Do I Need To Seal My Ceramic Tile

Is it necessary to seal grout after installing tile.

Do i need to seal my ceramic tile.

The best way to prevent this is to seal your new grout and repeat as needed every year or so for wall and floor tiles that don t get much moisture and more often for grout in the shower or on. What a lot of diy ers and homeowners don t realize is that sealing your tile grout is one of the most important things to ensure your tile floor backsplash countertop or walls look great and last for a long time. Ceramic tile floors are an attractive and durable addition to high traffic and wet areas in a home. Different types of ceramic tiles and grout have distinct features that should be considered when choosing sealing products.

When to seal tiles. 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. Any tile that is ceramic porcelain or natural stone needs to be periodically sealed. Certain types of tile surfaces such as non porcelain ceramic tiles do not need to be sealed.

For example most ceramic tiles are finished with a durable glaze that can help protect the surface from stains so adding a sealer will not be necessary. If your tile is ceramic or porcelain it probably won t need to be sealed. Cleaning are you wanting to seal the ceramic tiles because of difficulty cleaning the surface. Here s 7 reasons why you might want to seal your ceramic tiles often in desperation and then wished they never did 1.

A newly tiled shower floor or countertop is a sight to behold and you ll want to keep it looking its best. Before you do anything it s important to know why you want to seal and if sealing will solve your problem long term. Unglazed terra cotta not very common these days or natural stone you would seal these as they are porous. Generally no would not seal the tile assuming that your tile is glazed ceramic or porcelain.

You do not need to seal the surfaces of most ceramic and porcelain. There are some exceptions to this so check with your manufacturer to be sure. Some do require a light application of a penetrating sealer to fill the micro pores on the surface of the tile. If you need to clean your grout use a soft bristled brush and a recommended cleaner.

But like any floor a ceramic tile floor can become soiled or stained if it isn t sealed properly and regularly. Check with your tile s manufacturer for cleaner recommendations. Ensure the tile surface is dry including the grout around the tub. Drying your tile after each shower prevents mold from forming in the grout.

Grout is often considered the. But this is a different type of sealer i hope to write about that soon.