What have I done wrong? Slate tile sealant

[mtm103]

Hi all
About a year ago, I had a bathroom tiled with natural slate. This was sealed with slate shine (I believe this is recommended on other threads) and the tiler at the time put one coat. At the time he said no more coats were needed. Over the year the tiles lost their mojo, and we felt that a clean plus potentially another coat of sealant was needed. So we cleaned the tiles and, when dry applied a coat of slate shine, and it looked great, the tiles looked better than when they were first laid, they had a real wet look.. Apart from the wet room.... They looked great until we took a shower, when the tiles dried it looks like we had one of those chalk blackboard wipes and we decided to wipe the tiles with it.... They look ok when wet, but dried they have gone white.. Everywhere else they look perfect, so what have I done wrong?i followed all nstructions, and they look terrible.. Ay ideas?
Thanks

 

[DHTiling]

Did you allow full cure of the sealant before showering.?

The sealer sounds like it has bloomed.

 

[jay]

any pics

 

[mtm103]

This is pic of the bit that looks good

 

[mtm103]

And this is the wet room part.. I left it for 24 hours before taking a shower, but maybe that is not enough? What does it mean the sealant has bloomed? if I try and wipe it with a sponge and just water, it lathers up like it has shampoo on it, but it doesn't have the varnish sealand smell. It was fine before I took a shower.

 

[jay]

Bloomed is when moisture has got under the sealer causing it to go white (separate from the slate) yours looks like it but not sure about the lathering up .any more info on the sealer

 

[mtm103]

Hi all
This is the sealer, but it was the same sealar used when the tiles were originally laid a year ago..
Lithofin MN Slate-Seal 1 litre
it was applied with a small rolling brush (which you can actually see the size of it on the 2nd pic!) we laid it on the same thickness everywhere so I don't think it is that... Also the wet room looked fine for 24 hours, only when we took a shower..

 

[Rizzle from the Portizzle]

when sealed the surface was not completely dry this is now showing up when hot water from shower raise the temptare on the surface . strip back. some stones will take a longer time to dry out depending on density and calcium in slate .if cleaned with a water based cleaner . allow between 2 -5 days to dry out before resealing .ps you may also have not removed all of the old seal .before re sealing .when looking from the side shine a light over cleaned tiles .if seal is stil present you will see a slite shimmer clean again.

 

[jay]

http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&r...7Z3sCQ&usg=AFQjCNE74-3VpHDGDeyBTPG8vnKJME86tw

Can i ask what you used to clean them with and how long after cleaning was it before you sealed

 

[mtm103]

Hi
I didn't remove the old sealar (the person at the shop said it wasn't necessary, as the old sealar was the slate shine). To clean it I used a heavy duty cleaner in a grey plastic bottle for slate and stone, I bought it from b and q..
How can I fix it? Do i need the WAX OFF and then wait to dry and reseal?
Thanks all for all your help, i thought I waited enough before applying the sealar..

 

[jay]

It needs stripping back (cant advice there not a product i use) then leave about 24 to48 hours before sealing depends on conditions ,some one will advice on the stripper required

 

[swanman]

Yes strip back with ltp grimex

then re seal 2/3 coats

Good Luck