How can I tell if Porclain tiles need sealing?

[bluevin123]

Hi,

Got to do a job in a few weeks(bathroom walls) and customer has rang to say he got the tiles already and that they are porclain...I now want to add another 50quid to the job for this,but have just realised they might need sealing.
Cant remember is it the shiny ones that dont, or dya think its probably best to go and look at the tile itself to see if it needs sealing...are there any signs to look for.
If they do I would probably go round the night before to seal so they are ok when I start the job.
Hope you can help.
Cheers.
Vinnie.

[Derry]

best bet if you are unsure is to test a small spot with water and see if it soaks in or not

[Alan.P]

That and a stain test with coffee / marker pen etc, stain the tile,with what ever, leave a while and see if it wipes off, or to be safe, seal them anyway.

[Rob Z]

Hi Vinnie,

The thing we go by is whether the tile is an unglazed porcelain, and if so we seal them. Maybe a phone call to the supplier will let you know without having to make a special trip to the job?

[Derry]

Hi Vinnie,

The thing we go by is whether the tile is an unglazed porcelain, and if so we seal them. Maybe a phone call to the supplier will let you know without having to make a special trip to the job?

That depends who the supplier is!!!

I wouldnt trust anything B&Q tell me. I would test an offcut of tile just to be on the safeside

[Rob Z]

Patrick, wouldn't it be nice if the supplier that sold the product knew their products?

[CDS]

We tend to find that most porcelain needs sealing. A 'dry wipe' marker pen is generally the quickest way to find out on 'polished' tiles. Unpolished or matt finish tiles then water, coffee etc all ok.

Just a note of caution, be wary of cms who have been advised in the shop that tiles don't need sealing or are pre-treated - From experience most shop assistants don't know what they're talking about. I've had to demonstrate numerous times that the cm has been misinformed!!!

[wetdec]

Porcelain............is made by heating clay and other materials to high temperatures so in effect it is natural by its constitution..........

Polished porcelain is just what is says, its a piece of porcelain polished, there is no glaze applied like ceramics to seal the surface and the same applies to unpolished there are no portions added to prevent porosity.

Knowing and realising that all porcelain is porous to a degree and should be treated as such is important. Granted polished is less porous as its surface is slightly more closed due to the polishing process but never the less it can still absorbe.

When fixing all riven or rough surface porcelain floor tiles should be sealed, matt and polished surfaced tiles will all benefit from sealing to prevent staining and the ingress of muck.

Testing as the other guys have said is always the first thing to do when you walk on the job giving the surface time to settle to the stain before judging the outcome.





.

[bluevin123]

Thanks guys for your input, will take all that on board,will ring him later to see if I can get more info on it.
Cheers.
Vin.

[Derry]

Patrick, wouldn't it be nice if the supplier that sold the product knew their products?

what a cracking idea!!! I see a niche in the market there

[peterhouse]

wat do you guys mean SEALING a tile and how do u do that and why?

[Dave]

Rob is correct...it is only all unglazed porcelain that needs sealing....as it has microscopic pores in the surface that grab dirt/stains.....

Porcelain has a porosity of between 0,05% to 3% so not really porus in nature....it is the open pores that are suspect to grabbing the muck as wetdecs puts it...

So an impregnator designed for vitried tiles is needed...not just any sealer will suffice..

I use lithofin fz impregnator...for porcelain..

[pete f]

all unglazed porcel needs sealing if its from bnq seal before you start to lay it its a nightmare

[Rob Z]

Rob is correct...it is only all unglazed porcelain that needs sealing....as it has microscopic pores in the surface that grab dirt/stains.....
..

It only takes one time trying to clean the latex grout residue off of those unpolished/unglazed porcelains before a fellow realizes he better never make that mistake again!

(Yes, I have been that guy )

[peterhouse]

how u guys seal it and with what

[ace26]

seal them with a roller brush and there are many makes of sealer just depends were u go for it

[Rob Z]

Hi Peter,

Dave mentioned a product he uses in post #12. We use Aqua Mix Sealers Choice, but that might not be available in the UK (?) It is a big seller here.