Many tiles especially natural stone such as slate marble and limestone are porous and need to be sealed.
Do ceramic tile floors need to be sealed.
Sealing of grout however may be a good decision that will help you reduce floor maintenance.
But is this strictly true.
Unsealed tiles such as clay and natural stone must be sealed.
Epoxy grout is a tough water resistant material that doesn t require sealer but it s not right for every tile application.
Sealing is done to strengthen tile or grout s defenses against dirt spills and erosion of grout but not all tile needs to be sealed.
If your tile is ceramic or porcelain it probably won t need to be sealed.
Porcelain and ceramic tiles are not porous.
When to seal tiles.
First it is important to understand that there are two types of porcelain tile that need to be considered.
A mop won t dig out the dirt and often.
There are some exceptions to this so check with your manufacturer to be sure.
Using a product like pro seal ultra is ideal for grout.
But like any floor a ceramic tile floor can become soiled or stained if it isn t sealed properly and regularly.
Different types of ceramic tiles and grout have distinct features that should be considered when choosing sealing products.
Damage wanting to seal a ceramic floor tile to fix or cover some damage.
Even for areas such as a tile backsplash that may not see a lot of dirt or usage sealing tiles is crucial for the installation of it over time.
Sealer is necessary for any floor tiles because they pick up dirt and grime that will set into the tile if it isn t sealed.
Textured tiles can prove difficult to keep clean as they have high low surfaces.
Seal the tile not the grout.
However during the polishing process micro pores are opened up.
The key is to ensure that proper sealer is periodically applied.
Many consumers believe that a polished porcelain floor tile doesn t need sealing.
Another big reason some tiles need to be sealed even before the installation for certain types.
Some polished porcelains are sealed as part of the manufacturing process to protect them during installation but a further seal after a thorough builders clean is recommended to offer.
They are glazed and unglazed.
Ceramic tile floors are an attractive and durable addition to high traffic and wet areas in a home.
There s an argument to say that you d only seal a polished porcelain tile and would leave a textured or matt surface well alone.
Genuine ceramic floor tiles do not stain so sealing will not improve stain protection.