New tile- Teflon or color seal?

[ruff]

We are installing tile in our new home. Porcelain.
It will go in kitchen, utility room, bathrooms (just floor, not in showers) and entrance foyer.

Wondering about applying Teflon or Color Seal:

1. Will bathrooms (none in shower) or kitchen benefit from one more then the other?.
2. Will Teflon be sufficient?
3. Is there any problem applying Color Seal or Teflon to new grout. Does in need to be cleaned or treated in any way, prior to application?
4. Which is the best Color Seal product?
5. Which is the best Grout Teflon product?

Thanks.

 

[Mikey P]

Good porcelain is so precision cut these days that you can go with a zero grout line,meaning just enough to create a seal

Match the color to the tile and use a solvent based sealer.
Unsanded grout of course, which Color Seal will not bond well to, regardless.

 

[ruff]

Any other point of view.
The tile sales folks recommend 3/16" grout on some and no less than 1/8" .
Didn't yet talk with the installer.

 

[clean image]

If the porcelain tile is rectified, then you can go 1/16 or butt

An installer, or seller, usually will recommend wider grout lines generally because if gives them wiggle room during install.

The narrower the grout line, the better installer you have to be, otherwise you will have lippage.

You want you lippage to minimum. So it's nicer to walk on and ease of maintenance

You want at least 1/16 for structure of the floor-- supporting the tile edge, and to allow sufficient room for grout to be floated in there.

If this on slab or 2nd floor?

If above grade insist on ditra underlayment

Another aspect is making sure installer mixes grout to spec, often to make it easier to install, they use more water that they should resulting in air space and generally weaker grout.

In end, unsanded, to spec, good install. Penetrant sealer work great.

 

[ruff]

Thank you Carl.
It is on slab. And contractor is putting in a very nice smooth & flat slab (very precise builder.)
Haven't got the tile person yet.

 

[J Scott W]

Choose grout that is the color you want. I can't see a good reason to color seal new grout. Use a coat or two of an impregnating (AKA penetrating sealer). Here is a link to a good one. - http://interlinksupply.com/index.php?item_num=CH06GL

 

[Cameron DeMille]

I personally would go with color seal. i love colorsealing new grout. It's always serviceable.

To really seal grout well with an impregnator takes the same time as it will to color seal, maybe a little less. You have to wipe as you go either way.

Also, if there is any color change in the grout, the color seal will even everything out.

 

[mirf]

Congrats on the new house. I did not put tile in my new home because as the house settled you might have tile crack.
Might be a old wives tale but I still believe it.

 

[Mikey P]

So wood instead?

 

[Cameron DeMille]

Congrats on the new house. I did not put tile in my new home because as the house settled you might have tile crack.
Might be a old wives tale but I still believe it.

Not an old wives tale. Where we are, I'd bet on a crack somewhere within the first 5 years after the foundation is poured.

 

[Mikey P]

On plywood subfloor or concrete?

 

[mirf]

Wood or linoleum until it settled.