HI.
i just had some mexican terrocota tiles installed in a living room and the tile person used polyurithane. it’s smudged and streaked, glossy (the can says satin) and looks awful. can i strip it off? can the tile be saved or must they be ripped out and re-installed?
thank you!
Edited 9/18/2006 8:53 pm ET by ambrecita
Replies
I'm sorry to inform you that your tile person is a total idiot...............but I think you already know that by now.
The correct finish for Saltillo is a mixture of Boiled linsed oil & Turprntine followed by a top coat of melted butcher's wax applied with a floor buffer.
I don't have a clue if your floor can be save. My guess is that the Poly has soaked into the tiles pretty far and cannot be removed. I will see what I can find out for you from my sources. Saltillo install and finish is a highly specialized process that few understand or produce correctly.
Perhaps the "other guy" whose price was "too high" for you can offer some assistance. I'm just guessing here so don't take offence!
Eric
[email protected]
It's Never Too Late To Become What You Might Have Been
the person before used a regular tile sealer...it's not beautiful, but better than the poly. the tile guy had no idea what he was doing. i am sure that in new orleans i won't find this special finish you speak of. thank you for responding...i will stay posted. much appreciated.
~a~
Saltillo
http://forums.taunton.com/tp-breaktime/messages?msg=58079.1
I meant to include the link above from a past discussion here.
Why do you doubt the availability of this finish where you are?
Eric[email protected]
It's Never Too Late To Become What You Might Have Been
All the good tile guys got the heck out of town durring the hurricane and decided not to return!
Doug
Not true, some of us are still here but most people aren't willing to pay what it cost to use good installers. They find the non-local guys hanging out at HD or Lowes that work for penuts.busta :0)
The correct finish for Saltillo
That is one of the old finishes. Ther is more than one "correct finish". Poly can be used successfully on saltillo tile, if applied properly. The OP says the tile was originallysealed with standard tile sealer. Doesn't that contain silicone? That would definately create compatibility and adhesion problems.
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
Edited 9/18/2006 11:21 pm ET by FastEddie
I took him to mean that he has different tile installs: An older one done with a tile sealer, and the new one, now covered in poly.
But you might be right.
Hard to say what the fix is, without seeing it.
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