To seal or not to seal porcelain tiles

3/25/2016

The question to seal or not to seal porcelain tiles is becoming one of the most asked question in the Nerang Tiles showroom. Customers are becoming more informed about different products and it get all get a bit confusing when you are deciding between natural stone, natural marble, natural timber or porcelain tiles.

We all know that natural products such as stone, marble and timber do require sealing but do porcelain tiles?

We couldn't answer it better than Scott Worthington from Aqua Mix via tiletoday.com.au. Check out his article below.

If you have any questions please give the experts at Nerang Tiles a call on 07 559 61 916.

The question of sealing porcelain is fast becoming one of the most asked in the industry. To fully understand the answer one must know a little about the history and make up of porcelain tile.

What is Porcelain Tile?
Porcelain as we know it today was first pioneered in Italy by several notable companies. Porcelain is made from a more pure blend of high quality clay than used in “normal” ceramic production, utilizing predominantly china or porcelain clays. These have high silica content and result in materials that have all of the characteristics of silica itself once fired, namely low water absorption, high chemical resistance, high abrasion resistance, and good overall hardness.

The pioneers of this technology recognized this high performance and marketed it accordingly with porcelain becoming the benchmark. One of the most accessible technical features used by the marketers to highlight this high performance aspect was water absorption. The European standards (Tolerances ISO UNE EN ISO 10.545-3) set water absorption at less than 0.5%. In many cases the European manufacturers bettered this impressive standard with common water absorption being less than 0.1%.

So, with such low water absorption and with the clay being milled and spray dried to such small particle size distributions before pressing and then firing to over 1200 degrees Celsius, the resulting porcelain DID NOT NEED SEALING.

This should therefore be the end of the story. However it is not. There are now many types of porcelain, especially polished, that do absorb liquids and hence can benefit from sealing. Why is this so?

Porcelain Today
The reason for this change is simple. Today we have so many different kinds of porcelain, manufactured with different standards in different countries to meet varying pricing and performance demands. In contrast, originally a small select group working to a defined set of high performance standards manufactured all porcelains in Europe. By default it set the definition of “porcelain”. However this definition is no longer something that can be attributed to all products labeled porcelain. Consequently where in the past we recommended no sealing for “porcelain”, we now ask for more information about the particular porcelain before answering. The fact is that there are now many porcelains that have a rate of water absorption higher than the original standard thus requiring a sealer to perform properly. To ascertain if a porcelain will benefit from a sealer application do a simple water test. If after several minutes water is absorbed then the tile can stain and will benefit from sealing. In general it is the polished products that are the most applicable, especially some of the “honed” or satin materials that are being offered.

Which Sealers Work?
The unique composition of porcelain makes it a difficult product to seal. It has low water absorption and a very fine highly compressed crystal lattice making it difficult for many conventional sealers to bond. There are only two types of sealers that will successfully protect porcelain, Penetrating type products and also Floor Finishes.

Penetrating or Impregnators
These sealers cure and work below the surface of the tile. They typically leave the tile looking natural and have no adverse effect on the tiles coefficient of friction (slip resistance).

It is commonly thought that the most successful penetrating sealers for porcelain are solvent based rather than water. The rationale is the solvents have a smaller molecular structure than water making it easier for them to penetrate the dense porcelain surface. This is valid to a certain extent. However if the application technique of a premium water base product (such as Aqua Mix Sealers Choice) is modified to allow the sealer to dwell for longer than the resulting performance is superior to traditional solvent sealers.

With most sealer companies trying to enhance productivity and quality control it is however believed to be counterproductive to change the normal and recognized method of penetrating sealer application. Therefore companies such as Aqua Mix have developed specialised porcelain sealers.

These are at present solvent based as they allow high performance as well as no modification to traditional application techniques. These new generation solvent sealers are much improved compared to the traditional versions. Aqua Mix Pro Solv 10 for example is a water dispersible solvent. It is non-flammable, non-toxic and has very good vapor transmission. It will not yellow and can be safely applied in hot temperatures, as its flash point is very high. It is a premium sealer in that it offers high levels of stain resistance (especially against oils) and has a life expectancy of up to 10 years making it far superior to traditional solvents.

