[overcoil]

Which product (who makes) the best sealant for bathroom grout and tile ?

[Mr Tonka]

Originally Posted by ScottSinger

Which product (who makes) the best sealant for bathroom grout and tile ?

Aqua mix is good stuff.

But remember this is similar to waxing a car. It wears off and you will have to continually re-seal it to get continued protection.

[KingOfJericho]

We used Mapei.

[Needbmwpartzz]

Originally Posted by KingOfJericho

We used Mapei.

[David70]

Originally Posted by Mr Tonka

Aqua mix is good stuff.

But remember this is similar to waxing a car. It wears off and you will have to continually re-seal it to get continued protection.

Agree on both using Aqua Mix and having to continue to redo it occasionally, for our shower area I do it every couple of years.

For porcelain tile the sealer won't make much of any difference and you can stick to the grout.

[IndotagSwizz]

Try 511 impregnator sealer, I own a Marble & Granite shop and have worked on all kinds of styles of tiles and stones, in my opinion nothing comes close, this is an impregnator sealer meaning its very thin and penetrates the surface by getting inside instead of being a surface sealer, this means you will not have to constantly re-seal because it will not wear out, good luck

[Mr Tonka]

Originally Posted by David70

Agree on both using Aqua Mix and having to continue to redo it occasionally, for our shower area I do it every couple of years.

For porcelain tile the sealer won't make much of any difference and you can stick to the grout.

Correct, it is useless to seal any glazed floor tile.

If the tile is unglazed porcelain or ceramic, a sealer will do some work. But an impregnator as mentioned above is best for tile applications.

I've heard from suppliers that it's best to just use a grout sealer for sanded grout because it's so porous. The impregnator is much smaller on a molecular level which allows it to impregnate even granite. Because the grout is so porous and impregnators are such a fine liquid, it doesn't seal the grout enough to keep the dirt out.

Best way to keep standard grout looking clean is to not mop the floor. Mopping just pushes the dirt around on the floors and guess where the dirty water settles, the low spots. Guess where the low spots are, the grout lines.

Best performance, upgrade your grout to a urethane based grout. Urethane is non-porous and won't allow dirt to get in the grout. Or you can just put down normal sanded grout and paint it with epoxy grout paint. The application of epoxy grout paint and grout sealer is the same, but the epoxy paint application will last much, much longer.

-Resident BP flooring store owner, 25yrs in. lol


Edit: Mapei makes good products as well.

[overcoil]

Wow, thanks all for the great info.

This is for verticle shower walls and will only do the grout itself, my tiles are smooth and seem impenetrable.

[Patrick303]

Originally Posted by IndotagSwizz

Try 511 impregnator sealer, I own a Marble & Granite shop and have worked on all kinds of styles of tiles and stones, in my opinion nothing comes close, this is an impregnator sealer meaning its very thin and penetrates the surface by getting inside instead of being a surface sealer, this means you will not have to constantly re-seal because it will not wear out, good luck

+1 I use this to clean/protect my granite counters and to seal the grout on my tile floors.

[Mr Tonka]

Originally Posted by ScottSinger

Wow, thanks all for the great info.

This is for verticle shower walls and will only do the grout itself, my tiles are smooth and seem impenetrable.

Pretty much like this?



If so, i'm assuming you're using unsanded grout. If not, you need to. Any grout sealer will do fine. You have little to worry about with that application.

Best practice for a shower like that is to leave it open so it can air out as best as possible after each use. If i don't leave my shower door open after each shower, the mildew will creep in quick. Pain in the ass to get rid of. But as long as i keep the door open, it dries out too quickly for the mildew to catch hold.

[overcoil]

Originally Posted by Mr Tonka

Pretty much like this?



If so, i'm assuming you're using unsanded grout. If not, you need to. Any grout sealer will do fine. You have little to worry about with that application.

Best practice for a shower like that is to leave it open so it can air out as best as possible after each use. If i don't leave my shower door open after each shower, the mildew will creep in quick. Pain in the ass to get rid of. But as long as i keep the door open, it dries out too quickly for the mildew to catch hold.

Actually I used sanded grout - I just did the bottom perimeter between the bottom tile and shower pan - the gap was more then 1/8 inch.

You might be able to see what I'm describing in this picture below

[Mr Tonka]

Originally Posted by ScottSinger

Actually I used sanded grout - I just did the bottom perimeter between the bottom tile and shower pan - the gap was more then 1/8 inch.

You might be able to see what I'm describing in this picture below

So the walls are prefabbed panels butting up to a prefabbed shower pan and you just filled in the gap between them, where they butt together?

[roastbeef]

get a self-sealing grout. 100% worth it.

[overcoil]

Originally Posted by Mr Tonka

So the walls are prefabbed panels butting up to a prefabbed shower pan and you just filled in the gap between them, where they butt together?

No the walls are real tile grouted have the orange Schluter system for moisture barrier behind the tile - just that with usage the acrylic pan settled a little leaving a cracking or gap in a few places of the grout. So I cleaned with a grout knife just the juncture on the three walls and shower pan - tonight will be 72 hours since completed the grout and want to add the sealant.

[EL Jeffe 5]

Regardless of sealant you use you have to clean and seal every year

[Mr Tonka]

Originally Posted by ScottSinger

No the walls are real tile grouted have the orange Schluter system for moisture barrier behind the tile - just that with usage the acrylic pan settled a little leaving a cracking or gap in a few places of the grout. So I cleaned with a grout knife just the juncture on the three walls and shower pan - tonight will be 72 hours since completed the grout and want to add the sealant.

Ok, any of the mentioned sealers will do fine for that application. I'm sure Aqua Mix and Mapei both have youtube channels should you want some more in-depth instruction on how to apply.

[overcoil]

Thanks all, will seal it this evening.