Sealers What Makes you choose a brand

[MARBLE_TONY]

Ok this is a bit of research really and aimed more of those that lay stone. What makes you choose a certain brand of sealer?

• Price
• Coverage
• Quality/performance
• Ease of application
• Architects/Customers

What would you say the biggest downfall if any a sealer has?

 

[Dan]

(Obviously I don't do much stone but I'll give this one a bash)

I'd choose quality and performance first out of the options given. I'd probably end up with a couple of options, so I'd go for the cheaper of the two. So price second perhaps.

Coverage and ease of application would be considered but I'm under the assumption that coverage of most would be competitive so similar with most? Might be wrong there. And application I'd say would be one of the least important factors when purchasing. Though I might regret that when applying.

I certainly wouldn't listen to a customer preference if I'm applying it and it's having my guarantee put to it.

And I'd take a similar view with an architect too, though if he's specified it and it's on his head, then so be it.

A major downfall of a sealer in my opinion would be one that needed doing more often than the rest. And perhaps one you need to apply several coats of compared to a competitors one or two coats.

Hope that helps.

 

[Tony73]

I'd say number of coats depend on stone, not sealer . Defo wouldn't go for cheap. Used Lithofin for 10 years, trust it, so stick with it.

 

[Aston]

same as tony, lithofin is my prefered choice and imo is excellent...
quality and perfomance normally goes hand in hand with coverage, asbsorbtion and effectiveness.

 

[DHTiling]

Lithofin was my choice but when i switched to PHG for my stone they stocked LTP.. used it and was ok at what it did.. IMO just as good as lithofin, PHG did for a short while on recommendation from your dad Tony get aquamix in... the pro-sealer imo was good for pre-sealing but not much cop after that and sealers choice gold was good and enrich'seal as great as well.. but customers did cough at the price..

So back to LTP.. good sealers but i am always open to try new products on the market as i am mainly a stone installer and always try to use a sealer that does it's job and with least effort.. after all no one wants to spend hrs trying to buff off excess sealer residue..

LTP MPG.. now not one i like for polished materials, very hard to buff excess imo..

Have been wanting to try meta-crem.. heard good things about that brand..

So to answer the question... i am not governed by price or brand.. just like a sealer to do what it is supposed to do and do it well.

 

[MARBLE_TONY]

This is some great stuff being said here keep them coming, am really looking what fault there is on all sealers at the moment! Who's going to get it first!?

 

[gamma38]

This is some great stuff being said here keep them coming, am really looking what fault there is on all sealers at the moment! Who's going to get it first!?

Sealers eh, can't you just throw some PVA on it. My mates wifes brother's cousin once met a builder that said you could put it on anything. Surely he would know :lol:

 

[Tony73]

yeh forgot, my first choice is pva and then lithofin :lol:

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

I have been using Drytreat for a while now, used all the others or most of them in the past.

 

[DHTiling]

How do you find it Phil ?

 

[John Benton]

Metacreme by Drytreat is a great water-based product although a bit pricey. Great for sealing grout in showers and the splashback behind hobs. Goes along way as well. One coat does the job.

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

How do you find it Phil ?

Great Dave, I have used Drytreat on every type of tile, from polished porcelain to geometrics it is the muts nuts imo, not taking anything away from other sealers though, I rate LTP, Lithofin HG etc also.

 

[nybor62]

i dont do a lot of stone , but when i do i tend to use lithofin and lithofin wexa to clean before sealing

 

[MARBLE_TONY]

Great Dave, I have used Drytreat on every type of tile, from polished porcelain to geometrics it is the muts nuts imo, not taking anything away from other sealers though, I rate LTP, Lithofin HG etc also.

Are you a approved applicator for them as well?

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

Yes Tony, I attended a one hour course. If you can use a roller and a cloth you are a approved applicator.:lol:

 

[MARBLE_TONY]

Lol I heard it was hard course! Had them in about 12months ago there set up is a bit mad! IMO and there guarantee is only applicable if you are a trained applicator. Tried there meta cream stuff though and didn't like it.