Floor Finishes
Polished porcelains hard, dense and often smooth surface makes the application of surface sealers almost impossible and is the reason why penetrating sealers, like Pro Solv 10 are the industry standard. However when a polished porcelain surface begins to scratch and wear, traditional restoration by way of wet polishing is in many cases not practical. This is where the application of a “synthetic polish” becomes a realistic alternative. However to get a surface coating to successfully bond to the porcelain surface, thermoplastic resins must be employed. Without this technology normal air cured coatings will not get sufficient mechanical bond.

An example of this technology is Aqua Mix StonEndure Sealer Finish. It utilizes state of the art thermoplastic resins that when buffed with a high-speed machine gains a high mechanical bond creating a durable sealer finish with a very high gloss, very close to the original. These types of products are designed to work in the same high traffic, high wear environments as the porcelain itself.

“My Porcelain Gets Dirty, therefore I need to Seal!”
This is a very common statement. However it is in many cases just not true. As I have mentioned above, the main reason for sealing porcelain is to stop it absorbing things that would eventually stain. However as these sealers are penetrating they do not offer any protection to the actual surface and it is surface soiling that this statement refers to in most cases.

Porcelain used to be all full body or homogeneous as it is often referred to. However there are many other techniques used today – glazed, roll feed, double charged to name a few. Moreover there are many different surface textures many of them created by the use of plastic dyes to press the tile body before fi ring. It is these textures that are more often than not the reason for the problems our statement refers to.

A common complaint is that when porcelain is used in a car showroom or garage, car tire marks are very easily transferred on to the tile, but not easily removed. The client then assumes that a sealer will remedy the problem. However in most cases it is the very fine surface texture, characteristic of most porcelain that is abrading the tire and lodging the rubber particles in the very small fine pores of the tile. It is a typical porcelain complaint. It is very often further complicated by the presence of small amounts of grout haze left on the tile surface after installation.

The solution to this problem is to clean and maintain the porcelain correctly rather than apply a sealer. Most porcelain cannot be maintained by wet mopping alone. The characteristic microscopic textured surface requires periodic cleaning with a heavy duty alkaline cleaner (for example Aqua Mix Heavy Duty Tile and Grout Cleaner) and an abrasive pad such as 3M’s Scotchbrite brand.

Conclusion
There is no doubt that the question of whether you do or do not need to seal porcelain is NOW a legitimate question. When porcelain was first created it was not. The only real questions then related to maintenance. However with the advent of different market requirements and the proliferation of porcelain manufacturers worldwide “porcelain” no longer can be defined by the same original technical and performance criteria. The name porcelain now encompasses a much wider range of performance characteristics and some of these can in no doubt be improved by the use of good sealers.

So the answer to the question “do I need to seal porcelain” is no longer a blanket NO!

The correct reply is “which type of product is your porcelain” and following some simple tests and discussion with your supplier, the answer should be revealed.

Source: Aqua Mix

29 Comments

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Robert R Furgason

11/3/2018 07:32:59 am

What are the simple tests that you refer to in order to identify the type of porcelain tile we have? The local suppliers just says porcelain is porcelain. We are having problems with our chairs not sliding easily on the floor without large drag and noise. I wonder about putting some type of sealant on the surface that would allow the furniture, especially chairs to more smoothly glide on the floor. The plastic furniture sliders still do not smoothly allow the chairs to move. So I am considering applying some type of surface coating that will allow better movement of the chairs. Any suggestions?

Nerang Tiles link

11/3/2018 09:21:54 am

Hi Robert, tests include checking to see if there is a glaze on the porcelain, applying water as mentioned above, visual inspection for rectified vs pressed edge and by touch to identify the texture.

If your porcelain tile has a glaze then a sealer will generally not stick or work. If your tile is a polished porcelain then a sealant may be effective and could potentially decrease the slip resistance of the tile.

We would recommend posing this question to a furniture specialists rather than your local tile store as most interior porcelain tiles will allow have the same slip resistance and generally do not pose any issues with the movement of furniture. It is more likely that the furniture itself needs adjustment of some sort.

Regards

Nerang Tiles.

Ben Dale

12/16/2018 08:36:42 am

We're having a lot of issues with tannin stains from leaves falling on our porcelain pool tiles. Would sealing these tiles make them any easier to clean?

12/17/2018 08:16:45 am

Hi Ben, sealing will of course make tiles easier to clean as it creates a less porous surface. However, if your tiles are a glazed porcelain the sealant will not attach itself to the tiles and will rub off over time. It is best to contact your LTS to inquire what tiles you have and the best sealant that they would recommend.

