Sealing grout lines on ceramic tile floor

[Herb S]

What is the best way to seal the grout lines on a glazed ceramic tile floor? There are many grout lines since the floor consists of many small tiles:

1x1, 1x2 and 2x2 mosaic pattern. Can I just brush the silicon over everything and then wipe the tiles clean after it dries? It would be very time consuming to apply the silicon just to the grout lines.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Herb

[krw]

I'd get one of the bottles with a brush in the cap intended for sealing grout. It won't take long to paint all the lines, even with 1" tiles.

I doubt the sealer would hurt the glazed tiles though. Clean up with some water and a blue/green Scotch-Brite pad.

[Kram]

I find those little bottles of sealer with the brush/roller on the cap tedious. Grout sealer will not harm/discolor your tiles if they are glazed. I just pour it over the tiles and spread it around with a sponge, wiping up any residue on the tiles with an old rag. You can also use a paint roller, foam paint brush, spray bottle, what ever is easiest for you to apply. Just wipe up left over droplets off the glazed portion of the tile with a rag.

Mark

[krw]

I don't. I find it quite easy to just swipe the brush over the grout. As long as the bottle is full, I just keep swiping. If I spill a little, no harm

The good stuff ain't cheap and I find it easier to fill the grout lines without making such a mess.

[Herb S]

Thanks for your input Mark. I appreciate the response from both you and Keith. You may have different opinions (both of which are valid) and I learned something from the two of you who have more experience than me.

Do you wipe up the residue right after application? If the silicon dries on the glazed tile will it still wipe off easily? Will wiping excess silicon off the grout lines be okay? How quickly does the grout absorb the silicon?

[krw]

I'm certainly not a pro; only tiled one house (2.5 baths, laundry, and a couple of closets). The reason I prefer to paint the lines is it uses less sealer and makes the cleanup simpler. I don't find it any harder to do. My Jacuzzi tub surround (though 6" tile) may have taken ten minutes for each coat and another ten to clean the tile after.

the directions should be on the bottle. I generally go over the entire floor and then come back to wipe up the excess. Wait a half hour or so and repeat. IIRC the directions on the bottle I used said to do it until the stuff no longer is absorbed into the grout.

I've never had any trouble. A ScotchBrite pad is a good cleaning abrasive (will even take grout off tile). It won't hurt the glaze on the tile but will take anything else off it. Just don't use it on the grout (the tile should be higher than the grout).

After it's done soaking into the grout, yes. You'll see the difference. At first it'll soak right in, then a lot slower. Let it sit a while then wipe it up (check the directions).

At first, pretty quickly. The second coat it may just sit there for a while. Again, check the directions for the specific product you're using.

[Herb S]

Thanks again Keith. You've been a big help and I appreciate the info.

Herb

[Dawn]

I sealed all the grout in my house with a colored sealant (to avoid future staining and cover up current stains). I tried several methods, starting with a paint brush and ending with one of those bottles with an attached roller. The bottle was a huge time saver and I wish I'd had it in the beginning because I have a lot of tile in my 2400 sq. ft. house.

If the grout needs cleaning before it's sealed, try those Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. They work great.

Dawn