Sealing Unglazed Ceramic Floor Tile

In terms of no water absorption porcelain tiles are the best.

Sealing unglazed ceramic floor tile.

Sweep or vacuum surface. Cleaning unglazed porcelain tiles is trickier. Ceramic tile sealers and porcelain tile sealers are used to protect unglazed tiles and grouts from absorbing stains. Grout according to manufacturer s directions clean as you grout to minimize water contact.

A sealer is a liquid coat applied to the porous surface of the tile or grout to protect them from oxidation natural deterioration and day to day wear. Different types of ceramic tiles and grout have distinct features that should be considered when choosing sealing products. Glazeguard gloss sealer is developed specifically for ceramic and porcelain tiles. Sealing is done to strengthen tile or grout s defenses against dirt spills and erosion of grout but not all tile needs to be sealed.

But like any floor a ceramic tile floor can become soiled or stained if it isn t sealed properly and regularly. Even if you can find a sealer to adhere to the surface it will most likely peel or wear very quickly usually in 2 12 months. They can either be unglazed or glazed and are available in a variety of colours textures and finishes. Sealers or coatings do not adhere or stick well to ceramic floor tiles.

Porcelain read more cleaning sealing porcelain tiles. Porcelain tiles do not require sealing as they come with a factory glaze that is 99 9 waterproof and do not allow water or anything to penetrate it. When to seal tiles. Apply one liberal coat wiping off excess sealer before it is allowed to dry on surface.

Be sure tiles are clean free of grout haze and dry before final seal of tile and grout. However with unglazed porcelain tile the use of a sealer may or not be needed for several reasons which we will discuss here. Wait at least 24 hours or more. For that reason cantini says it s critical to test a cleaning product on out of the way tiles before using it to make sure your scrub pads don t scratch the tiles.

There are no industry standards governing porcelain tile quality so you can t be completely sure what you re dealing with. Porcelain tiles are ceramic tiles with a water absorption rate of less than 0 5 percent that are used to cover floors and walls. If your tile is ceramic or porcelain it probably won t need to be sealed. It will put a clear sealer across the floor tile and grout giving it a high gloss wet look appearance as well as provide a barrier that will protect against chemicals and soiling and make the floor much easier to.

There are some exceptions to this so check with your manufacturer to be sure. Typically unglazed porcelain tile comes in polished and unpolished formats. Ceramic tile floors are an attractive and durable addition to high traffic and wet areas in a home.