Christine

12/20/2018 12:01:53 am

This is my story
I am wondering whether you could please shed some light on this problem.
I chose a pale grey porcelain tile as a feature wall in our new bathroom. The tiles were glued to the wall and were not grouted for about a week or more until all of the other wall tiles were installed. The tiles looked perfect until they were grouted. The day after the tiles were grouted, the grout looked really patchy, went quite dark *(like mould in lots of places) and it gave a picture framing effect. At first the tiler and builder claimed that the tiles were unsealed and therefore the grout bled into the tile. But when tested with a permanent marker and metho, the tile WAS SEALED. So the builder started to take off the grout and realised that maybe the tile was actuallly reflecting the grout and causing what looked like picture framing. But when a lighter colour grout was used it still reflected it although much less.

The tiler says that the tile might be sealed on top but the sealing hasn't gone through the whole tile and he therefore recommends that the tiles be removed altogether. If this is the case, I can't understand why the glue did not penetrate the tile and why the picture framing effect seems to lessen or goes away when the grout is removed. The grout in the areas where it has darkened looks terrible.
All of our other wall tiles and floor tiles have Mapei Colour Plus grout. But because our tiler couldn't get this feature tile grout color in Mapei, he used Ardec.
We purchased these 11 m2 of porcelain tiles at Global Builders Warehouse. They were the only ones who had this self-coloured tile and it was such a relief to find it.. The tile shop told us they would check with the supplier but hasn't got back to us.
We are wondering whether it is the grouting and not the tile.
My queries-
1. Is there a quick and simple way we can check to be certain that the tile is in fact UNSEALED all the way through to the back before they are ripped off the wall? It will be a costly exercise as this feature tile is locked in by the other wall tiles.
2. Are you aware of a similar problem with Ardec grouting?
If you could please shed some light on this problem I would be soooo happy and grateful.
A million thanks.
Christine

12/20/2018 04:48:17 am

Porcelain tile are a different material than ceramic tiles. They don’t need to be sealed as they are a much harder surface. And from our water test, there doesn’t seem to be any absorption of water at the surface of the tile. It seems you may have a grout problem. Our installation used wooden base boards and not the tile. The tile had a grout line at the intersection with the base board which looks just like all of the other grout lines. The grout used was self-sealing – at least that what it is supposed to be. We have no issues with the grout at this point about 3 months after initial installation. We used Mapei Flexcolor C.O., ivory color for the grout. Hope this is helpful.

12/20/2018 06:29:44 am

Thank you so very much Robert for your reply. Much appreciated. Just having your response to my posting is helpful. Thank you.
We are also suspecting a grout problem. We have done the water tests and whilst you notice the distinct difference in the colour of the tile where the tile sat and was emersed in water, it dries perfectly not long after it is taken out of the water and there are no marks or lines left.
I am not sure what you mean by "Our installation used wooden base boards and not the tile". But it is interesting you say that the grout is self-sealing. The main reason we are beginning to think the problem is with the grout and not the tile is because the grout went blackish (like mould) in several spots. It started to do that from the very next day after the grouting was done. Or at least that is when I noticed it. However, if the grout has stained the tile, then I am being told that there is nothing that can take that stain out. Is that correct - or can anyone please let me know if there is any product that will take the grout stain out. I am trying to think of all alternatives rather than to rip off the tile and re-tile. This tile is a locked in tile (where it intersects with the other wall tiles and the ceiling architraves) and so removing them and retiling is going to cost a lot in money and time. If that is necessary then we don't have a choice but if it isn't necessary, then any other options would be great to know.

My neighbor suggested we grout some of those tiles with the Ardec grouting which our tiler used and which we believe is causing the problem and another batch of the same tile with Mapei Colour Plus (which was used on the floor tiles) and if the problem occurs with the Ardec and not the Mapei that might be a more conclusive proof that it is the grout and not the tile that caused this "picture framing effect" as well as the mould effect.

Would like to resolve this as quickly and as peacefully as we can.
Thank you again.
Christine

12/20/2018 06:31:40 am

I would like to be notified of all comments please to my post.
Would Nerang Tiles have a suggestion or does Nerang Tiles know of an independent consultant who could give us an opinion.
Thank you.

12/20/2018 09:33:13 am

Hi Christine, in some instances the porosity of porcelain tiles can be higher than usual and allow for the absorption or penetration of liquid to bleed into its body. This issue is exacerbated by darker colour grout, no matter the brand. However this is extremely rare and we have not come across this issue before.

