new tile install grout sealing

[joey895]

The porcelain tile was installed about 7 days ago. I am going to seal the grout on Friday.

Would you guys recommend a quick rinsing with the turbo before sealing?

Any other tips for doing or prepping this job?

I plan to use cobbs ultra seal.

 

[Jim Nazarian]

If there is a lot of dirt or dust then use the turbo at a low psi, if you find grout haze or want to etch the grout to "open" it up to receive the sealer then use an acid.

 

[J Scott W]

Most sealers will perform better if the grout lines are dry. This is especially so for new grout.

Moisture in the grout serves as a barrier to oil-based sealers and can make some of them gummy or otherise not perform efficiently.

Moisture in the grout when you apply a water based sealer is like watering it down. With moisture already there filling part of the pores and capillaries, the sealers will not penetrate as completely.

I would not clean unless really needed to remove soil. If you do clean, use a limited amount of moisture and use air movers to dry before sealing. An hour or so may be enough time to dry before apply water based sealer. It may be much longer before you are ready to apply a solvent based sealer to a floor that was cleaned.

 

[ACE]

A word of caution on acid cleaning porcelain; Corian tile looks like porcelain but can be damage by acid cleaning.