avalanche blends nicely with the thassos white marble and the blue celeste marble.
Here is another project where I used Mapei Avalanche with white subway tile for the master bath- I love this for such a timeless look!
Lastly, above shows the Mapei Avalanche white grout between larger gray porcelain tiles that we used as floor tile for the kids bathroom remodel. This gets a lot of foot traffic too, but it is relatively easy to keep clean since there isn’t much grout visible. (You can read more about this Pottery Barn Sausalito Vanity Dupe HERE! And more about the cabinet hardware HERE!)
