Grout Perfect?

White Collar

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Jan 22, 2008
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Nick Petersen
Is grout perfect the best choice for color sealing?

Also, do cutomers like the results of color sealing or is it best to just clean it really good and seal it regularly?

My question is because I bought some color seal from lowes and did a small area at my house and it doesnt even look like grout now, it now just looks like painted lines. I understand it was just cheap stuff and the results would be different. However the results would have to be a lot better for me to be happy.

Anyway, any help would be great.
 

Bee Busy

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I used to use This Old Grout and Groutsheilds. But I'm switching over to ColorClad soon....you can make the color on the job...meaning no more $$ deposits, waiting for shipments or people canceling and being stuck with some lame color like "lipstick red" :p
 
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I have seen at least a dozen I have done up to two years later that still look amazing.

That is my selling point.
 

tmdry

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Bill Martins
I only sell clean/colorseal (one option), period. GP here too, soon Colorclad once my colors run out.
 

Bee Busy

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i've never tested Colorclad's products but the concept of mixing the colors onsite makes me (as well as some of u guys) very intigued. If u can spotdye carpets, then this a no brainer. I can spotdye anything on a carpet, I know I can mix an acrylic color sealer for grout.
 

MikeS

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Apr 19, 2009
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Mikey, being colorblind is an even better reason to go with ColorClad. You break out the ColorStick book for the custy, have them pick whatever color they want and you mix up what you need according to the recipe on the stick. And most of the recipes are like "1 part White:1 part Yellow" or "3 parts Gray:1 part Umber".

There is a big difference between tinting with colorants and blending finished product. A few drops of colorant can quickly shift a color. Blending two core colors of ColorClad is a different story. You wouldn't even notice a difference between mixing most colors at 50:50 vs say 45:55. There really is a ton of leeway.

At some point somebody has to pick a color off a chart. The ColorClad ColorStick Book is the only color chart out there made with actual color seal. When you start using 3rd party plastic sticks or paper charts you always run the risk of being surprised. And the risk of the color you/they picked looking bad once you start putting it down.

It's just an option. For the contractors who only do a few jobs a year it may not be the best option.
 

Johnny

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MikeS said:
When you start using 3rd party plastic sticks or paper charts you always run the risk of being surprised. And the risk of the color you/they picked looking bad once you start putting it down.

Sounds like a Chem-Who scare tactic. I've been using "3rd party plastic sticks" for years with great success.

I get plastic color stick kits free at any tile store and leave them with my customers so they can take their time to decide on a color. I would need to buy several $99.99 color stick kits if I went with Color Clad.

It's amazing that anyone thinks they can justify $99.00 for a color chart. I got an idea: How about just providing the formulas to match the "3rd party color sticks" with Color Clad material? Then bdcc wouldn't need to buy $99.00 color charts.

Regarding having to wait for your order, I got Grout Perfect delivered on the second business day (at the opposite side of the country) a couple weeks ago. They will gladly expedite if you ask. And my order has been accurate every time.

I have no financial interest in Grout Perfect, and Color Clad may be a fine product. But Color Clad's scare tactics and their $99.00 color sticks set off my BS alarm.
 

MikeS

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"scare tactics"? "BS Alarm"?

Sounds like you have had better luck with 3rd party color charts than other people. I am happy for you. But here is what happens sometimes;

You pull out your TEC plastic chip chart with a few dozen choices. They settle on Alabaster even though they wish it was a little lighter, but not quite as light as Biscuit. You order a match for Alabaster and the color seal folks are matching to a different run of the chart which is a little darker than yours (it happens). Their match ends up a little on the dark side, but very close. As good as they can match a coating to plastic. You end up with a color that has drifted far enough from what the customer wanted that they are not happy.

This may sound far fetched to you but it is something many applicators run into all the time. Many guys take the time to make up their own color swatches of color seal because they simply do not always look the same as the plastic chips in different lighting conditions.

The Color Stick books are a useful reference tool and our customers find them well worth the price.

The ColorClad system is not for everybody, and maybe not for you. But I think "scare tactics" and "BS Alarm" are a little over the top.
 

White Collar

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Nick Petersen
I didnt see on the website.. If I bought the small package for $249 for the 8 colors, how much grout would that cover?

Also, what is the normal charge for color sealing?
 

MikeS

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Apr 19, 2009
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Nicholas,

Coverage of color seal can vary quite a bit depending on tile size, grout width, etc. Coverage for ColorClad is about the same as for the other major brands (GP, TOG, etc). Typically about 500 sq ft per pint for 12" straight lay floors. Better coverage on 18" tile, maybe about 600 ft, worse on 6" tile. maybe 250 ft.

The pint starter kit for $279 gives you 8 pints, so could get up to 4000 ft, but you will be reordering the most common colors used, like White, long before you use up ones like Blue & Red.

Most guys get about $1/ft just for the color, on top of any cleaning. Again that can run up & down depending on the job & region. You need to bid by the job more than by the footage. Decide what you need to make per day/hr and charge accordingly.

The starter kit is to get you up & running with all the misc tools and a supply of every color so you can hit every one of the 89 standard colors on the chart. First job of 300 ft pays for the kit, leaves you with over 7 pints of color remaining then you are in the area of 10 cents per ft material cost as you start replacing used color from your kit.
 

Mikey P

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Mike, its great to hear about your product but there is no free advertising allowed here.

It's just not fair to those that pay good money to have a banner and support the board and members.


No hard feeling but I removed the links in your signature.
 

MikeS

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Mikey P said:
Mike, its great to hear about your product but there is no free advertising allowed here.
It's just not fair to those that pay good money to have a banner and support the board and members.
No hard feeling but I removed the links in your signature.

