I just had ceramic tile floors installed, what are the pros & cons of sealing the grout and tiles?

Question

I believe the tiles were made in Mexico. They are light beige in color. They were installed in the master bathroom which has a shower stall, no bathtub.

Answer 1

Pretty much agree w/ Doc .. You wont hurt a thing w/ the seal part on the grout,it s not a cure all but it will help.. Get a Penetrating sealer and not a silicone sealer( which will wear off over time}  A 2 coat minimum is the way to go..  GL

Answer 2

Wait a while before you seal the tiles.  Make sure you've had a chance to remove any grout haze from the tiles before you seal it.  Otherwise you seal in the haze.  

You should definately seal the grout.  It will help it last longer and keep it cleaner, especially a light color.

Answer 3

Seal them now.

After time it doesn't matter what color the grout is it will start to discolor from dirt. By sealing it now you prevent that.

It makes it easier to clean also. Read the directions on the can or bottle to see how often you have to reapply.

DO NOT USE BLEACH ON YOUR FLOORS!!! It will eat away at the sealer.

Answer 4

I tile every day of my life, and while not a major fan of sealers, I get it that many are, in the belief that they r****d dirty and mold, etc. It will be a life long, occasional task however.

  It makes little difference where the tile was produced, what matters in your case is whether or not the tiles are glazed in the firing process. One would hope any contractor holding any level of intelligence would not install unglazed tile in a bath or kitchen.

  IF they are glazed, sealing is a useless procedure. There is no need to seal tile that has been glaze fired, essentially turning the surface into glass, NON porous. Certainly no matter what you seal, anywhere, the surface should be as clean as possible.

Steven Wolf

Just my two "sense"