Replies

1. 
   FastEddie1 | Mar 15, 2004 01:11am | #1

   Yes.  And what kind of tile?  If it's a natural stone, you will want to seal that as well.  If it's ceramic or porcelain, then the tile is ok as-is.  Get a good quality sealer.  The stuff I use is called Impregnator Plus and goes for $80/gal...it's available in quarts, and a quart goes a long way.  Go to a real tile store, not HD/lowes.

   There is a similar discussion in Construction right now, and he makes a good point about lap marks.  If the sealer is not wiped off the tile, you can see the edges of the dried sealer.  I painted on a very wet coat and wiped it off before it dried.  Looks perfect.  Ok, looks good.

   Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!"  Then get busy and find out how to do it.  T. Roosevelt

   The craftsman formerly known as elCid

   
   

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   Edited 3/14/2004 6:36 pm ET by Ed Hilton

2. 
   trimnailer37 | Mar 15, 2004 04:36am | #2

   yes, you must seal the grout. not suggesting, imploring. i've seen floor jobs trashed in a year because nobody sealed the grout. i'm assuming it's because the tile guy didn't want to come back to do it (most sealers recommend a waiting period of a couple days), and the homeowner either didn't know any better or ignored the advice of the tile guy. i tell customers before starting that the grout will have to be sealed, and give them a price for me to do it, but beg of them to do it themselves if i don't. not hard to do, totally worth the effort. after making sure the grout residue is completely gone from the tile so as not to seal that in (buff until true tile shows thru, no haze, then vacuum and wipe with clean water), i just paint the sealer down the grout lines with a quality soft 1" brush, wiping the excess off the tile i go, and let it dry. average kitchen will take a half hour or so. you may want to apply a second coat if water still penetrates after the first. usually dried sealer can be buffed out of a non-porous tile if streaking remains. porous tiles will (should) have been sealed before grouting to avoid staining, but i like to seal them (cloth or sponge) afterwards as well, in case the grout abraded some of the sealer off.

   since you're not going to be sealing a bunch of tile, the best bet is to get a high quality sealer at your local tile supplier in the smallest container available, though not the ones with the applicator tip, those are gimmicky and absurd.  sealer goes a long way, and it is good to clean and seal the grout every few years, as the sealer will eventually lose its effectiveness, despite any guarantees.

   good luck, just kinda reiterating previous post in case you needed more coaxing.

1. 
   GotAll10 | Mar 15, 2004 04:47am | #3

   Thanks for the help.  What about the tile itself?  It is ceramic.

1. 
   trimnailer37 | Mar 15, 2004 05:36am | #4

   the tile is non-porous, no need to seal. just be sure the tile is clean before sealing.