Understood. I try not to shill our stuff here but kind of got carried away defending our system in a thread started by somebody else.

Ever since Steve (SJA) walked away from Grout Perfect there hasn't been much good dialogue about color seal around here. I will try to be a little more generic in defending/explaining color seal going forward.

Thanks
 

Chris A

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So are you a former GP guy or is Cleveland just a hotbed for t/g sealing manufacturers?
 

MikeS

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Chris Adkins said:
So are you a former GP guy or is Cleveland just a hotbed for t/g sealing manufacturers?

Never worked for GP but worked with SJA on unrelated things (e.g. epoxy floor coatings), so I know a fair bit about GP. Also had a short stint with Sani-Glaze.

Cleveland is sort of a hotbed for coatings in general. Since you are from the area, I'm sure you know of the presence of Sherwin Williams, Glidden, Benny Moore, PPG and literally a hundred more smaller concerns. Plus the U of Akron Polymer Research center adds to the talent base as well. I have been in coatings for about 35 years and have a great many peers nearby. The knowledge base is great but the parties suck. :-)
 

Mikey P

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Thanks Mike

Dick, the owner of GP is here to answer any questions concerning the process and product.




In fact, we're going to give away a Grout Perfect Salesman Sample Kit and a Knee Roller this week.
 

GROUT PERFECT

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Jun 11, 2007
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South Florida
Name
Dick Pollock
Ever since Steve (SJA) walked away from Grout Perfect there hasn't been much good dialogue about color seal around here. I will try to be a little more generic in defending/explaining color seal going forward.

Steve (SJA) did not walk away from Grout Perfect. Steve is consulting with Coit in their Tile & Grout Division, just as Nino did the year before with Stanley Steemer. These large companies needed experienced people to head up their move toward grout restoration. We have supplied SS Grout Perfect products for more than 9 years. We have supplied Coit Grout Perfect products for almost 2 years.

If anyone needs questions answered concerning presentation, installation, on-the-job color blending or advertising the Grout Perfect System please call our technical support line 1-888-GROUT-10. Everyone on our staff has extensive experience in the installation of Grout Perfect ColorSeal and has operate a successful ColorSealing business.

If you would rather speak to me personally, feel free to call me anytime at 1-772-201-0660 about the Grout Perfect System.
 

MikeS

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Apr 19, 2009
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We have supplied SS Grout Perfect products for more than 9 years. We have supplied Coit Grout Perfect products for almost 2 years.

but to be fair you should also say that neither Coit nor SS buy GP colorseal anymore. Just in case anybody here is out there selling against them.

Good to hear from you Dick. The more good talk about color seal the better! There is a huge growth potential in this biz.
 

MikeS

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Apr 19, 2009
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GROUT PERFECT said:
Hi Mike,

We still sell Grout Perfect products to both!

I think you are being a little coy there Dick. Steemer used to get their private label colorseal from GP up until a couple years ago when they switched suppliers. Right around the time the new GP formula came out. Coit used to use GP but recently went to a private label colorseal from a supplier other than GP. So what do they buy from GP? Brushes maybe? Not colorseal.

We don't private label for either one of them either. I am proud to tell our customers that we offer a BETTER color seal product than the big chains. Boards like this is where all the smaller guys can exchange notes and know how to better compete against the deep pocket franchises.

So no more fibs. shiteatinggrin
 

GROUT PERFECT

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Dick Pollock
Would you mind telling everyone here how in the world you would know the customers that I do and do not sell to, have you hacked our computers.

The last word is yours, because I am here to help people that want to add a very profitable service to their existing business with little or no additional advertising expense, not argue with you over things you incorrectly speculate about.
 

MikeS

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GROUT PERFECT said:
Would you mind telling everyone here how in the world you would know the customers that I do and do not sell to, have you hacked our computers.

The last word is yours, because I am here to help people that want to add a very profitable service to their existing business with little or no additional advertising expense, not argue with you over things you incorrectly speculate about.

I'm not smart enough to hack your computers but I am sharp enough to make contacts within the big players like Coit & SS. There are only a few big vendors like GP & ColorClad, and only a few big franchises out there that color seal. You and I both know who uses what and pretty much what they pay for it as well. In the case of Steemer, that story was pretty well leaked out on the boards for anybody who wants to investigate.

Not here to argue or speculate either. But will point out misinformation when I see it. I don't think it does anybody here any good to think that Coit & Steemer are currently installing GP colorseal when in fact they are not. For better or worse.

Hey, if they are not using your stuff and they are not using our stuff, then it must be cr@p, right? See we can agree on something. :p
 

Bee Busy

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I have a local tile cleaning friend who's doing his first colorseal job with ColorClad in the next few days...he's going to let me know how it goes or if I'm not too busy I'm gonna see it in person...I'll post his results.

I've talked to several guys in the t/g cleaning industry about ColorClad (guys who's opinion I value) and they are very happy with ColorClad. I have nothing against GP at all, I have a lot of friends that use GP and are happy...I've used TOG and Groutshields and they're pretty much the same to me, good products as well.

The plastic grout sticks never look the same and have had some comments about the grout not looking like it did when I did the demo.

My issue with color sealing has and always will be waiting for a certain color to come in....asking for a deposit with the custy to cover my ass in case they flake...or not asking for a deposit, they flake and i'm stuck with some color most people wouldn't like. Think about it: ask a custy for a $100 plus deposit (yeah good luck), or be like me and get stuck paying for 2 pints of effing Sahara Tan with a 2 day shipping charge, just to have this ass custy flake and never return repeat calls...that happened to me a while ago
 

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