Sealed in Grout residue onto white limestone. Need adivce? - Tile Advice

[PDTiling]

Hello all,

Right, Ive done a 110sqm of limestone continuous floor. Its a non polished (matt) surface and obviously this makes it very difficult to completely remove all grout residue. I had washed it off, and repeated this 3 times. Assuming that i had got the majority, except it was left with a very thin non-visible film on the top.
I have gone and done a coat of sealer bought by the customer from topps tiles (I personally prefer Lithothin - this is another issue i want to bring up...what do other people recommend for sealing?? Topps slated lithothin, saying in the last few years they had gone down hill???)
Anyway, the customer was concerned about the finish, so obviously i said i would do what i could to make them more happy with the finished surface. (i think the customer was expecting to have a perfectly smooth, reasonaby shiney surface, even though they used very matted finished limestone.

I suggested using a floor scraper to lightly remove any roughness that maybe on the surface. Is this a suitable way of getting around this issue??
I no the other option would possibly be to use a clean solution and warm water and buff the floor.

Can people get back to me with suggestions.
Thanks alot

Paul
PD Tiling

 

[gamma38]

Def no to a scraper. I am confused though, is the problem grout residue or the texture of the stone? did you seal prior to grouting or after?

 

[Time's Ran Out]

Reads to me as though you knew there was grout residue on the surface when you sealed it!
Now all the excuses are coming out about sealer type when in fact it's fixer error.
Limestone should be fully sealed prior to fixing IMHO and as this is obviously not the case you may have ruined their stone.

 

[nybor62]

agree with all above , sounds like you were out of your depth sorry that may sound harsh. but 110 m2 of limestone , maybe ruined

jeez that is costly

 

[PDTiling]

The tiles were sealed prior to grouting and then again after. I appreciate the concern towards the customers stone, but i have definately not ruined the floor. There is not residue all over 110sqm its in certain areas. The area which seems most effected happens to be an area where the other tiler had been and i was called back minus him. I asked for advice on a way of making good of this. Instead i havnt really had advice, apart from not to use a Window scraper or a floor scraper over this lightly. I thought that would have been ok? But i no that the more professional solution would be to use power clean and a buffer to strip the existing sealer and residue. I wasnt aware of there being residue before sesling as it turns out there isnt much at all.

 

[Chalker]

I don't know why you would want a scraper for grout haze/ residue?
If you need a scraper, is there lumps of grout on the tiles?

 

[PDTiling]

Plus it isnt even visable to the eye its just noticable to a hand rubbing over the surface. My bio is 6years behind by the way. I have been tiling for 9/10 years.

 

[PDTiling]

The scraper is just for a light going over to some areas where the customer felt it wasnt smooth enough and shes told she has OCD so it does make it a little trickier getting it perfect. The floor looks good and there are no lumps or bumps. The floors done of level work. Its a really good job. It just happens the a very thin film of residue is left in a few little areas. Where do i put pictures up?

 

[gamma38]

In the box. All the icons click the third from the right the square with a dot at each corner, then just follow the instructions. If you want a second opinion I would be more than happy to come and have a look with you, if that helps. Pics are always good though.

 

[Lithofin BOB]

Hello all,

Right, Ive done a 110sqm of limestone continuous floor. Its a non polished (matt) surface and obviously this makes it very difficult to completely remove all grout residue. I had washed it off, and repeated this 3 times. Assuming that i had got the majority, except it was left with a very thin non-visible film on the top.
I have gone and done a coat of sealer bought by the customer from topps tiles (I personally prefer Lithothin - this is another issue i want to bring up...what do other people recommend for sealing?? Topps slated lithothin, saying in the last few years they had gone down hill???)
Anyway, the customer was concerned about the finish, so obviously i said i would do what i could to make them more happy with the finished surface. (i think the customer was expecting to have a perfectly smooth, reasonaby shiney surface, even though they used very matted finished limestone.

I suggested using a floor scraper to lightly remove any roughness that maybe on the surface. Is this a suitable way of getting around this issue??
I no the other option would possibly be to use a clean solution and warm water and buff the floor.

Can people get back to me with suggestions.
Thanks alot

Paul
PD Tiling

Hi , firstly , if the customer had bought an impregnator , there will be no shine, if the tile is matt the tile, it will be matt after the correct application of any impregnator.
test one or two stones, you may have a light polymer smear on this tile as well as a grout residue, from us test lithofin power clean 1-3 with a white pad 5-8 min

if it struggles to get through seal , stripp two tiles with wax off then try the diluted power clean again.if this works dry floor 4-5 days and re-seal with the imp- no shine!!! if still issues put some pics on here , for us to look at.
regards Lithofin (going down hill ) Bob

 

[PDTiling]

Hi , firstly , if the customer had bought an impregnator , there will be no shine, if the tile is matt the tile, it will be matt after the correct application of any impregnator.
test one or two stones, you may have a light polymer smear on this tile as well as a grout residue, from us test lithofin power clean 1-3 with a white pad 5-8 min

if it struggles to get through seal , stripp two tiles with wax off then try the diluted power clean again.if this works dry floor 4-5 days and re-seal with the imp- no shine!!! if still issues put some pics on here , for us to look at.
regards Lithofin (going down hill ) Bob

Ive been to the job and tried a sample of LTP solution which the customer picked up. I went over 2 tiles and hand scrubbed them and they came up perfect. I will be picking up lithofin power clean as mentioned as im used to this product from floor restoration which i did when i first got into tiling. This is why previous comments from certain people were naive and just completely negative. Most things can be rectified!!
Is it adviseable not to use a different sealer afterwards? We started with Fila but i would prefer to use Lithofin.
Thanks again for your advise. That was the sort of advise i expected from a site like this.
Cheers

 

[Lithofin BOB]

Hi, if you have enough fila left , use that ,top end product for your client and no issues with contamination of products( shouldn't be an issue anyway , but play safe)

 

[Time's Ran Out]

'Comments were naive and negative'

Like a lot of posts that appear on here the information comes in drifts and drabs and yours was no different!
If you forget to mention that you sealed the tiles prior grouting that is fairly important if your after advice!
If you give the impression that you've just done 110 meters of flooring when in fact someone else has done it, that is relevant!
Expect all types of replies from a forum and take what you want from them, but remember you are the OP so provide enough information so those with the passion for seeing our trade done professionaly can continue to help .

 

[PDTiling]

Listen John, You are right it didnt come in a fully descriptive way and since you are used to such informaion being displayed so poorly and minimally then you should have used your better judgement and not been so utterly negitive. I was pretty surprised at the attacking method used by a couple of you. I did think this was a place to get useful advice. You proved me wrong. Luckily for me there are people out there willing to help people instead being so pretencious.