Which Sealant?

[gooty]

Finally got the beige porcelain tiles clean from black grout.

Apparently I should have used a sealer/impregnator on them before grouting and to help clean them more easily in the future????

If so, what make would you recommend?

Thanks

 

[dynamictiling]

That must have been a nightmare. Generally 2 washes removes all residue.

Impregnator sealer is the one to go for, you can pick it up from most tile shops. If your sealing a tile. Always best to seal before grouting. Just Beware if there is any residue left on the tile and you seal it, you will also be sealing the residue into the tile.

 

[gooty]

Is it like a varnish?

 

[dynamictiling]

No.

Liquid, not really sure how else to describe it. Ohhh it's smell potent :-D

 

[One Day]

Is it like a varnish?

No. Impregnators work by filling the microscopic pores which permeate the surface of polished porcelain. Solvent based normally and very smelly but without filling those pores, you will fill them with grout residue - as you've noticed already!

 

[gooty]

The grout situation is sorted now. It's just future cleaning that's worrying me.

 

[One Day]

The grout situation is sorted now. It's just future cleaning that's worrying me.

Sealing will protect against dirt staining too. Higher quality polished porcelain doesn't always need it. The one here definitely does.

 

[Dan]

Www.ltp-online.co.uk

 

[Lithofin BOB]

From most manufactures there will be a specific porcelain impregnator, water based or solvent. saturate as instructed and as above remove all excess, I buff mine fully dry with a white towel after this time .
Leave to fully cure , this can take 12-24 hours generally then grout. I would always recomend to impregnate a spare tile or of cut and the same time as the floor , you can then grout across this before you do the floor and ensure that you will get full grout release, if not on the test ,you can adjust the way you will approach the floor area.

 

[andytyler]

id be asking your supplier why they didnt point out they required impregnating sealer.