Pre-Sealing Cement Tile: An Important Step

By Arpi Nalbandian, Tileometry

How to Apply a Grout Release - Cement Tile Install Tips

When you see a finished cement tile installation (or any tile installation), it's hard to visualize just how bad it looked when grout was first applied. The only way to get grout into the joints is by spreading it with a tile trowel. With glazed ceramic tile, grout removal and clean-up can be difficult. The task becomes more arduous when a porous material, such as cement tile, needs to be cleaned up. That's where pre-sealing comes in.

Handmade cement tile offers a range of design possibilities for any commercial, hospitality, or retail space.

The benefit of a pre-sealer, or "grout release" product, is to make sure the grout can be easily removed after spreading it onto the tile and into the joints. By applying a grout release prior to installing the tile, you get the added benefit of inspecting each tile, as well as the opportunity to cull any tile that might be damaged or off-color prior to the actual installation.

While preparing to pre-seal your cement tile, take the opportunity to inspect each tile.

Handmade cement tile offers a range of design possibilities - bold Cuban tile patterns in contrasting colors, or classic cement patterns in harmonizing colors. Whether used as floor tile or wall tile, the result will transform any space. We've assembled dozens of images filled with cement tile design ideas to help you get started on your next project.

To learn more about cement tile and to see how a pre-sealer is applied, watch our latest video, How to Apply a Grout Release - Cement Tile Install Tips. This short video shows how to apply grout release to cement tiles in an easy-to-understand format. Making time for this additional step will protect your tile from the hazards of even the most skilled of installers, while making sure the grout is easily removed.

In the coming months, we'll provide more tips on how to successfully install cement tiles. Stay tuned!

In the meantime, for more information about cement tile selection, installation tips, customization services, or available sizes, shapes and more, please see our new Guide to Buying Handmade Cement Tile.

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Designing with Tile

"Design is the method of putting form and content together. Design, just as art, has multiple definitions; there is no single definition. Design can be art. Design can be aesthetics. Design is so simple, that's why it is so complicated." — Paul Rand

Once a building has been erected, or is in the process of an overhaul, it's up to the designers to translate and transform the vision of the commercial, retail or hospitality space into a sensory-pleasing experience. Whether it's a grand lobby, a spectacular lounge or bar area, or even the common areas such as hallways and corridors, the designer is tasked with giving these spaces character and interest.

Therefore, it's no surprise that tile is the perfect component in making these visions come to life, specifically, cement tile. With cement tile, these spaces are given a historic feel from a material that has been used for centuries, with the added benefit of being able to customize patterns and colors.

Saltillo tiles also fall into the same timeless category as cement tiles. Because of their deep, rich hues, Saltillo tiles have the ability of transporting us to the colorful, refined grandeur of sun-kissed Spanish villas and haciendas of the Mediterranean.

With their inherit versatility and durability, it's for these reasons that designers and specifiers overwhelmingly choose the always stylish looks of handmade cement tiles and Saltillo tiles.

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Benefits of Pre-Sealing Cement Tile

By Bill Buyok, Avente Tile

Pre-sealing cement tiles is not a required step in all manufacturers' installation procedures; however, it is something I recommend. Before deciding whether or not to pre-seal your cement tiles, let's make sure you understand the purpose of pre-sealing along with its benefits and risks.

Using a grout release or pre-sealer on cement tiles helps ensure a successful installation.

Why Pre-Seal Cement Tile?
First, let's not confuse sealing with pre-sealing. After installation, sealing cement tile with a penetrating sealer is recommend because concrete is porous. The sealer help protect the tile from oil, acids and water. The purpose of a pre-sealer is very different. A good pre-sealer should do two things: it should clean the tile; and it should make grout clean-up, or removal, easier. In fact, a pre-sealer may be called a "grout release."

When you see a finished cement tile installation (or any tile installation), it's hard to visualize how bad it looked when grout was first applied. The only way to get grout into the grout joint is by smearing it all over the tile. With a glazed ceramic tile, grout removal and clean-up can be difficult. However, a porous material like cement makes the task more arduous, especially because acids can't be used.

Grout being applied to patterned cement tiles - a messy job!

The benefit of a pre-sealer or "grout release" is to make sure the grout can be easily removed after grouting. By apply a grout release prior to the installation of the tile, you also get the added benefit of inspecting each tile and the opportunity to cull any that might be damaged or off-color before the actual installation.

The only downside is that pulling each tile out of the box and re-packing them is time consuming. Also, the more the tile is handled, the greater its chance for breakage. Using a grout release or pre-sealer on cement tile is not always required. In fact, if you have someone familiar with installing cement tile, they may even laugh. After all, there were no pre-sealing products when cement tile was used more than 150 years ago. Rest assured, pre-sealing is another step that will help guarantee the project's success.

