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You don't necessarily "NEED" to seal it, but it is a wise choice! Grout is a cementitious material just like concrete and both absorb water unless they are waterproofed. Absorptive concretes develop structural issues and require repairs with chlorides and other contaminates which enter and cause reinforcing steel to corrode.
Grouts merely absorb stains and discoloration becomes an eyesore. Mop water that isn't changed often enough when cleaning will be absorbed and turn grout joints dark, and spills are wicked into a grout within seconds.
I have beige tile and grout in a kitchen/family room area that is six years old and looks brand new. Sealed with a product called StableCrete to waterproof the day after it was installed. Common response to visitors walking in, "What a beautiful tile job, is it new?"
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Is it good to seal tile and grout?
Yes.... But if the tile is glazed and/or the grout is epoxy (unlikely unless in a commercial building) these do NOT need to be sealed (neither will absorb water so they won't accept the sealer). The rule of thumb is to put a few drops of water on the tile and the grout, if it soaks in within 30 seconds it needs to be sealed. Never use a topical sealer. Always use a waterbased PENETRATING sealer. You will need to reapply bi-yearly or yearly in most situations, more if the tile is exposed to water. Hope this helps..........
Should you put a sealer on concrete flooring?
Yes, so that the concrete doesn't break or split.
What kind of flooring would be best to put on top of plywood?
hardwood or vinyl . tile on a raised foundation will always crack in the grout lines
Can you put epoxy over sealer on a overlayed concrete floor?
Yes there are certain kinds of epoxies that can be applied over SOME sealed floors. It depends on what type of sealer was used first. They tend to not bond well with some solvent sealers, but water based ones will work. You just have to use the right epoxy primer so it will bond
How to Waterproof a Crack in Basement Concrete?
Thousands of homes have basement floods each year because of cracks in their concrete. The best thing to do to prevent it happening again is filling the crack. A layer of polyurethane foam can be the solution to keep water away. This is not a job that must be left to professionals because any homeowner can do it themselves.The first thing you need to do is clean the area of the wall that has the crack. A wire brush will get rid of any loose dirt and dust. It will also tear off paint because that will get in the way of the repair. Then, you should mix half of a cup of the surface sealer. You should put a small ball of the sealer at the end of an injection port. Put this port over top of the crack in the wall. You should start at the lowest point of the crack and make sure that the sealer is not covering the crack. Then, you can add more ports, separated by between half of a foot to a whole foot.When ports are in place, you should completely cover the crack with the sealer. The sealant should be allowed to epoxy onto the ports for ten minutes. You can cover the crack with what is left of the seal epoxy after this time. You will have to wait one hour for it to cure. By this time, a fingernail would not be able to mark on the seal. Water should be put into the highest port inside the crack to help make the polyurethane foam expand.The polyurethane lock can now be unscrewed. A mixer can then be put on top of the cartridge of polyurethane. Then, put the locking nut back on the cartridge. You can now put this cartridge into your caulk gun. Begin at the bottom of the crack and put the mix into the port. The polyurethane can then be injected into the port. It will have to be done slowly so the polyurethane can expand and fill in the crack. When it reaches the water, it will start to expand into a foam.
Is it good to seal tile and grout?
Yes.... But if the tile is glazed and/or the grout is epoxy (unlikely unless in a commercial building) these do NOT need to be sealed (neither will absorb water so they won't accept the sealer). The rule of thumb is to put a few drops of water on the tile and the grout, if it soaks in within 30 seconds it needs to be sealed. Never use a topical sealer. Always use a waterbased PENETRATING sealer. You will need to reapply bi-yearly or yearly in most situations, more if the tile is exposed to water. Hope this helps..........
How do you grout tiles?
It is somewhat painstaking. There is a grout removal tool available at most big box hardware stores. It is basically a handsaw that uses hardened aggregate applied to the blade instead of teeth. You have to shave each joint down to a level below the surface that a new grout can be applied to and adhere (about 1/8" for non-sanded grout and 1/4" for sanded grout). If you are changing grout colors, you will want to use an acid (muriatic acid) to wash down the joint edges to remove any small amounts of the old grout at the surface edge that remain, prior to new grout installation. Because you are not installing the new grout to the full tile depth, it is advisable to use a latex additive to prevent cracking.
