Sealing Grout in Tile Floors

How often should one seal tile? Can sealer be applied over year old sealer?

I would like to know how to lay down ceramic tile from the beginning. My husband and I are building a house and want to put tile in our bathrooms.

Thanks

The grout between the tiles on my kitchen counter is coming out and it needs to be redone. Is it necessary to remove all the old grout or can new grout be put over the old?

We just got a granite tile countertop in our kitchen. I don’t think they used a stain-proof grout. What is the best stuff to seal this kind of grout? Is it the same as floor tile grout and do you follow the same rules as for floor tile grout?
Thanks.

Where do you buy a grout stain pen???

We have ceramic tile on the walls and a one piece floor in the shower. How do I seal between the tile and floor piece, should we just use the grout or a heavier water proof sealant? I am having problems with the water seeping past the door and ruining the wall outside the shower. I am in the process of removing the sealant right now and letting it dry out. Nancy

Where do I get the grout pen and the sealer and applicator and that brush you used. I have spent a week cleaning the grout…and want to seal it so it is not such awful job and the floor is always looking dirty.

Nancy: Any time you have a heavier fixture on wood floors, there will be some ‘settling in’ of the appliance which will cause shifting and movement and, yes, cracked grout. To compensate, heavy silicon caulk is recommended instead for the seal between the grout and fixture, as well as a new wax seal for the toilet or a pipe tune-up for a sink.

Irene: I would try some specialty store, such as Home Depot or TruValue. or a large chain general store like Walmart. Then again, you can always order stuff like this online, eBay or Amazon, or direct from the company website in many cases.

Scott: Grout is grout, but not all grouts are chemically the same. Stain-proof grouts are water resistant or waterproof, while traditional grouts are bonded with lye. It sounds like your grout is deteriorating visibly and you want to curb that. You can treat the grout with any traditional grout seal, no worries. 🙂

Mary: The grout you see between the tiles is less important for the integrity of your tabletop than the grout that holds the tiles against the table. So long as that bond is strong, the grout between tiles can be replaced, though you’ll see an obvious color change most likely unless you are really meticulous about scraping out all that grout. You’ll want to remove all the loose chunks and any bits that look like they may soon become loose. Make sure you use warm water and bleach or soap to remove as much grease and dirt as possible or the grout types may not cohese. Finally, you must use the same catalyst base in the new grout as the old, so a lye based grout needs a lye based grout overlaid, while a polymer grout needs another polymer grout to bond to. Remember to test a small area before you commit!

Melissa: The general idea is that you’ll apply grout to a surface then put tile down, spaced apart by plastic Xs, over the surface. This is done in simple steps which you can see on youtube, just search for a grout tutorial for bathroom tile.

Ace Laurel: Yes and no. You’ll probably get a buildup of sealer if you’re not conservative about application, or depending on the sealant you may have issues of trapping old dirt between layers of sealant. I recommend that if you have time, start treating with floor wax. Floor wax can easily be stripped gently from the grout and reapplied, removing embedded dirt without leaving hard to scrape plasticky gunk in the corners of the room. It’s all about what you can put into the project. ALERT: Removing sealant can cause permanent damage to grout. Always test what you plan to do on a small, out of the way area that can easily be hidden or missed before you start. Find out if you have a polymer or wax based sealant. Wax based sealants are easily removed with hot water and gentle, circular scrubbing with a soft bristle brush. Polymer based sealants must sometimes be chemically removed which can cause damage, but they can also last much longer when properly applied after laying tile. My favorite general bit of advice fits the bill here: Hire a professional to do a section of the room and watch what they do, then do that. How often to apply sealer? It’s up to your best judgment and the instructions on the sealant. Depending on what kind of seal you’re applicating and wear and tear on the surface, that can be as often or as seldom as you deem fit. Good luck everyone!

I have a tile kitchen counter that was grouted with “Fusion Pro” polymer grout that claims to never need sealing, is easy to clean etc. However it does stain after some years.

We are about to remove stained grout around the sink area and re grout with this same product. My question is: is there are better product for heavy kitchen use?

where can i but the applicatior bottle?

Help. I have installed a new kitchen tile with white grout and I don’t want it to get discolored, however our contractor claims a sealant is not necessarily needed as it will turn the grout dirty looking. I hope you can answer should I seal it or not.

Thanks

I just bought a newly constructed house, and I would like to have the ceramic tile sealed. I want to hire someone to do it. How much would it cost?

How much should it cost me to have the grout sealed in my new home? I have had prices quoted me and they are all over the place. Thanks for any advice