While a penetrating sealer could be used (and is sometimes recommended), I prefer a water-based "green" product, such as Fila PS87. For pre-sealing, using it in its undiluted form will be less expensive than using a penetrating sealer. You can also dilute it to clean and remove grease and grime from the tiles after installation. It's an excellent product for acid-sensitive material, such as concrete.

How to Apply a Cement Tile Pre-Sealer
Applying a pre-sealer is not difficult, but it will take a great deal of time. As I mentioned, an added benefit is that you can view/inspect all of your tiles, and verify the quantity purchased.

First, pull the tiles from the box and arrange them onto pallets. Place the tiles next to each other so you can match pattern colors. More importantly, this step will also help prevent the grout release from dripping down the sides of the tile. Now, apply liberally; but, be neat.

Cement tiles are removed from the box and placed on pallets prior to applying a grout release.

Next, pour a small amount of the undiluted grout release into a container. Apply with a small, soft rag cut to a dimension smaller than the tile. Again, this keeps the pre-sealer away from the sides of the tile. You need the grout to stick to the sides of the tile.

Pre-sealer being applied to cement tile

Use a small, soft cloth to apply the pre-sealer

Make sure grout release does not drip down the side of the tile.

Where can I purchase this product?
We have recommended Fila products for years, but often, they have been difficult to obtain outside large metropolitan areas. Thankfully, you can purchase Fila PS87 and all Fila products in small or large quantities online at SealersRus.com. The owner of the company, Ali Madani, is extremely knowledgeable about Fila sealers and their application for both tile and stone.

Fila PS87 is a water-based cleaner that can be used to pre-seal cement tile.

Fila PS87 is a degreaser and cleaner for acid-sensitive materials like natural stone and concrete. It's ideal for basic cleaning of concrete and removes water-based wax. Use it undiluted for pre-sealing cement tile prior to installation. It will help ensure the tile is clean and assist as a grout-release.

To learn even more and see how a pre-sealer is applied, watch our latest video, How to Apply a Grout Release - Cement Tile Install Tips.

Watch the Video: How to Apply a Grout Release to Cement Tiles

This short video shows how to apply grout release to cement tiles. This optional step is a great insurance policy to protect your tiles from the hazards of installers while making sure the grout is easily removed.

In the coming months, we'll be providing more tips on how to successfully install cement tiles. Stay tuned!

Avente Tile's Cement Tile Buying Guide: The Source for Finding Cement Tile That's Right for You

By Arpi Nalbandian, Tileometry

                                                                                                            

Avente Tile's Guide to Buying Handmade Cement Tile

Handmade cement tile has to be one of the most beautiful types of tile available for transforming a space into a personal expression of pattern, style and design. However, since it is a handmade product, figuring out what makes a high quality and durable cement tile isn't immediately obvious.

For that reason, Avente Tile is proud to announce the launch of its Guide to Buying Handmade Cement Tile to help you make sense of the choices available. The Guide, which is based on the hard-earned knowledge and experience of Avente Tile's founder Bill Buyok, features 14 pages of inspirational cement tile installations and patterns, and most importantly, valuable tips for buying handmade cement tile culled through Bill's vast experiences and travels involving handmade cement tile.

A sample page of Avente Tile's Guide to Buying Handmade Cement Tile illustrates the beautiful and vivid patterns available with handmade cement tile.

Months of thought, preparation and revisions went into creating this cohesive Guide so that it could be referred to at any time, day or night, 24/7. Whether you choose to print out a copy of the Guide, or keep it on your computer's desktop, we wholeheartedly feel that having a readily available source at your fingertips is a priceless tool for generating creativity, while greatly expanding upon the design needs and options of your tile project.

With that in mind, the Guide is separated into several easy-to-read steps, or subsections. Not only will you be able to immediately pinpoint the topic you're searching for, but it has been designed to help you understand and appreciate everything from the nuances of cement tile to customizing your tile with colors and patterns of your choice. The six steps/subsections are:

• What is Handmade Cement Tile? 
• What to Look For in a Cement Tile
• What Shapes, Sizes & Formats Are Cement Tiles Available In? 
• What Cement Tile Design Styles Are Available?
• How Do I Coordinate Handmade Cement Tile Sizes, Shapes, Formats and Styles? 
• What Are the Next Steps For Buying Handmade Cement Tiles?

Further, we've included active links within the Guide that immediately direct you to comprehensive information about the topic or product you’re reading about. You don't lose your place within the Guide, nor do you lose valuable time in your quest to find more information.

Active links within the Guide to Buying Handmade Cement Tile (highlighted in yellow) immediately direct you to comprehensive information about the topic or product you’re interested in.

