Never sealed polished porcelain

[White Room]

Went to a party last night and met up with another tiler of 30 years plus, His father was also a tiler so were going back a few years. Polished porcelain came up in the conversation and he was saying that when he washs down after grouting there always seems to be small areas of grout ingressed in the face of the tile. I said do you seal them, Oh no, You don't seal polished porcelain because it's polished...????
I quickly tried to explain why it may need a sealer and to save any further embarrassment changed the subject

Have I missed something along the lines of polished porcelain

 

[DHTiling]

NOPE!!...some old school guys won't be told any different to what they know.......20...30...40 yrs in a trade does not mean they know it all...just that they have done it their way for alot of years..lol lol...doesn't say it is the right way does it...

 

[kilty55]

i had the same experience bout 5 years ago when i had a tiler tiling my kitchen with polished porcelain,,he didnt reckon polished needed sealed either

 

[user123]

😱I'm going to use this now, I'm going to use this now for the first time ever - PMSL ! (I'll just say pee) There. :blush2:You guys are ruining me. But really. Amazing. No, you haven't missed anything:laugh4:...still laughing:laugh4:...time served tiler eh..tell him to do a 4 day course.....still laughing....:laugh4:

 

[davy583]

nice to know that after 20 30 40 year years you still dont know it all. its good when every day is a school day

 

[brian c]

i beleive that during the polishing process,micropores are opened and this making the tiles porus.I always seal the b and q polished porcelain tiles but find that the good quality polished porcelain doesnt need sealing as when i have tried it has not soaked into the tile but has instead stayed on the tile ,forming a small puddle if you like.aNYONE ELSE DO THIS?

 

[LM Ceramics]

a tiling firm i used to work at we tiled george best old house in stockport with 600x600 polished porcelain and we never sealed them according to the senior tiler there was no need :dizzy2:

 

[Fekin]

The word polished is the reason why they need sealing :ninja:

 

[DHTiling]

The polishing process does open pores bri, but not making it porous though....they pores just grab dirt thus making them harder to clean or get grout out of them, thus sealing them with porcelain impregnator seals the pores making the maintenence of them easier....

 

[Alberta Stone]

It really depends on the tile.
Some polished porcs will need sealer as they are not made well to start with.
Others are made well with top grade clay and are slick as polished granite when done and yes the sealer will just form a crust on the surface like those vinyl tiles and wax.
If the sealer doesn't soak in on a scrap tester then don't seal it.
So there is no rule of thumb, just common sense.