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TILE AND STONE SEALERS: FACTS
YOU SHOULD KNOW!
By Bill Tran
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..
Bill Tran
Vice President, Sales
Aqua Mix Inc.
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