12x12 Tile Shower Walls Do I Need To Seal Them

Tile contractors and their customers need to understand whether porcelain tile needs to be sealed and if so why when and with what type of sealer.
12x12 tile shower walls do i need to seal them. If it doesn t only seal the grout. Porcelain and ceramic tiles are not porous. As a bonus sealed grout is much easier to keep clean. Use latex based products to seal both grout and tile.
Grout needs to be sealed. Use spacers on this row between both the other tiles and the shower pan making sure to leave a 1 4 inch space between the bottom of the tiles and the shower pan for expansion. It s naturally porous and will stain easily. A newly tiled shower floor or countertop is a sight to behold and you ll want to keep it looking its best.
For these reasons porcelain tile is used in entryways kitchens food courts showrooms hallways walls bathrooms and certainly hotel lobbies. Center a tile horizontally along the length of the wall and do a quick dry fit to make sure you don t have a lot of tiny tile at the end of the rows. Shower tiles should be sealed every one to two years depending on how often the shower is used. Do not use the shower for at least two days if the wall behind the tiles is drywall and five days for concrete.
If so adjust your layout to have wider tile on the sides. The best way to prevent this is to seal your new grout and repeat as needed every year or so for wall and floor tiles that don t get much moisture and more often for grout in the shower or on. If the tile soaks up the sealant seal the entire shower. Once the shower wall tiling is complete remove the straight board at the bottom of the second row if necessary and install the bottom row of tile.
When laying new tiles and grout it is important to take into account whether you need to seal them and what product is best to use. Some tiles are too thick to absorb the sealant so check a small area first. Most installers of tile floors do not seal them because grout has to cure first. Thoroughly dry the entire shower area.
Next plan your pattern. Use old towels to absorb any visible water. It s something you should do to keep your grout looking it s best. Seal the tile not the grout many tiles especially natural stone such as slate marble and limestone are porous and need to be sealed.
It s the often overlooked material that holds the tiles in place.