Saltillo tile is a handmade tile that comes for Mexico. Saltillo tile brings color and culture to any home. Saltillo tile is a great tile that can be used inside as well as outside. Saltillo tile is made from a natural occurring red clay called terracotta that is found only in Mexico. The Saltillo tile does require protection much like a natural stone due to its material and manufacturing. If not properly protected, the tile can become scratched and dull over time. Silver State Floor Restoration will share why Saltillo tile needs to be refinished and kept sealed to ensure its longevity.
When Saltillo Tile Peels & Dulls
For those new to the needs and care of Saltillo tile, you may be wondering why the tile can begin to peel or blotch. That thin peeling or blotching on the surface of the Saltillo tile is the sealer. The sealer on the tile is beginning to lift and come off the tile. As Saltillo tile is made from a clay. It tends to have pores which absorb moisture. This will result in cracking. Saltillo tile demands a sealer. It will quickly begin to break down and loose it’s rich color and even break without it.
Refinishing Saltillo Before Sealing
Most tile and even natural stone can have a new layer of sealer applied as the old sealer begins to break down. However, this is not the case with Saltillo tile. Saltillo tile needs to be stripped of its previous sealer, refinished and then sealed. If each step to resealing Saltillo tile is not properly met, the sealer will fail. The first step of resealing Saltillo tile is stripping it of its old sealer. The surface of the Saltillo tile is covered with the stripper often by pouring and using a brush to carefully spread the stripper over the tile. When stripping the Saltillo tile of the older stripper, make sure to apply the stripper to the grout line as they are also covered in a sealer. The stripper will begin to break off the old sealer which is then cleaned off using a brush. Stripping Saltillo tile is both hard and time consuming work but it is essential. The tile is stripped and cleaned in small sections at a time. For saltillo tile that used a wax sealer, a wax stripper is used and often can be buffed out with the aid of a tile cleaning machine. Once the floor has been properly stripped of the old sealer and cleaned, the Saltillo tile will need to be dry before the sealer can be applied. Once the tile is dry and ready to be sealed, make sure to invest in a good quality sealer to protect the tile and prolong the need to reseal the tile again. The sealer can be applied in a number of different ways. It will depend on the type of sealer that is used. However, always invest in two coats of sealer to protect the tile. Saltillo tile greatly benefits from a sealer. Not only is the tile protected from moisture and surface damages, but it looks amazing. Saltillo tile will look shiny and the color brighter.
Natural Stone Cleaning, Sealing & More in Aliante, Anthem, Desert Shores, Eldorado, Enterprise, Green Valley Ranch, Henderson, Inspirada, Mountain’s Edge, North LV, Peccole Ranch, Paradise, Providence, Rhodes Ranch, Seven Hills, Silverado Ranch, Spring Valley, Summerlin, Sunrise Manor, The Lakes, Tuscany Village & Las Vegas Nevada
When needing to strip and reseal your Saltillo tile floors, contact Silver State Floor Restoration and schedule our services today.
