What to use to re-seal ceramic tiles and granite?

[fredob43]

9 hours ago, melvinmelvin said:

agree,

the granite I have at home come from India, Italy and Norway, all stone hard to put it that way

have a pretty big coffee table that I have had for more than 20 years, it takes all kinds of abuse,

never a scratch never a stain, don't even need to use ashtrays on that table, the surface will do,

lukewarm water and mild soap - clean - it never loses the shiny surface

 

marble is a very different story, nice to look at, difficult material, better use it for purposes that

do not abuse the surface, a coffee table is OK as long as you never ever spill a drop of coffee - tea - cream cake

or gin tonic

using marble for decorative purposes is OK if you limit yourself to totally dry environments and no banging

on the surface

 

anyway, that is my experience

 

another comment,

 

it was said in a post that tiles are not porous,

my experience is that they are, liquid seeps through ordinary shiny surface tiles

 

there are tiles which are not porous, but then we talk a very very different cost range

ie tiles used in indoor swimming pools can be non porous, hence water proof

such tiles come at a price

 

You can clean good Granite with a normal kitchen cleaner I/Wife use ARO Kitchen cleaner. As it takes any grease off. Wiped off with a damp cloth.

Then let it dry it'll end up with it's normal like new shiny surface.

 

All Glazed tiles are nonporous provided that they are grouted correctly using a water proof grout or if you know how to use it (Not easy) Epoxy grout.

The only time that they will let water/fluid into the biscuit is if the grout is to low not covering the biscuit base as water/fluid can seep into the Biscuit.

 

You just have to check that the glaze is well down the side of tile if it's not they are a pore make so don't buy. Or make sure you grout correctly (leaving it a bit higher) covering the glaze. Problem solved.

[johng]

Maybe Sheryl's stone has
(for some reason) had some coating like polyurethane applied to it ?
They use that on the very shiny huge hardwood tables sold here.

[fruitman]

On 2/26/2019 at 10:36 AM, Sheryl said:

I don't think I can replace just those tiles as getting them out would entail a lot if damage.

You can also glue tiles over tiles with that glue out of a bucket..we also have that and it even survived being flooded for 2-3 weeks.

[melvinmelvin]

13 hours ago, fredob43 said:

You can clean good Granite with a normal kitchen cleaner I/Wife use ARO Kitchen cleaner. As it takes any grease off. Wiped off with a damp cloth.

Then let it dry it'll end up with it's normal like new shiny surface.

 

All Glazed tiles are nonporous provided that they are grouted correctly using a water proof grout or if you know how to use it (Not easy) Epoxy grout.

The only time that they will let water/fluid into the biscuit is if the grout is to low not covering the biscuit base as water/fluid can seep into the Biscuit.

 

You just have to check that the glaze is well down the side of tile if it's not they are a pore make so don't buy. Or make sure you grout correctly (leaving it a bit higher) covering the glaze. Problem solved.

 

ok, not going to argue this to the last ditch, but

I assume you by grout mean the stuff between the tiles (my English is shaky)

 

above I was not talking about a tiled wall or floor, but the tile itself

take one tile off the shelf in a shop, it is not waterproof it is porous, liquids seep through,

takes time, but the liquid seeps through

having said that;

my experience is with Italian tiles,

almost ALL tiles sold in Norway are produced in Italy - porous - yes, glazed tiles - porous

 

non porous waterproof tiles can be bought at a price

Edited February 27, 2019 by melvinmelvin
typo

[melvinmelvin]

59 minutes ago, melvinmelvin said:

 

ok, not going to argue this to the last ditch, but

I assume you by grout mean the stuff between the tiles (my English is shaky)

 

above I was not talking about a tiled wall or floor, but the tile itself

take one tile off the shelf in a shop, it is not waterproof it is porous, liquids seep through,

takes time, but the liquid seeps through

having said that;

my experience is with Italian tiles,

almost ALL tiles sold in Norway are produced in Italy - porous - yes, glazed tiles - porous

 

non porous waterproof tiles can be bought at a price

 

the tile layers in Norway suggests to me that I do a test to understand that the tiles (Italian glazed ones) are

not water proof

 

take a couple of tiles, not huge ones, put each of them on an A4 size piece of white

paper with the glazed side down

fill the other side of the tile up with tea or coffee or coke or bloody mary if you like

and see what happens after a couple of days - the liquid comes through

 

using silicone grout you can, but in a whole bathroom of size that is somewhat costly

if you use high quality silicone stuff

but it surely will reduce the water leakage

 

10-15-20-25 years of showering on tiles lead to consequences for the material on the other

side of the tiles, usually very undesirable consequences

 

[Sheryl]

You can also glue tiles over tiles with that glue out of a bucket..we also have that and it even survived being flooded for 2-3 weeks.

Of course. But that would entail retiling the entire bathroom which I do not want to do.

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[Sheryl]

 
the tile layers in Norway suggests to me that I do a test to understand that the tiles (Italian glazed ones) are
not water proof
 
take a couple of tiles, not huge ones, put each of them on an A4 size piece of white
paper with the glazed side down
fill the other side of the tile up with tea or coffee or coke or bloody mary if you like
and see what happens after a couple of days - the liquid comes through
 
using silicone grout you can, but in a whole bathroom of size that is somewhat costly
if you use high quality silicone stuff
but it surely will reduce the water leakage
 
10-15-20-25 years of showering on tiles lead to consequences for the material on the other
side of the tiles, usually very undesirable consequences
 

I don't have a problem with leakage. I'm regrouting for appearance reasons. And a few area have worn down due to scrubbing with very strong acids and abrasives in an effort to remove stubborn water stains. Looking for a way to improve appearances/ restore gloss.

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[fredob43]

On ‎2‎/‎28‎/‎2019 at 11:24 AM, Sheryl said:

I don't have a problem with leakage. I'm regrouting for appearance reasons. And a few area have worn down due to scrubbing with very strong acids and abrasives in an effort to remove stubborn water stains. Looking for a way to improve appearances/ restore gloss.

Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

I assume that you have removed most of the grout. Otherwise you wont be able to re-grout it needs some depth to adhere. Tip. Use grey grout as white will discolour and go patchy, in a matter of weeks. Always does in toilets.

 

You have been told by many on here including myself, that there isn't anyway you can restore the gloss once the glaze is buggered. Whatever sealer you use will only last for a day or two of cleaning and it'll be gone again. Suggest you forget the idea.  

Edited March 1, 2019 by fredob43

[Sheryl]

Where in Thailand can any of those be found?

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