Again, this Guide was designed with you and your needs in mind. More than a decade ago, as a first-time cement tile purchaser, Bill was frustrated with the lack of relevant and easily found information. With our help, after reading through this well-developed and cohesive Guide to Buying Handmade Cement Tile, you’ll be able to:

• Find the cement tile that's right for you.
• Learn how to distinguish quality cement tile from inferior ones.
• Understand the types, formats, colors, options and designs available.
• Set realistic budgets, costs for freight, and what to expect for delivery.
• Tips for when to use in-stock tiles, custom tiles, and how to create your own designs.

Cement Tile Buying Guide:
The Source for Finding Cement Tile That's Right for You.

Click Here to Download!

After reading our guide, contact us with any additional questions you might have about cement tile. We encourage questions on our blog, too. Feel free to leave your question in the comments below and we'll promptly answer them within two business days.

Of course, everyone at Avente Tile is well-versed and experienced in answering any possible question you may have. Therefore, please don’t hesitate to call us at 888.739.4972; or email: info@aventetile.com.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Identify Cement Tile Grout Haze and Remove It

By Bill Buyok, Avente Tile

One of the greatest joys about blogging and my love of tile is sharing fabulous installations using cement tile like this one featured in House and Home. The cement tile installation uses a Geometric Moroccan Circle pattern in soothing green.

Cement Tile in a Geometric Moroccan circle pattern.
Image via House and Home

I also enjoy educating people about cement tile and making sure they know the differences between cement tile and it more ubiquitous cousin, ceramic tile. Because it is very porous, cement tile is more prone to grout haze than glazed ceramic tile. Today, I'll explain why grout haze occurs, how you can spot it and how to remove it.

Spotting Grout Haze

Last week I received an email from one of the design firms in Berkley, CA, that we work with. Overall, the design firm's client was thrilled with the tiles and the install. The installation featured our Geometric Moroccan Circle cement tile for a bathroom in San Francisco. The tiles were installed on both the floor and wall. Unfortunately, a "white film on the tile" could be discerned after they were sealed.

Grout haze on a cement tile installation.

The "white film" you see on the dark green pattern of the tile is grout haze. Grout haze will generally appear as a white or grey streak on the dark colors in the pattern. The streaking color will depend on the color of grout you choose. 

Streaking caused by residual grout left on cement tile.

Understanding Why Grout Haze Occurs

During the installation, the tile is smeared with grout. The streaking occurs from the float or squeegee that is raked over the tile.

Always remove grout with a rubber float and sponge.

The installer has to physically remove as much grout as possible with a rubber float and then with a sponge after coating the tile with grout.

A very liquid grout must be used for cement tile to avoid grout haze.

If the grout becomes too dry during application, it can penetrate the cement tile pores. The haze will become apparent after the water on the tile surface evaporates and leaves behind the minerals from the grout. Remember, the grout is applied between the spaces of tile using a tile float, and then wiped away with the same tile float and a wet sponge. Follow these best practices when grouting.

Best Practices for Grouting Cement Tile

1. You may use colored or white grout. If you decide to use colored grout, then we recommend that it be a color that is the same, or lighter than, the lightest color used in the pattern.
2. The grout should be fluid enough to completely fill the joints.
3. Apply the grout with a rubber float or with a rubber squeegee, always moving diagonally across the joints.
4. Any excess grout should be removed with a damp cloth or sponge before it dries.

How to Remove Grout Haze on Cement Tiles

Follow or share these tips with your installer to avoid, minimize and remove grout haze. These guidelines apply only to cement tile installations.

1. Make sure to physically remove as much grout as possible with a rubber float and then with a sponge.
2. Make sure the tile is completely dry, clean and free of grout before applying a penetrating sealer.
3. Start with a light buff and clean. For floor installations, buff the floor with a floor polisher and white pad. Use just a bit of water and change the pads frequently to encourage the clean-up of any grout.
4. If you don't achieve the results you are looking for, then attempt a deep cleaning. A deep cleaning is achieved by buffing the floor with a floor polisher and green pad using a lot of water and pH neutral soap. This must be done prior to applying a penetrating sealer. The goal is to really clean the floor of any dust, grout, pigments or debris prior to sealing. The use of a floor polisher and green pad isn't usually necessary on polished tiles. Polished cement tiles are "buffed" at the factory to achieve a satin sheen that simulates the look the tiles acquire after years of normal use and care. The surface of a polished tile is smooth compared to an unpolished or raw cement tile. The smooth surface of a polished tile makes it easier to install because grout is less likely to penetrate the tiles.
5. In locally severe locations or if the tile has been sealed, use 800 grit wet sandpaper and water to remove excess grout.

Cement tile is fairly easy to clean with a floor buffer or rags, water, soap and elbow grease. Occasionally, fine grit wet sandpaper may be required to remove excessive grout haze. Always, protect cement tile from oil and acids that will severely damage it.

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy Removing Grout Haze in a Cement Tile Installation.