trav is a nightmare!...

[jonnyc]

I have never sealed any travertine before grouting.
the only reason being that I know that you will not get picture framing .
i would never seal any stone /travertine /marble before grouting if I wasn't worried about grout moisture ingress,
point being that if a natural material won't stain unsealed you have a better chance of getting a flush joint without having to double grout.
the older marble fixers on here will tell you that 2o -25 years ago no one sealed marble before grouting because there just wasn't many marble sealers about.
and to add to that marble didn't really stain unsealed like more porous limestones will do unsealed.

 

[Chalker]

I have never sealed any travertine before grouting.
the only reason being that I know that you will not get picture framing .
i would never seal any stone /travertine /marble before grouting if I wasn't worried about grout moisture ingress,
point being that if a natural material won't stain unsealed you have a better chance of getting a flush joint without having to double grout.
the older marble fixers on here will tell you that 2o -25 years ago no one sealed marble before grouting because there just wasn't many marble sealers about.
and to add to that marble didn't really stain unsealed like more porous limestones will do unsealed.

Tbh I've never grouted trav without sealing, I can see your point jonny, next time I will try without.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

The point I'd make is Mr T should have checked if it had been sealed or otherwise before grouting as some stone could be ruined if grouted unprotected.

 

[beanz]

Hard work eh Ash? Damn site harder graft than grouting polished porcelain.. Was the Trav filled, or unfilled?

I have never sealed any travertine before grouting.
the only reason being that I know that you will not get picture framing .
i would never seal any stone /travertine /marble before grouting if I wasn't worried about grout moisture ingress,
point being that if a natural material won't stain unsealed you have a better chance of getting a flush joint without having to double grout.
the older marble fixers on here will tell you that 2o -25 years ago no one sealed marble before grouting because there just wasn't many marble sealers about.
and to add to that marble didn't really stain unsealed like more porous limestones will do unsealed.

Interesting read Jonny. I usually seal all stone before grouting, unless its unfilled Trav. I only do it this way because this is how I was taught to do it... I've never had the picture framing, but have read about it a couple of times now. How noticeable is it!?!

 

[Mr Tiler]

The point I'd make is Mr T should have checked if it had been sealed or otherwise before grouting as some stone could be ruined if grouted unprotected.

I don't have to worry about all that atm mate I just do as im told lol... fixing on mon though that will be fun the pace these guys go at il still be going at 9:00 on the night to catch up lmao.

 

[Mr Tiler]

yeh beanz very hard lol it was just the act that it took about 5 mins to wash off each m2 lol

 

[beanz]

If you go down the wash boy route, be warned, it's very easy to over wet the grout, and end up with a patchy mess. 😉

 

[Old Mod]

had the task of grouting up a wet room floor today it was trav mosaic roughly 4 m2 took me ages! even though I was scraping at the floor with a float the residue was tremendous but it didn't even look like there was any there until I washed off with the sponge it was agonizing lol one wipe on each side and then rinse! think a wash boy will be a god tool for that job.

you're in too much of a hurry Ash. Slow down man. Just get it right. Don't chase experienced fixers for god sake, u'll screw up!

 

[jonnyc]

Hard work eh Ash? Damn site harder graft than grouting polished porcelain.. Was the Trav filled, or unfilled?




Interesting read Jonny. I usually seal all stone before grouting, unless its unfilled Trav. I only do it this way because this is how I was taught to do it... I've never had the picture framing, but have read about it a couple of times now. How noticeable is it!?!

picture framing can look really bad and i have had many calls over the years about floors that are seemingly ruined by this look.but in reality i have managed to get rid of this picture framing without fail.
it takes a while to explain this as every stone is different .
i fix alot of ultra porous english limestone and these stones can take three to four weeks to dry .

 

[jonnyc]

if there is an interest in this subject i am quite happy to set out how i go about sealing /grouting/sealing/waxing/top coat seals.
this would only be my own guide not a guaranteed method that would be upheld by any tile federation.
it would only be general rule because each stone needs to be considered individually.
i think that darren freeze is probably the only member that i know on this site or any other who will have experienced similar to me as our fields of work are similar