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| SEALING
A FLOOR
Why Porous Floors Need Sealing Floors which are porous, such as: - quarry
tiles - clay tiles Need sealing in order to prevent permanent staining from destroying their aesthetic appeal. Some flooring materials are susceptible to chemical attach from household cleaners and acids in food, e.g. vinegar, wine, cool drinks, and therefore need protection. Other floors are sensitive to abrasion and need a surface sealer to protect them. What you need to know 1.
The type of floor one is trying to seal, e.g. terracotta, cork,
vinyl, etc. What you need to have before starting 1.
The correct Tile Doctor Stripper if stripping is necessary. Sealer Selection If an unsealed floor is wet, one will notice that as the floor absorbs water, it becomes darker. This is the type of effect that will result from the application of a penetrating, colour enhancing sealer. One should bear in mind that certain sealers can show up blemishes that may previously have been unobserved. Remember that if any blemishes on floor became evident when the floor was wet, these may remain after sealing with these sealers. Penetrating sealers are available that do not colour enhance. Those sealers that do not change the colour of the floor will not hide blemishes. Sometimes it is more practical to choose a sealer which will hide blemishes than it is to attempt to remove all old stains before sealing. The proper function of a sealer is to protect a floor against staining and to make the floor easier to maintain. For this reason it is advisable that a penetrating sealer is used which allows the floor to take abrasion and wear from the traffic. This will give a maintenance-free seal, which will protect the floor and last for many years. If a gloss finish is required or a surface sealer is selected for surface protection, then a self-shine product would be required. This will require regular maintenance applications. Gloss finishes are not recommended for outside areas as they as prone to peeling or flaking and are slippery when wet. Only those surfaces that require surface protection against wear and abrasion should have a surface sealer applied to them, e.g. vinyl or cement tiles. General Principles of Sealing a Floor 1.
Read the instructions on the container. 2.
Terracotta floors newly laid must not be sealed for at least 14
days of dry weather so that the adhesive and grout can cure and
dry properly before sealing. 3.
Tiles laid in cement must have at least 30 days drying time before
sealing.
5.
Ensure that the surface to be sealed is perfectly clean and completely
dry before sealing begins. If a porous floor has been stripped,
allow one to three days for complete drying before sealing. 6.
If a lambswool applicator is to be used to apply a sealer, remember
to brush the applicator out thoroughly with a wire or other stiff
brush to remove excess hairs. If this is not done, the hairs will
stick to the sealed floor, giving an unsatisfactory result. 7.
Most sealers give better results if they are applied thinly in even
layers without allowing pooling, especially in grout lines. Some
sealers, e.g. Miracle Seal are applied as a flood coat and the floor
is allowed to "drink" as much as possible in a period
of 3 - 5 minutes. 8.
Work in straight lines using the grout as a guide and do not allow
overlapping whilst applying the sealer. Do not overbrush! If a first
coat of sealer appears uneven because of different absorption rates
in different areas of a porous substrate, do not attempt to even
it out by going over and over the same area with the applicator.
Allow the first coat to dry according to the instructions before
applying a further coat. This usually take 3 - 4 hours, but check
the instructions as this can vary from sealer to sealer. 9.
Apply a second and third coats of sealer at right angles to the
direction in which he previous coat was applied. 10.
Do not allow surface build-up to occur unless you are sealing a
soft floor where the intended function of the sealer is to protect
the floor from physical damage and abrasion, e.g. with vinyl or
cement tiles. If the floor has absorbed one or two coats of the
sealer and you are uncertain whether another coat is required, allow
the last coat dry properly and then test a small section to see
if the floor will absorb another coat. If the sealer soaks away,
then another coat would be advisable, but if the sealer remains
on the surface, then do not re-apply. 11.
When applying Tile Doctor Uro Seal do not be concerned if a slight
surface build up occurs in patches and is visible as slightly shiny
areas because these will disappear with a little traffic. If surface
build up is excessive because the sealer has been over applied and
there is an overall shiny appearance, this can be removed with lacquer
thinners if removed within 4 hours. If Tile Doctor Uro Seal becomes
wet after applying and before it has cured, and white marks appear,
these can be removed with lacquer thinners within
Caution 1.
Never apply sealers in full sunlight and do not attempt to seal
damp tiles.
The selection of the correct Tile Doctor maintenance product should be done according to the recommendations appearing on the Tile Doctor Sealer Selection Chart or on the advice of an approved Tile Doctor Applicator.
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