Do I need to seal topps tiles premium stone laquered travertine?

[andybaines]

Hi to all,
Have a few questions about using impregnator tile sealers on travertine, I have been helping my dad fit the premium stone range of travertine tiles from topps tiles, they have resin filled holes rather than grout and are then coated with 3 coats of lacquer so they are shiny and polished looking.
I asked the guy at the shop at the time and he said no need to seal them but when I had to call the importer to check something else they said yes you do need to seal them?
I did a test leaving a tile level with water pooled on it in various places to see what would happen, it stayed on top of the lacquer for a few hours but when I checked later it had all got through and soaked the underside of the tile, I realise most tiles wouldn’t get so heavily soaked but in the shower area they will surely? - what happens if i don’t seal them further and if this soaking of the tiles is allowed to happen regularly over time – i.e. in the shower?
So I started looking into sealers – the impregnator ones seem to last a long time rather than need topping up and Fila do one for polished stone which I guess this is with the lacquer?, my question is what does it look like once it’s applied and will it look a mess applied over the lacquer like thick varnish? As I think I need to protect the tiles further but don’t want to mess them up?
Unless i do just the shower area and the floor..?
Many thanks in advance
Andy

 

[DHTiling]

Hi Andy...

I have not heard of laquered travertine..?...You might have to be careful what you use in case it reacts..

Ask the importer waht they recommend to seal this laquered product with...does it need to be impregnator or topical sealer.?

 

[White Room]

If the importer says seal, then do it

 

[DHTiling]

with what..?..if this is a topical laquer then another make might react..?

 

[White Room]

Surley another call the importer who said seal and mention the 3 coats of lacquar that the shop said they have on them

 

[marbleman]

what i will say that some of the staff in these shops dont know enough about the product they are selling, maybe a little training will go along way

 

[andybaines]

ok thanks to all for your replies, will call importer and update again

andy

 

[DavidC1976]

Andy if it failed the absorption test you did with a teaspoons worth of water then firstly is does need sealing and its highly unlikely that its had a Topical seal applied. If your concerned you could use drytreat's stainproof as that will not change the look of the stone at all and the molecules are so small that they would impregnate through any impregnator that it has been pre-sealed with

 

[DHTiling]

Andy if it failed the absorption test you did with a teaspoons worth of water then firstly is does need sealing and its highly unlikely that its had a Topical seal applied. If your concerned you could use drytreat's stainproof as that will not change the look of the stone at all and the molecules are so small that they would impregnate through any impregnator that it has been pre-sealed with

THere are many sealers that will not change the look of the stone...but how can you advise to seal with one product when you do not know what is on top of them as it is...?


This member needs to find what they are sealed/laquered with first IMO..

 

[DavidC1976]

THere are many sealers that will not change the look of the stone...but how can you advise to seal with one product when you do not know what is on top of them as it is...?


This member needs to find what they are sealed/laquered with first IMO..

I agree Dave BUT i did say if it was sealed with an Impregnator and as far as im aware the other sealers that do not change the colour wont also be able to impregnate through an already sealed stone??

 

[DHTiling]

No probs...Once he finds out what it supposed to be on the stone then we can take it from there...

Are you a retailer for Drytreat then..?

 

[DavidC1976]

No im not a retailer. I have worked for Topps in the past and was a trainer for them in regards to sealers and natural stone years back (they dont seem to bother training anymore!!!) The premium stone range they use is called Romana but it actually comes from verona stone who surprise surprise are were also Topp's an agent for Fila. Hey I dont believe I know everything about these matters but if water has soked all the way through a matter of hours then three coats of a topical sealer can not of been applied. I wouldnt be surprised of it just a polished trav and the sales guy at Topps has been "creative" but as I said its just an opinion and I thought id pass on my thoughts when I read the first comments

 

[DavidC1976]

Besides im new on here Dave so go easy on me!

 

[DHTiling]

We always go easy on new guys......just comps getting in the odd punt for thier products we don't like..thats why i asked..:smilewinkgrin:..

Back to the stone...when topps mention something like laquer, you would assume topical..so they must be some sort of pre-sealed travertine...but obviuosly not sealed very well...

 

[andybaines]

Thanks for all the info all,

called the manufacturer and they said it does have a laquer coating but they recommend sealing aswell with an impregnator to go into any tiny holes etc... they said fila is ok which is what im looking at using..

at topps tiles they sell the fila sealant called Polished Travertine & Marble Impregnator Sealer 500ML by FILA, impregnator i think?

whats the difference between this and the MP90 range? as this is cheaper £50 for 1litre and i like the sound of it, doesnt cloud etc....

do you need to wear a mask for the fumes or something when you apply it ?? :yikes: - thankyou