Unfortunately not all porcelain tiles are made equal with some tiles manufactured with a porosity rate as low as 0.06% with others up to a maximum of 0.5%. However this may not necessarily be the case in your situation.

It is not possible to provide a solution or identify the cause of your issue without further information and investigation on your specific tile. We would also recommend seeking the manufacturer's certificate for your tile's specifications.

For expert advice we recommend contacting Mr Bryan Vadas from Resolution Disputes at vadasb@bigpond.com or on 0414635003. Mr Vadas is an expert in the tile industry and provides advice nation wide.

We trust that this information assists.

12/20/2018 10:39:45 am

Thank you Nerang Tiles for your prompt response. I have requested the builder and tiler (who also tell us that they've never seen this happen before) that they try grouting the same tiles (the left over offcuts) with Mapei Colour Plus to see whether the same "picture framing effect" will occur. This experiment, I felt, would put a lot more certainty into what is actually causing the problem - the grout or the tile.
Thank you so very much for Mr. Bryan Vadas' details. I hope he is in Metro Victoria!!! - as that is where I live. If not, hopefully he can refer someone in Metro Vic to me.
I really appreciate all the replies. It has been a disappointing experience for us and we have felt helpless. So this blog has been really really helpful.
Thank you to all.
I hope this helps others out there too.
I will post my results as and when this mystery is solved.

Debbie

1/11/2019 06:03:28 am

Over a year ago we had Italian porcelain tiles (12x24) put down in our kitchen/dining and half-bath areas. Unfortunately we were not made aware of the important fact that these tiles are not mopable due to the rough texture, which also has some height variances among each tile to resemble the look of slate. We love the look and soft color variances. I contacted the manufacturer and was told they need to be cleaned with a marine deck-type brush ... seriously?! was my answer. Then I asked, and how does one then rinse and extract the dirty wet residue. Needless to say this method was not a viable one! I have had to revert to paying a commercial steam cleaning company once a quarter - cost is too much to have it done more often. My million dollar question to you - is there any type of sealant or epoxy finish that can be used that would allow a mop to then glide over the tiles?

Robert

1/11/2019 08:46:17 am

Our porcelain tile is relatively smooth but not a polished surface. We were having some difficulty sliding chairs in and out of the table. I used a car polish on the floor and this helped the friction part. However, we have not had a major problem with mopping the floor.

1/11/2019 08:56:11 am

Hi Debbie

Any standard tile sealer may assist with deterring the rough texture of tiles. However please note that if your tiles are a glazed porcelain then the sealant may wear off and peel due to the low porosity of porcelain.

A great source of information about which sealers are best for you circumstance can be found here (https://aquamix.com.au/products/sealers/about-sealers/) of which we are a stockist.

Regards

Nerang Tiles

Francesca Leaton

4/23/2019 08:24:21 pm

Hi Nerang Tiles
Hoping you are able to advise me. I have just finished building here in Kingscliff. I used Beaumont oak wood look alike porcelain tiles and love the look. However the problem is that depending on the light and angle foot marks are very obvious. I have tried steaming, using a small amount of a vinegar and water solution and detergent with no results. Is there a product that I can use to minimise obvious foot marks?
With thanks Francesca

4/24/2019 08:42:24 am

Hi Francesca

Have you tried using an abrasive pad or microfiber steel brush?

You see, although porcelain is not very porous and are extremely resistant to staining; it does have microscopic cups that can fill with foreign dirt which can look as if the tile has stained.

To clean this properly, try using any of the above objects or a white nylon scouring pad along with poultice or a specific tile alkaline cleaner such as Aqua Mix Heavy duty Tile and Grout Cleaner.

Special sealers can be sourced for porcelain tiles to fill the microscopic cups that all surface materials have including porcelain. However please note that because porcelain is not porous, these sealers will degrade over time and will need to be re-applied because they will not impregnate the surface of the tile.

The only other solution is to maintain regular cleaning and maintenance of the surface to remove foot marks.

We trust this information assists.

Kind regards

Helen

9/10/2019 11:34:30 am

We have polished porcelain tiles laid as a splashback behind our kitchen stove. They have been sealed but we don't know which one was used by the tiler. Is it OK for those sealed tiles to be cleaned using sugar soap or is that too strong and might affect the surface?

9/10/2019 11:48:23 am

Hi Helen, Sugar Soap will not harm glazed porcelain or fully vitrified porcelain tiles however we would not recommend it as it is not designed for washing tiles. Sugar soap is designed to prepare surfaces for painting.

