pre seal cleaning

[MW Smith Ceramics]

I am so totally OCD that with stone I simply work cleanly and fully seal before grouting. Honestly.
I know it's wrong and slow but that's me.
Currently 2/3rds of the way through 100sqm limestone and I'm not cleaning it until AFTER I've grouted.

I'm the same, I'll completely seal my stone floors before doing any grouting

 

[One Day]

Pre clean can be one of the most important processes, not only can this remove instalation grimes greases,addy residues ,but also removing dust particals from the surface of the stone can improve the look ten fold , especially on some stones, semi honed,honed, flamed.
If you seal some stones without the pre clean this can bind in the dust and some dirts as the product cures, they can still look good - but could look better.
This also rules out strike marks- where the sealer collects the dust/dirt and sinks in forming lines or water shaped marks, this can be with highly porus stones

As above if you are pre cleaning ,you will need to extend the dry time prior to sealing

Absolutely. I have spoilt stone before by sealing in the dust. Not a clever thing to do...

 

[Flintstone]

On this topic, is there really any need to deal before and after grouting? What's the benifit? Does sealing before grouting not suffice?

 

[widler]

I lay as clean as i can , clean, mop and clean , seal when dry , grout then repeat for next seal .

 

[Rich Midge]

I'm a seal before and after guy. Fix, clean, seal, grout, clean, saturation seal. Most stone work I do has colour matched grout, generally light in colour so my saturation seal is always post grouting. Makes the grout as easy to maintain as the stone.

 

[Lithofin BOB]

Some stones will be prone to bleed on the edge or surface contamination from the pigments or moisture ,these will need to be sealed prior to grouting.
Bleed is 5-10 mm into the stone edge the full depth, if the stone is not acidic resistant , these generally get taken up as the contamination is the full depth.
Biggest I have seen taken out due to this was 550 Sqm ( the face was sealed but not the edges), surface contamination can often be cleaned out or by re surfacing dependant on finish.

Sealing after grouting ensures water and oil reppelance to the grout and will ease maintaining the surface