I’LL BE SEALING MY STONE FLOORING, DO I NEED TO DO THIS BEFORE LAYING THEM?
A common question – Do i need to seal my stone floor before laying them?
No, this is not necessary. We advise laying the stone first (taking care not to slop adhesive all over the tiles). If they are super porous then seal them first. If you do get some adhesive on them, you may want to clean the stone before sealing the first time with a suitable stone cleaner and allow them to FULLY dry. Then seal the floor with a good quality sealer (we recommend Lithofin Stainstop). See below for a more detailed step by step…
How do a seal my stone floor?
A common question – How do I seal my stone floor? Here’s a step-by-step guide to sealing a stone floor:
- Porous tiles – If the tiles are super porous then seal them first. Flat and out of the rain, allow the sealant to soak in for a few hours or until touch dry.
- Normal Limestone – Lay the tiles to your floor. Be careful not to get too much adhesive on them. If you do, wipe clean as you go to save cleaning them ALL at the end.
- Give the tile a good clean with stone floor cleaner (www.tilefixdirect.com) and allow to FULLY dry before sealing. We like to clean at then end of the day and leave to dry overnight.
- Apply one generous coat of stone floor sealer. We recommend Lithphone Stainstop or LTP Matt Stone. They are both excellent sealers. Allow the sealer to fully dry before grouting. Again, we like to leave the sealer to dry overnight if possible. See manufacturers guidelines to be sure.
- Calculate around 1 litre of sealer per 15m2. This will normally do two coats unless it’s very porous stone. The 2nd coat comes later.
- Now grout your floor. See grouting my floor.
- Allow the grout to fully dry. Depending on the weather and conditions of the property this can take 48 hours. You must allow the grout to fully dry for the best results. Sealing wet grout will leave your grout looking patchy. You have spent a long time on this floor so take your time and be patient at the end… it will be worth it.
- Once you’re happy that your grout is dry and your tiles have been dusted back and hoovered, then you can apply your 2nd coat of sealer. Making sure you work it into the grout. We like to use a NEW paint roller for this. Dip the side of the roller and apply by hand with slow sweeping motions ensuring not to leave any puddles of sealer as this may leave a greasy mark.
All natural stone must be sealed at some stage to protect from stains and ensure the stone looks good for a long time!
Sealing the stone is part of the installation process and all our stones are supplied unsealed. There are many different stone sealants on the market and every one will have a different effect on stone and that effect will be different depending on the type of stone.
All photos on our website are of sealed floors too so you are getting a good indication of the finished look within the limits of photography.
Do you want stone flooring inspiration for your next project? Check out our Pinterest boards!
BIG NO NO’s and DO DO’s
- NEVER seal a floor with damp or wet grout. If you seal it wet with patches, chances are you will seal those patches in forever.
- ALWAYS seal your tiles before you grout. This will prevent the grout from soaking into the porous stone.
- ALWAYS use good quality stone floor sealer. You have spent lots of money on this floor so give it proper protection. DON’T skimp on what is the icing on the cake… We recommend Lithofin Stainstop.
- ALWAYS seal your tiles in a dry environment. Never out in the direct sun as the sealer will evaporate and won’t soak into the tile.
- 2nd opinion – If you’re unsure, and need a 2nd or 3rd opinion on something, then get them! Its an expensive and heart breaking situation to be in if something goes wrong and you have to start again! TRUST your gut feeling if someone tells you something and you’re not sure it’s correct….
What are your thoughts on sealing your stone flooring?
Let us know in the comments! If you have questions please also ask those in the comments and we’ll get them answered for you.
Do you have a project you are looking to get help with? GET IN TOUCH with the Rock and Wood team today. We’re waiting to hear from you.