We would recommend using a mixture of warm water and white vinegar or if you require a tougher product use Methylated Spirits.

Please note that sealing is generally not required for porcelain tiles as they have a 0.5% porosity. Any cleaning agents may wear off or break down the sealing product used. We would recommend performing a test patch before cleaning the entire surface.

Nerang Tiles

3/8/2020 08:22:04 am

Hello I hope you can help ,I have just laid gloss porcelain tiles in my kitchen ,and there is a haze round the tiles ,I have tried cleaning them to no avail ,are the tiles scraped with grouting, thank you .

3/9/2020 08:23:30 am

Hi Helen

Without inspecting the tiles from your description this sounds like grout haze. We recommend using a safe and effective concentrated cleaner that is added to water for removal of cementitious grout haze and latex additive film from tile.

If the tiles are porcelain the grout haze has not stained the tile, it is sitting in the microscopic pours which provide the polished effect of your tile and can be removed.

Nerang Tiles

Ben Melrose

4/6/2020 04:05:26 pm

Hi. Awesome arrival We just had 100 sqm of pressed Italian porcelain black external tiles laid. Thee are a non slip external tile. Do they need sealing. States has “glaze” surface and =<0.5% absorption.

Type. kursaal raven tile

4/7/2020 08:21:40 am

Hi Ben

No they do not need to be sealed.

Nerang Tiles

Alfred

5/16/2020 11:27:03 pm

What is the water absorption % of Italgraniti Mineral D Living Dolomite (polished) tiles? I cannot find it on Google.

5/18/2020 08:14:59 am

Hi Alfred

It is 0.1%

Nerang Tiles

Fran

8/2/2020 05:01:53 pm

Hi
I am hoping you can help me with my problem. I have a porcelain wood effect tile with a rough finish throughout my house downstairs! Since moving in I’ve noticed that my children’s clothes are all tearing on the tile, knees are wearing out of trousers after one wear at home, soles on my slippers, heels on socks all tearing as the finish is too rough...will sealant help with this issue as with 3 young boys I can’t afford the constant replacement of trousers 🙄
Thanks

8/3/2020 08:13:12 am

Hi Fran

It sounds like an external finishe tile has been installed with an sanded grip surface. This is generally not recommended for internal use.

Unfortunately we do not believe that a sealant will change the texture or feel of a glazed porcelain tile as most sealants will not adhere to the non-porous surface of a glazed porcelain and those that do work on a microscopic level.

Nerang Tiles

Jeremy

8/7/2020 05:17:22 pm

Hi,
I’ve recently applied a solvent based sealer called Quantum by Solutions. It’s an external floor surrounding a pool. The tiles are 600x600x20. The sealing has worked as water beads when it comes into contact with the tiles and grout. However, in some areas there are small darker patches which I initially thought could’ve been thicker patches of sealer, however it is not sticky which I assumed would be the case if it was sealer. We also did a tile clean to remove and grout haze and contaminants prior to sealing. That aside we applied a diluted degreaser to hopefully strip the ‘thicker patches‘ but that didn’t do anything and the patches are still there. Are they just stubborn patches of sealer that may need a stronger chemical to strip?

8/10/2020 08:15:06 am

Hi Jeremy

At first read this does sound like you have a natural stone or paver tile and not a glazed porcelain tile. Natural stone and pavers are quite porous and will absorb the sealers. If too much is applied in one area then it can provide a different aesthetic to the other areas.

However, as this is quite a technical issue we recommend contacting Aqua Seal - https://www.aqua-seal.com.au/

Nerang Tiles

Monique Beaton

9/22/2020 07:16:22 am

Hi,
We are wanting to pave around our pool using outdoor porcelain pavers. We do not want to go the bullnose route, but want to keep the flat edge at a slight overhang around the pool edge. As the tile top colour will be dark grey, the raw edge of these tiles is a much lighter colour. Is there any sealer/ stain product we can apply to the raw edge to permanently darken the edge colour, so as to match more closely the top colour of the tile?
Thanks!

9/22/2020 08:35:49 am

Monique

Not that we are aware of.

An epoxy grout may be used but would possibly wear off over time.

A flat edge apron or mitred edge would be the best solution in our opinion. Some more information can be seen here: https://www.nerangtiles.com.au/pool-and-stair-tile-bullnose-edging.html

Nerang Tiles