The first step in maintenance is the sealing of the tile (if necessary) and the grout (if necessary). How can we know if it needs to be sealed?
Generally, glazed tile requires no sealer. Some unglazed tile requires no sealer. Know the type of tile you are installing. Test it with a small amount of water. If the surface darkens, it absorbs water and needs to be sealed. Generally, cementitious grouts require sealing while specialty grouts like epoxy and furans do not. If the grout darkens with water, it needs a sealer. Glazed tiles should never be sealed. The glaze is the “sealer” and is far more permanent and resistant to wear than any sealer.
