Tile And Stone Sealers: Facts You Should Know!

**Dave** · 12-10-2007

TILE AND STONE SEALERS: FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW!

The primary function of a tile or stone sealer is to render a porous tile or stone installation more stain resistant. In providing greater stain resistance, a secondary benefit will be to reduce ongoing maintenance.

Sealers are designated as penetrating (impregnator) or coating-type, based on whether they are designed to penetrate below surfaces or form a barrier on the surface. Typically, penetrating (impregnator) type sealers are highly viscous and designed to penetrate the porous tile or stone, leaving little or no surface residue. Penetrating sealers usually leave no surface sheen and do not change the natural look of the tile or stone being sealed. Penetrating (impregnator) type sealers may be either solvent or water-based. Solvent based sealers normally have more of a tendency to darken the tile or stone than water based penetrating sealers.

Penetrating (impregnator) type sealers are usually designed to stand alone without the need for a topical finish to protect the sealer. This is because the sealer penetrates and does not lay on the surface, thus it is not directly affected by surface wear.

Coating type sealers will normally penetrate the porous surface to some degree (at least on the initial application), but are usually designed to form a coating or film on the surface of the tile or stone. Coating type sealers may vary from a very low sheen to a very high sheen.

Although some coating type sealers are designed to stand alone and provide reasonable wear capabilities, most are designed to be used only with a wax type finish applied after the sealer is applied. The reason for this is that most coating sealers are hard to repair after direct wear and abuse occurs whereas wax type finishes are relatively easy to repair and reapply, and act as a protective barrier over the coating sealer.

When do you use a penetrating versus a coating type sealer? A good rule of thumb is that the denser the tile, the more important it is to use a penetrating versus a coating type sealer. Although penetrating type sealers can be used virtually on any type of porous stone or tile, coating type sealers should be used primarily on only the more porous tile and only unpolished, textured stones. Current sealer technology suggests that polished stone such as marble or granite should be sealed only with penetrating (impregnator) type sealers.

Sealers are not permanent, and all varieties will eventually require reapplication. It is encouraging to note that sealer technology has improved greatly in recent years and today, there are water-based, penetrating sealers that can provide an expected life of up to 15 years before needing re-application. A premium penetrating-type sealer not only penetrates the tile or stone and is therefore not subject to surface wear, but also should possess excellent chemical resistance to both acidic and strong base cleaners as well as UV stability.

Other important features to be considered when selecting a sealer are:

1. Coefficient of Friction (slip-resistance); the sealer should not render the tile or stone slippery and create a slip-fall hazzard.
2. Breathability (moisture-vapor transmission); this refers to the sealer allowing any moisture from the tile or subsurface to pass through the sealer as a vapor. This is especially important in exterior installations.

The selected sealer should provide the stain resistance required given the area and contaminants present. Other key considerations include the hazardous ingredients that may be in the sealer. This is most often a consideration when using solvent based sealers, with necessary precautions taken during the actual sealer application through the initial curing stage.

Sealers should always be selected with a priority given to "lowering ongoing maintenance." Don't select a sealer where the end result may be a minimal improvement in stain resistance and a large increase in maintenance requirements.

When selecting a sealer, don't hesitate to contact the sealer manufacturer with any questions you may have. Making the proper choice the first time can eliminate the hardship of re-addressing a tile or stone installation where the wrong sealer was selected..

................dave..