 

[John Benton]

Lol I heard it was hard course! Had them in about 12months ago there set up is a bit mad! IMO and there guarantee is only applicable if you are a trained applicator. Tried there meta cream stuff though and didn't like it.

What didn't you like about the Metcreme Tony?

 

[John Benton]

Great Dave, I have used Drytreat on every type of tile, from polished porcelain to geometrics it is the muts nuts imo, not taking anything away from other sealers though, I rate LTP, Lithofin HG etc also.

It's great in the fact that the product actually penetrates to approx. 6-7mm into the therefore it doesn't need re-treating, but by the same token you are potentially taking regular maintenance work away from yourself.

 

[Sean Kelly]

Tony, I've been using Seal Guard for a few months. It stinks the house out and I'm surprised that it hasn't knocked me out yet! It does dry very quickly and it can be used on damp grout (i.e. seal 20mins after grouting) - That has to be a great selling point? Cheers Sean

 

[John Benton]

Tony, I've been using Seal Guard for a few months. It stinks the house out and I'm surprised that it hasn't knocked me out yet! It does dry very quickly and it can be used on damp grout (i.e. seal 20mins after grouting) - That has to be a great selling point? Cheers Sean

I've used that before and it's a spray can. Doesn't leave any residue on tiles either when spraying grout joints. Good as you can use on damp grout as well

 

[MARBLE_TONY]

What do you think the benefits are of penetrating that deep.? As for the meta cream from memory I just found the application of it strange the gel like substance, then having to clean the gel off. You will have to correct me if I'm mixing up and getting it confused with the wrong product.

 

[DHTiling]

Lol I heard it was hard course! Had them in about 12months ago there set up is a bit mad! IMO and there guarantee is only applicable if you are a trained applicator. Tried there meta cream stuff though and didn't like it.

I have not used their sealers tony, so interesting comment, what didn't you like about . ?.. always good to hear other views.

 

[John Benton]

What do you think the benefits are of penetrating that deep.? As for the meta cream from memory I just found the application of it strange the gel like substance, then having to clean the gel off. You will have to correct me if I'm mixing up and getting it confused with the wrong product.

You're right Tony. What it does through chemical reaction is move through all the open pores over a period of about 4 weeks before it has completed it's full process. Therefore even if you 'wear' say the top 0.5mm of a natural stone tile the product has penetrated deeper than the wear itself, and is still protecting the tile from any stain.

There is a good diagram of the process, link below

Broken Link Removed

As I said earlier though you are potentially doing yourself out of regular maintenance on customers floors

 

[MARBLE_TONY]

A pretty standard diagram of how the molecules penetrate and water/solvent evaporates. Still can't see much benefit of it penetrating that deep though. As for wearing a surface down that is a big ask IMO especially 0.5mm most preminum sealers will penetrate 2mm so the only wear you would get like that is to cut the stone/grind. So anyway say if the first 1mm of the sealer has been effected and damaged the surface the rest of the sealer in this case up to 6mm is now in my view pointless as the damage has now been done to the surface. The only way I can think that it could be of advantage is, as a pre-seal for grouting to stop potential colour bleed from the grout entering the stone creating picture framing effect, but even then for its full effectiveness waiting 4 weeks until grouting!.

 

[John Benton]

A pretty standard diagram of how the molecules penetrate and water/solvent evaporates. Still can't see much benefit of it penetrating that deep though. As for wearing a surface down that is a big ask IMO especially 0.5mm most preminum sealers will penetrate 2mm so the only wear you would get like that is to cut the stone/grind. So anyway say if the first 1mm of the sealer has been effected and damaged the surface the rest of the sealer in this case up to 6mm is now in my view pointless as the damage has now been done to the surface. The only way I can think that it could be of advantage is, as a pre-seal for grouting to stop potential colour bleed from the grout entering the stone creating picture framing effect, but even then for its full effectiveness waiting 4 weeks until grouting!.

Not quite sure what you mean Tony