What Goes Into Sealing Travertine Pavers or Tile?
Natural stone like travertine is the perfect option for your home. Not only is it tough and durable, but it looks beautiful too. However, it’s also porous, which means that you need to seal it if you want to prevent it from dulling and becoming damaged. To give you a better idea of the process, here’s what goes into sealing travertine pavers or tile.
What Goes into Sealing Travertine Pavers or Tile?
Travertine is porous, which means it must be sealed to protect the color and design. That sealer will act as a barrier between the stone and the stains so that when it comes into contact with liquid or when it rains, your tile will remain in great condition.
Types of Sealers
The first step is to pick out the type of sealer. This will depend on the type of surface, daily wear and tear, where your tiles are, and so on. Basically, you’ll be choosing between a penetrating sealer, an enhancing sealer, or a topical sealer.
A penetrating sealer will seep into the surface and leave the appearance of the tile the same. It won’t leave a film on the surface that flakes or peels, so the look will remain even after many people walk over it.
An enhancing sealer will enhance the stone’s natural color without making it glossy. This type of sealer is perfect for kitchens since it protects against drinks and oils.
Finally, you have topical sealers, which are the type that will make your stone glossy. This might give you the look you want, but you will need to reapply this type of protection over time since it does wear off. This type of sealer is usually recommended for exterior travertine pavers.
When to Seal
You can have tiles both inside and outside of your home, so should you always seal them? Realistically, yes. It’s never a bad idea to seal your tiles, although most people focus more on sealing their outside travertine.
Is Sealing Difficult?
The process generally involves removing the surface wax of the stone before applying the water-resistant sealant. You may end up damaging your stone if you don’t do the process correctly.
Travertine Tile Sealing Process
Prepping The Tiles
Prepping the tiles involves removing any wax coating along the surface using a specialized remover. Then, we deep clean the travertine. This means some very careful vacuuming inside a hot water injection tool called a Turbo Hybrid. From here, we’ll dry the tiles with a vacuum and/or cloths, and speed dry with special fans.
Application
Application methods will depend on the type of sealer we use. Impregnating sealers can be walked on after final buff procedure, whereas topical sealers can require up to 3 days to cure before walking on.
Conclusion
It’s vital to seal your travertine tiles. They may be strong and beautiful, but they can also be damaged if they aren’t cared for properly. Call us today and let us help you seal your travertine tiles and preserve their lifespan and beauty.