stains on polished porcelian tiles - Tile Advice

[traleedynamo]

Hi,

I recently layed black polished porcelian tiles. After laying them I washed the tiles with hot water to clean the dirt up etc.. As I was about to seal them before grouting. I then noticed stains on the tiles which cannot be removed as it looks like the stain is coming through the tile.

Someone told me it is the adhesive coming through the tile and that it will go away after a few weeks..

Is this correct? Will it go away? Can I still put the sealer on and grout or will I get the supplier out to have a look??

Please reply..

 

[TilingLogistics]

Hi Traleedynamo,

Welcome to the forums! It sounds from your description one of several things: Firstly you may have adhesive on the surface of the tile! Try a mild cement remover (Not Brick Acid) Secondly there could be a wax on the tiles this is quite common with black porcelain just lately especially the less expensive end of the market. If this is the case you need to try a sealing and coating remover. Finally the porcelain may have needed sealing and by washing down with hot water some of the water has penetrated the tile. If this is the case the tiles need to dry out.

I have never heard of adhesive coming through the tile and furthermore I do not personally think it's possible especially through vitrified porcelain.

It would be a waste of time sealing and grouting until you have solved your current problem or you will just exacerbate the problems you already have! Good Luck

Kev

 

[traleedynamo]

Hi Kev,

Thanks for the advise..

Maybe I can explain better what has happened.

The tile supplier told me to lay the tiles and then clean them with hot water, then apply the sealer before grouting. Before I washed the tiles I noticed these stains(marks) on the tiles. After washing the tiles, the stains stayed the same way. I got a wax remover from tile supplier and used it on a few of these tiles but noting happened. I also tried these remover on tiles which had wax on them and it worked great. I know the tile wasnt over expensive but it still was expensive enough to me.

I asked the tile supplier his opnion and he said it could be the adhesive coming through. He came to see the tiles and now the head manager from Dublin is coming to look but they both think its the adhesive coming through. Obviously this has happened before if they are saying this but do you think that the adhesve will dry and the tiles will lose the marks??

Thanks again..

 

[DHTiling]

Did you use a rapid setting adhesive or slow set...?..

And how thick are the tiles..?..

 

[grumpygrouter]

Do you mean adhesive showing through the tiles, not actually migrating through the tile to the surface? Personally can't see how the addy would make it's way through a procelain tile unless it was badly flawed!

Grumpy

 

[traleedynamo]

Hi,

Not through the surface of the tile but you can see marks underneath the surface of the tile. The tile is black and the marks are a greyish colour. Most tiles have these marks and the marks are different on each tile.

To be honest I am hoping someone has seen this before, other wise I dont know what to do...

Thanks

 

[reaper72]

Clouding marks on cheaper black porcelain are common,and if it's the quality,then there's not much you can do about it.....I once bought a pallet of Black chinese polished porcelain-we got a raging customer complaint-I inspected the job and on opening the boxes found all these 'clouding' marks-sent the full feckin pallet back....you say Dublin....who's the manufacturer mate?
Don't seal anything until you get to the bottom of it

 

[TilingLogistics]

Hi,

Not through the surface of the tile but you can see marks underneath the surface of the tile. The tile is black and the marks are a greyish colour. Most tiles have these marks and the marks are different on each tile.

To be honest I am hoping someone has seen this before, other wise I dont know what to do...

Thanks

Have you tried the methods I suggested

Kev

 

[traleedynamo]

Hi Everyone,

Few answers to your coments..

The tile adhesive I got was for porcelian. It was hard within 2 hours..

The tile is about 10mm thick..

No adhesive got on the surface of the tile..

I tried a stain remover from supplier and it removed the stains on the tiles but not the greyish cloudy marks.

The tiles are now down 6 days and these marks are not going away...

I am now 100% sure it is the adhesive coming through the tile.

What are my rights and what can I do about this??

 

[DHTiling]

What fixing method was used..........because if you or your fixer had used a solid bed method which is recommended for floor tiling then the back of the tile would be fully covered and the shading would all be the same..if you see what i mean..
If they have been spot fixed then you have very little come back. unless there is a fault with the tile ......some of the chinese porcelains are getting bad reports because they are made from poor quality clays thus being more porous than porcelain should be...........

 

[traleedynamo]

Hi,

Tiler made a bed from the adhesive first and did not use the spotting method.

Supplier has now come back and said that it is the adhesive and that it will dry out in a few weeks..

Can I beleive him??