Can you put water base sealer over oil base sealer?
if you put a oil base floor sealer over water base you will find the top coat will flake and peal off your new floor. You need to wait 30 days before applying the oil base sealer to reduce your chances of peeling.
When should you put the sealer on the grout?
Apply sealer as soon as the grout has lost the "Heat of Hydration"; usually in a matter of hours. Choose a sealer carefully! Read the cautionary statements on the product you are considering! If it cautions "Do Not Allow Product To Come In Contact With Glass or Metal Surfaces" Don't even consider it! More than likely a Sodium Silicate based product that migrates out of the grout very soon, and it will etch glass and any metals it comes in contact with! If it allows for a Re-Coat at some future date? Ask yourself- OK, what happened to the first application I put on? You put sealer on EARLY to waterproof the grout and stop the rapid evaporation of mix water from the material. This evaporation causes shrinkage cracks in the grout. Even Microscopic cracks in a grout will increase in size with traffic and result in a delamination of the grout. I use a product called that is manufactured exclusively for, and sold by my company. Waterproofing grouts immediately will retard evaporation of mix water and give a superior bond to the tile itself [on the side of the joint] and to the substrate [host concrete] below. You will know when you have achieved proper saturation levels of the product when it is no longer being absorbed into the grout. Come back the next day and pour water on the area you have waterproofed; it will pond and remain on the surface until it evaporates. In kitchens or on a rough sanded grout I make another application the next day. If the second coat is not able to penetrate the grout I know its waterproofed and mop up the excess product. This prevents the product from drying on a surface to form a film. The product works by forming a solid inside when it reacts with the alkali and does not leave a film. When friends come to my house and comment on my kitchens "New Tile" I pour grape juice or ketchup onto a joint, proceed to tell them it's 6 years old, it's waterproofed grout, with a 15 year warranty for waterproofing and after 10 or so minutes-- I wipe the Stain up!! If you waterproof the host concrete beneath your tile install, you will also avoid a delamination of the thin set mortar that holds the tile in place. That hollow sound of a tile when you walk on it, is a dead give away that the tile is no longer bonded to your floor. Do it right the first time and ASAP.
How can you renew white grout?
You can try to clean it with bleach or a special grout cleaner. White grout tends to turn yellow with time. You may want to dig out some of the grout and put new over it. Then be sure to seal the grout - an ongoing process.
Do you have to strip off old sealer from travertine tiles before you put on new sealer?
Yes, it is extremely important that you do.
Can I put tile grout over dirty areas?
If the grout is dirty there is a chance that the new grout will not stick over it. If you clean it out first the likelihood of it working increases, as well as looking better in the long run.
Can you put a sealer in the brake fluid to stop leaks in the lines?
No.
What can be put over formica sanded and primed cabinents for a glossy finish?
Melamine paint
Should gasket sealer be used on the intake manifold?
Depending on the motor you may need to put a small dot of silicone at the corners where the intake meets the head of a V motor. 4-6 cylindar straight motors don't use sealer.
What is the best tile grout cleaner?
Answeri accidently poured some "mr. clean" on my tile floor and left it there becaue i was in a hurry, i came back later to get it up and the grout was like new. i thought the grount was brown, when i moved into the house i didn't know the true color. turns out, it was a light tan, not dark brown. they didn't put sealer on the grout.Tilex, there are some acids always test a small area first.There is a product from Australia called Pink Stuff it is a broom on mop off grout and tile cleaner, no nasties. www.pinkstuff.com.au
What is the best tile and grout cleaner?
Answeri accidently poured some "mr. clean" on my tile floor and left it there becaue i was in a hurry, i came back later to get it up and the grout was like new. i thought the grount was brown, when i moved into the house i didn't know the true color. turns out, it was a light tan, not dark brown. they didn't put sealer on the grout.Tilex, there are some acids always test a small area first.There is a product from Australia called Pink Stuff it is a broom on mop off grout and tile cleaner, no nasties. www.pinkstuff.com.au
