little advice please.
I am doing a small bathromm tile job and I’m getting ready to grout. My question is whether or not I can seal the tile before I grout. The tile is a natural stone and I afraid the grout wil be extremely difficult to remove other wise. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Clem
Replies
That is the recommended way. You can do it without but it's a bear to clean. Some people like unsealed saltillo. You just have to be neater.
Some people like unsealed saltillo. I gots to ask ... have you ever laid saltillo? Have you ever grouted unsealed saltillo? I have. It sux really, really big time. I would rather have a root canal than grout unsealed saltillo.
First, the grout joints are rather large ... 1/2 t0 3/4" wide and 1/2" deep ... that's a lot of wet sand to be pushing around. Add the fact that the tiles are not flat, and it gets interesting. Saltillo is basically unglazed terra cotta ... it sucks up moisture like crazy.
I was helping a buddy do his house ...something like 650 sf of tile. Help isn't the right word ... he was buying the materials, mixing the thinset, toting materials ... I was doing all the cutting and laying. Anyway, I kept reminding him to seal the tiles once before they were installed, and once again before grouting, then we would seal two more times after the grout. He forgot and didn't seal a small area ... about 6 tiles. As soon as the grout hit the tiles, the moisture was sucked roight out of the grout, leaving an increasingly drier sand goop that was dam near impossible to spread, never mind clean off. He bought a dark red grout. those six tiles are permanently stained a horrible dried blood red color, and will have to be chipped out and replaced.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
Will do Thanks!
Seal the face of the stone before grouting, but try to leave the edges unsealed, so the grout will stick there.
looks like the way to go-Thanks for the help
I actually seal all natural stone before I even install it. Gives the helper something to do while I`m laying out and such.
If I wasn`t able to seal beforehand, I`d certainly be sure to do so prior to grouting.
My two cents.
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"
sounds like it would also help with the thinset clean-up.
Thanks
Exactly...be sure not to seal the backs of the tile...don`t want to comprimise the bond (but I`m sure you realized that).....Best of luck to ya!J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"
the tile cleaned up so nice it actually impressed the boss. Thanks again.
No problem....glad I was able to help.J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"
There are pre-grout products which make the job much easier. Most are temporary sealers applied just before grouting and then washed off as you sponge off the excess grout. One I've used for slate and can recommend is:
http://www.aldonchem.com/pr-grout-easy.htm
You apply two coats after the tiles are set, and then you have about eight hours to grout and clean up before it starts to attach itself to the tile.
you could take the bottom out of an old caulk tube, scrape & clean inside of tube, drill a hole in the bottom piece, run some string through hole, tie knot on inside part of piece, tie a few knots, epoxy string to piece. You can then utilize the tube for grouting. pull bottom pc. out by yanking string, mix up grout, stuff grout in tube, put bottom piece back in, load tube in caulk gun, cut nose of tube to size - equivalent to grout joint width. Then with ease tool grout into joint lines, with little to no clean up.