Choosing the Best Grout Sealer for Your Tile Grouts.
If you finally decide to apply a grout sealer for your bathroom or kitchen tiles, you should brace for some tough decision-making on what type of sealant to use. You see, there are different types of grout sealer for different types of grouts and you want only the best protection for your tiles grouts no less. But first, you must understand the nature of grouts for you know what type of sealer is best for the grouts in your home.
What are grouts?
Grouts, for the small spaces they fill, play a big role for the integrity your tile structure. They keep the tiles in your home intact and help them act as an organic whole. There are three kinds of grouts:
Cement-based
This is the standard-type grout, highly porous and can absorb water up to 12%. It goes on to say that anything that water can dissolve can also penetrate cement-based grouts and any similar liquid like oil and solvent-based chemicals can seep in these types of grouts.
Polymer-modified
They are more water resistant but still can soak up water up to 5% and are still vulnerable to persistent contaminants such as color and organic stains. This is why polymers are certainly a step above ementatious grouts but certainly not bulletproof.
Epoxy
A good epoxy-based grout job can be non-porous and could have 0% water absorption, making it non-susceptible to stains and contaminant absorption. That is why it is commonly used in hospitals and other medical facilities. However, epoxy types are more difficult to apply properly compared to the other types.
Two types of grout sealers
There are two general types of grout sealers namely penetrating grout sealant and membrane-forming grout sealant. As the name suggest, penetrating sealers seep in grout pores to provide lasting protection against moisture and stain so it is best for sealing cementitious grouts. Membrane-forming sealers on the other hand form a barrier on grout surfaces. It is easier to apply especially on non-glazed tiles but it may need reapplication more frequently than penetrating sealers. It is good for non-glazed floor tiles and polymer-modified grouts.
It is noteworthy that epoxy type of grout does not need further sealing because of their non-porous nature in contrast to the other two types which are vulnerable to contaminants if left exposed. So it is important to pay some attention to kind grouts you have at home and provide the protection they deserve by using the best grout sealer for them.
What are grouts?
Grouts, for the small spaces they fill, play a big role for the integrity your tile structure. They keep the tiles in your home intact and help them act as an organic whole. There are three kinds of grouts:
Cement-based
This is the standard-type grout, highly porous and can absorb water up to 12%. It goes on to say that anything that water can dissolve can also penetrate cement-based grouts and any similar liquid like oil and solvent-based chemicals can seep in these types of grouts.
Polymer-modified
They are more water resistant but still can soak up water up to 5% and are still vulnerable to persistent contaminants such as color and organic stains. This is why polymers are certainly a step above ementatious grouts but certainly not bulletproof.
Epoxy
A good epoxy-based grout job can be non-porous and could have 0% water absorption, making it non-susceptible to stains and contaminant absorption. That is why it is commonly used in hospitals and other medical facilities. However, epoxy types are more difficult to apply properly compared to the other types.
Two types of grout sealers
There are two general types of grout sealers namely penetrating grout sealant and membrane-forming grout sealant. As the name suggest, penetrating sealers seep in grout pores to provide lasting protection against moisture and stain so it is best for sealing cementitious grouts. Membrane-forming sealers on the other hand form a barrier on grout surfaces. It is easier to apply especially on non-glazed tiles but it may need reapplication more frequently than penetrating sealers. It is good for non-glazed floor tiles and polymer-modified grouts.
It is noteworthy that epoxy type of grout does not need further sealing because of their non-porous nature in contrast to the other two types which are vulnerable to contaminants if left exposed. So it is important to pay some attention to kind grouts you have at home and provide the protection they deserve by using the best grout sealer for them.
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