This one is from Dave in Vancouver also.
Any product that can "paint" over sealed grout? (or how to "un-seal")
I'm not sure if you're wanting to change the grout color or if you'd like to reseal, so I'll give you both answers.
If you're wanting to paint a stain over sealed grout, I wouldn't recomend that. There are some products that you can use to change the grout color. I've used a product in the past to put a color coat over existing grout. The product was a water based epoxy paint and worked well. The first thing you want to do is to strip the sealer off the surface of the grout. There are many stippers out there for this purpose. Custom Building Products, Miracle Products, Stone Tech and other companies all make strippers, and they are pretty reasonably priced, with easy to follow directions. One advantage of the strippers is that they commonly have surficants in them that will clean the grout and tile as well as removing any existing sealer from the surface. You just want to check the bottle and make sure that it says it will strip the sealer off the surface. Also, make sure that you use something approved for use on tile/stone and that doesn't contain any acids such as sulfamic, muriatic, etc..
One problem with putting anything over the top of sealed grout is that the purpose of the sealer - that is to fill pores in the surface and below - will prevent you from getting a good bond between the substance you're painting on the grout and the grout itself.
If you're going to reseal or put a colorant on the grout, you'll want to let the grout dry out for a day or so, then apply the colorant or sealer per instructions on the bottle.
The sealers I recomend for grout are Miracle Products 511 Impregnator, any of Stone Tech's penetrating sealers, and any of Custom's penetrating sealers. Note, if you're sealing or resealing grout or stone, be sure to use a penetrating sealer not an enhancer unless you want to deepen the color of the grout/stone. Enhancers essentially make the stone/grout look like it does when wet, color wise, and will probably add a sheen to the surface. Enhancers won't do anything on glazed tile except leave a residue that'll give you fits if you let it dry on the surface. Penetrating sealers will leave a residue on the surface as well but as long as you wipe the surface of a ceramic or stone tile with a shiny finish till it's dry, you won't have a problem with streaking or spotting.
Sealers and strippers can be bought at Oregon Tile and Marble and the big box stores. Stone Tech can be purchased at Intrepid.
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4 comments:
i recommend cleaning and sealing with this eco-friendly cleaner
Removing grout stains is one of the major problems for tiled floors. Your post provided helpful tips for changing the color and resealing the grout.
We installed ceramic (Brandon) tiles in our bathroom last month. I was checking on tips on how to clean and maintain tiled floors when I came across your article. I'll be considering your suggestions especially the use of water based products in cleaning and repairing my flooring.
Thanks for sharing this post.
I Love the wet look that comes from a high gloss sealer. It gives most tile a shine that makes an impression. Please note that glazed or presealed tile don't need to be sealed and the effects of sealing are less noticeable.
You are really doing a great job giving such information. People use tile and stone sealer to keep clean the tiles. It raise the value and importance.
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