Does floor grout have to be sealed ?

Question

Just put tile on the kitchen floor. Does grey/green sanded grout have to be sealed? We sealed the grout in the bathroom floor, but after a while most of it looked cruddy, literally. I tried everything and can't clean it. Today I tried to sand the crud off, which I think is the wrinkled up old vinyl? sealer.

Thanks,

Answer 1

I believe the sealer is the better option for the grout. If you don't, the crud builds up faster.  

Try going to a commercial flooring place in your area and tell them about your situation.  Tell them you want a good sealer that won't peel and make the mess you have.  They should be able to get you some sort of sealer with an epoxy to seal it.

Answer 2

ignore both of the above answerers, there is no such thing as an epoxy grout sealer, and no type of sealer peels away.  even if a floor is not sealed, water/grime/etc can't penetrate through the grout to get underneath the tile unless there is a problem with installation itself.  plus there's no mastic under a tile on the floor; there's thinset.  grout sealer's main purpose is for stains only.  i repeat--stains only.  you spill grape juice on a floor which grout has been stained, it cleans up pretty good if cleaned immediately).  any type of spill generally cleans up good and doesn't stain grout if it has been sealed.  grout sealer DOES NOT protect against dirt.  you have to sweep and mop.  even routine cleaning doesn't 100% protect grout.  grout is made of sand and cement.  it's going to get dirty in time.  

seal the kitchen floor grout.  go to your local tile distributor and buy a penetrating grout sealer.  sponge it over your tile and grout, paying attention to get it in the grout, then come behind yourself and towel the floor dry.  you have helped the floor, believe me.  sweep regularly (or vacuum for better results) and mop with a solution of white vinegar and water, and *keep the water clean!!*  this will prolong the look of your floor.

i don't think sanding the crud out of your bath floor will do you much good.  i don't know what you mean by the "old vinyl sealer."  the only way to restore grimy looking grout is to scrape the old grout out and regrout, or to stain the grout, both of which are rather tedious, and a professional will charge you an arm and a leg.

Answer 3

Yes, all grout should be sealed to make it waterproof.  If you don't seal it water can soak through and get  underneath the tiles, probably loosening some of the mastic.  Maybe you ought to look for a better grade of sealer, or go to a tile store and ask their opinion on what's the best brand to use.    

Answer 4

In general grout sealing is not necessary when the floor was grouted with epoxy grout and when grout admix was used when grouting the floor. That is because both epoxy grout and grout admix create a nonporous surface when they are applied. The purpose of sealing the grout is to eliminate pores so therefore grout sealing is not necessary in these cases.

There are a number of reasons why homeowners might decide to undertake the process of sealing floor grout in their home. The process offers them benefits such as:

A home where the grout has been sealed is inherently cleaner than a home where the grout has not been sealed because the exposed pores in the grout can make it more susceptible to allowing mold and mildew to develop. Sealing floor grout covers the pores making the grout impermeable.

Tile floors where the grout has been sealed are easier to clean than floors where the grout has not been sealed because the sealant prevents spills from seeping into the grout.

Simplifying the process of cleaning grout. Sealing floor grout also makes it much easier to clean the grout. The process is simplified because there is no need to spend a great deal of time scrubbing each individual grout line when cleaning the floor because the grout is less susceptible to stains.

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Answer 5

Hi, I'm Nick the Tile Man

Please check out my web site for information.  My suggestion is not to use a sealer unless you used white sanded grout.