Do most homeowners prefer ceramic floor tiles? Well, for one, they are incredibly durable and pretty easy to keep clean. First thing first, why does floors need to be sealed? Floors are sealed to protect them from moisture.
This brings us to the next question, does ceramic tile need to be sealed? Most ceramic tiles are not sealed because they have a glass glaze on the top of the clay, which will not let anything penetrate it. The only time ceramic tiles need to be sealed is when they are not glazed.
Now, let get into more details, shall we?
Read: How to seal porcelain tile floor
What are Ceramic Tile Floors?
Before getting into the main gist, let’s examine what exactly are these types of floorings.
Funny enough, ceramic has been around for centuries, although not necessarily used as tile floors. Cultures all around the world valued ceramics for their delicate shine, smooth texture, and elegant look.
It was used in various decorations like for making dolls and fine China. In recent times, ceramics has transcended beyond its use for decorations, and it’s now a popular material for residential flooring all over America.
Ceramic tiles are made from clay. When clay is exposed to searing hot temperatures (around 2,300 to 2,400 degrees Fahrenheit), the finished product is ceramic tiles.
Ceramic tile comes in a variety of colors, sizes, and designs. There are so many interesting designs that are created with ceramic tile that can easily suit any space.
Due to its durable nature, ceramic tile may be used in all types of spaces. However, it is often used in kitchens, bathrooms, foyers, mudrooms, and other high-traffic areas.
Read: How to clean tile floors naturally
Does Ceramic Tile Need to Be Sealed?
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Most often, the only floor types that need to be sealed are hardwood floors. Most ceramic tiles have a glass glaze on the top of the clay back, which provides a non-porous surface as the glass will not let anything penetrate it unless it is unglazed.
Most floors are sealed to protect them from excessive moisture, which can easily damage them. This does not apply to ceramic tiles, which have a protective barrier against moisture.
As mentioned earlier, only unglazed ceramic tiles need to be sealed as the protective barrier is absent in this type of ceramic tile. It is worthy to note that most home improvement stores have glazed ceramic tiles, which require no sealing.
Why you Shouldn’t Seal Ceramic Tiles
Are you bent on sealing your ceramic tiles? Then maybe it’s time for some reevaluation. Below, we will highlight reasons why you shouldn’t seal your ceramic tiles.
1. Sealing Your Ceramic Tiles Might Make Cleaning More Difficult.
There is a misconception that sealing your ceramic tiles will make cleaning easier; this is not true. Going by the nature of ceramic tiles, we know that it is easy to clean and maintain. The problem might be that you have not gotten the perfect cleanser for your floor.
Avoid stronger cleaning chemical products as this might damage your floors. You might need to investigate to find out the perfect cleaning products for your floor. Start with testing the product in an inconspicuous area of your floor. The result will determine if you should go ahead or try out another cleaning product.
Read: Homemade tile floor cleaner
2. Sealing Might Give Your Ceramic Tiles a Terrible Appearance
Another misconception: sealing will give your ceramic floor tiles a better appearance. You should know that ceramic floor tiles are not made to be sealed. Suppose your ceramic tiles have a dull appearance after so many cleaning methods you can try out to give it a glossy look. If none of the methods work, you might have to re-tile the entire floor surface instead of sealing it.
Read: How to make tile floor shine
3. Sealing Ceramic Tiles Will Make the Floor Surface Slippery
While this problem might be averted if you use a non-slip sealer, we do not recommend sealing ceramic floor tiles. Even when a non-slip floor sealer is used, you will need to reapply the sealers regularly, ultimately creating a new cleaning problem.
4. Sealing Ceramic Tiles Make Maintenance Difficult
A sealed ceramic floor tile is just too much work. Most floor sealers are softer and will be affected by traffic, spills, and day-to-day wear and tear. Invariably, this spells more work for you. You will have to spend more on repairing and replacing the tiles.
Read: How to mop tile floors without streaks
Conclusion
Irrespective of the warranty provided by most ceramic floor sealers, we do not recommend sealing ceramic floor tiles. Most floor sealers (even if you find a sealer that adheres to ceramic tile surfaces) will peel or wear less than 12 months.
Conclusively, on this post on: does ceramic tile need to be sealed? Now you know you shouldn’t seal ceramic floors unless you’re hell bent on creating more work for yourself!