Do I need to seal topps tiles premium stone laquered travertine?

[andybaines]

Hi to all,
Have a few questions about using impregnator tile sealers on travertine, I have been helping my dad fit the premium stone range of travertine tiles from topps tiles, they have resin filled holes rather than grout and are then coated with 3 coats of lacquer so they are shiny and polished looking.
I asked the guy at the shop at the time and he said no need to seal them but when I had to call the importer to check something else they said yes you do need to seal them?
I did a test leaving a tile level with water pooled on it in various places to see what would happen, it stayed on top of the lacquer for a few hours but when I checked later it had all got through and soaked the underside of the tile, I realise most tiles wouldn’t get so heavily soaked but in the shower area they will surely? - what happens if i don’t seal them further and if this soaking of the tiles is allowed to happen regularly over time – i.e. in the shower?
So I started looking into sealers – the impregnator ones seem to last a long time rather than need topping up and Fila do one for polished stone which I guess this is with the lacquer?, my question is what does it look like once it’s applied and will it look a mess applied over the lacquer like thick varnish? As I think I need to protect the tiles further but don’t want to mess them up?
Unless i do just the shower area and the floor..?
Many thanks in advance
Andy

 

[DHTiling]

Hi Andy...

I have not heard of laquered travertine..?...You might have to be careful what you use in case it reacts..

Ask the importer waht they recommend to seal this laquered product with...does it need to be impregnator or topical sealer.?

 

[White Room]

If the importer says seal, then do it

 

[DHTiling]

with what..?..if this is a topical laquer then another make might react..?

 

[White Room]

Surley another call the importer who said seal and mention the 3 coats of lacquar that the shop said they have on them

 

[marbleman]

what i will say that some of the staff in these shops dont know enough about the product they are selling, maybe a little training will go along way

 

[andybaines]

ok thanks to all for your replies, will call importer and update again

andy

 

[DavidC1976]

Andy if it failed the absorption test you did with a teaspoons worth of water then firstly is does need sealing and its highly unlikely that its had a Topical seal applied. If your concerned you could use drytreat's stainproof as that will not change the look of the stone at all and the molecules are so small that they would impregnate through any impregnator that it has been pre-sealed with

 

[DHTiling]

Andy if it failed the absorption test you did with a teaspoons worth of water then firstly is does need sealing and its highly unlikely that its had a Topical seal applied. If your concerned you could use drytreat's stainproof as that will not change the look of the stone at all and the molecules are so small that they would impregnate through any impregnator that it has been pre-sealed with

THere are many sealers that will not change the look of the stone...but how can you advise to seal with one product when you do not know what is on top of them as it is...?


This member needs to find what they are sealed/laquered with first IMO..

 

[DavidC1976]

THere are many sealers that will not change the look of the stone...but how can you advise to seal with one product when you do not know what is on top of them as it is...?


This member needs to find what they are sealed/laquered with first IMO..

I agree Dave BUT i did say if it was sealed with an Impregnator and as far as im aware the other sealers that do not change the colour wont also be able to impregnate through an already sealed stone??