Natural stone mosaic sealing and enhancing

[janeluvi]

Can any kind tiler answer my queries?

I have just bought some natural stone (quartz) mosaic tiles 30cm x 30cm (2 inch square tile pieces) to go in my soon to be installed new kitchen. Presumably these need to be sealed. I notice that they are not as bright in colour as on the display when I bought them from Topps so is it best to buy a combined sealer/colour enhancer or will sealing them bring out the colour anyway? They also have a slight powder coating does this need to be brushed off first?
When the boys who fit my kitchen do the tiling does the sealing need to be done first then the grouting?

Thanks for your help

 

[Turkish]

Hi there, Yes the dusty stuff should be wiped off with a "DAMP" sponge first prior to sealing. Something like Lithofin stainstop plus which is both an impregnator sealer and colour enhancer would be spot on! Personally i would seal first then again after grouting and maybe once more after that. I`ve never laid quartz so best to check with Topps or someone else with more experience will be on here soon but i`m going on what i did with travertine/marble mosaics. The colour enhancer really brought out the colours in them!

Regards

Turkish

 

[wetdec]

What does it say on your invoice what are they called ??


tiler

 

[janeluvi]

Hi there, Yes the dusty stuff should be wiped off with a "DAMP" sponge first prior to sealing. Something like Lithofin stainstop plus which is both an impregnator sealer and colour enhancer would be spot on! Personally i would seal first then again after grouting and maybe once more after that. I`ve never laid quartz so best to check with Topps or someone else with more experience will be on here soon but i`m going on what i did with travertine/marble mosaics. The colour enhancer really brought out the colours in them!

Regards

Turkish

Thanks very much very helpful

 

[wetdec]

If they are as you say quartz and you havnt replied with the name the only advice I could offer would be for you to ask the supplier.


Slate/ quartz would benefit a differing sealer.



tiler

 

[janeluvi]

Hi, the invoice says tumbled stone mix but the boxes they are packed in says quartz

 

[wetdec]

Then its a slate mix you have I believe, some slate is similar to a quartz.

To seal them you will be better with lithofin slate seal and they should be fixed preferably with a cement based adhesive rather than a paste.

Try the sealer on a couple first the more coats of ss you use the shinyer they get so have a practice.


If you believe I am wrong thinking they are slate please say so ??

tiler

 

[janeluvi]

Mmmm not sure, they are a mix of colours, at the moment they are more greeny grey, beige and a pale terracotta but the ones in Topps were more deeper sage green, beige and a brighter terracotta (They had obviously used something to make the colours brghter), they've given me a mosaic adhesive so do you not think that will be strong enough as they are quite heavy sheets, 36 stones to a sheet obviously with the mesh backing. They are only going along the back of the worktops not over the whole walls luckily.

 

[wetdec]

Polymer based adhesive doesnt work brilliant with slate because it doesnt grab too well, if however they are to sit on the worktop it will be ok. Sage green ones is where the quarts name comes from its a very hard slate commonly called oyster.

Brush off the cloudyness as Turkish said then they will benefit from a damp sponge, while they are wet from the sponge you will see the colour that slate seal will make them so is a good guide.

Let them dry over night then slate seal them before they are fixed so any adhesive can be removed easily as its paste.

You should be ok now


tiler

 

[janeluvi]

Thank you soooo much, very much appreciated

 

[DHTiling]

If they were from topps then they would have probably been sealed with fila colour intensifier......
The borders sound like a tumbled marble mix........

 

[janeluvi]

If they were from topps then they would have probably been sealed with fila colour intensifier......
The borders sound like a tumbled marble mix........

I will go back to Topps at weekend and find out exactly what to use. Thanks anyway

 

[tilermandan]

litholin mn stainstop is not a colour enhancer! it only offers stain protection. litholin do a separate colour enhancer which when applyed needs to be left 24 hrs before using mn stain stop.

 

[DHTiling]

litholin mn stain-stop is not a colour enhancer! it only offers stain protection. litholin do a separate colour enhancer which when applyed needs to be left 24 hrs before using mn stain stop.

Lithofin stain-stop mn plus is a colour intensifier and sealer and no additional product is needed after it's application..........