Do You Need to Seal Your Tile?

​You finally found the perfect tile to complete your kitchen backsplash, it has been installed and, as you’d hoped, your kitchen looks amazing!
Endless weeks of searching and stress are over:  you’ve reached the light at the end of the remodeling tunnel.  Congratulations; it’s time to indulge in success, pour a tall glass of wine and get ready to relax… oh no! You’ve spilled that red wine all over your beautiful tile and panic is setting in!  But wait…isn’t that the idea behind tile?  Isn’t the benefit of tile its durability and ease of cleaning the entire reason to install a backsplash in the first place?  
Here are a few misconceptions about tile, stone, grout and sealers that you should know before you’ve finished installing tile in a high traffic area like a kitchen.
 

Strato Glass

TRUE OR FALSE? ​GLASS TILE HAS NO ABSORPTION     

Glass is considered impervious, which means that no water, oils, or pigmented materials will be able to penetrate the surface. Glass tile does not get stained, making it an excellent choice for a backsplash! However, glass can get scratched, which is why it requires unsanded or “glass grout”. Clean it with a soft cloth and don’t use abrasive cleaners, and you should be good to go!

​TRUE OR FALSE? NATURAL STONE TILES NEED SEALING
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This is true. If you choose natural stone tiles, the stone will need to be sealed with a penetrating stone sealer to keep it from absorbing spills that might end up staining it. Natural stone is beautiful choice, but it will require some level of maintenance, with the stone needing to be re-sealed occasionally to keep it protected. Some stone, such as marble or travertine, is more absorbent than others such as granite. The same is true of many natural stone countertops. The good news is that you can use the same sealer to protect both!

Bianco Carrara Marble

Stone sealers are available in a regular or “enhancing” finish, which can give your tile a wet look, keeping all the beautiful colours of the stone visible. The right side of the slate flagstone, above, shows what an enhancing sealer looks like. 

Colonial Black Brillo & Matte

​TRUE OR FALSE? PORCELAIN & CERAMIC TILES REQUIRE SEALING
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This one is a trick question, as it’s sort of true. Though most porcelain tiles do not require sealing and are fairly maintenance free, some highly polished porcelain tiles do require sealing. This is a result of the micro pores opening from the polishing process. Apply a light application of a proper penetrating sealer before and after grouting since the dyes in the grout can stain the tile. Like glass, polished tiles sometimes also get scratched during grouting and require unsanded grout to protect the highly polished surface.

​TRUE OR FALSE? GROUT NEEDS TO BE SEALED   
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Another half-truth, this depends on the type of grout you choose! Regular grout is made of a cement material, which is porous. Thus, it is recommended that a grout sealer be applied as a part of your regular maintenance and cleaning schedule, just like with natural stone.  If you don’t seal your grout, it can absorb stains over time.
However, unlike regular cementitious grout, epoxy grout does not need to be sealed. If you choose to use an epoxy grout for your kitchen instead of a conventional cementitious grout, you have made a very smart choice. Made from epoxy resin, epoxy grout is extremely hard, durable, and nearly stain-proof, which makes it an ideal choice for a backsplash, especially if you want a light grout colour. ​

Now that you’ve done your research and are well aware of which tiles need sealer and which don't, and you are prepared and confident that you understand the maintenance process recommended for the tile you’ve picked, top up that wine glass and enjoy your beautiful kitchen! ​

Opal Black