Sealing

It is worth noting that old stone floors were never sealed and yet still look beautiful today. All stone is naturally porous to varying degrees, for modern-day living and in order to improve stain resistance, we would advise for your stone to be sealed.

A vast majority of our sealants are selected from Fila’s professional range and we work closely with Fila in order to maintain high standards of technical knowledge and support. The guidelines below are general, and there are exceptions to the rules, both in terms of materials and application. Our highly trained staff will be able to offer you a tailor-made quotation based on your individual requirements. All sealants discussed require varying drying times in between coats.

These encompass the majority of our stones and they require a base sealant that absorbs into the body of the stone to quell the porosity. FilaFob and Fila W68 are our most commonly used base sealants and they protect against both water and oil based stains by soaking into the stone. After the stone has been fixed, and ensuring it is both clean and dry, one coat should be applied with a brush or sponge before the stone is grouted. This application of base sealant before grouting helps to prevent grout residues adhering to the surface, and grout pigments absorbing into the stone. After grouting, a further one or two applications of the base sealant (FilaFob or Fila W68) should be applied as required to further protect the stone. Any sealant residues must be cleaned off the tile surface immediately as they may leave surface streaking. More porous stones may take several more coats. The grout joints should also be sealed at this time. Once the base sealing process has been completed, the stone should be sealed with a liquid wax surface sealant. This forms a protective layer, making it easier to clean daily dirt and grime from the stone. Two coats are required; the initial application being allowed to dry before the second is applied. You can choose between a matt (FilaMatt), satin (FilaSatin) or gloss (FilaLongLife) finish, FilaSatin being the most popular.

Slate is naturally less porous than many other stones, so a liquid wax surface sealant is sufficient for protection. These sealants are resistant to wear and tear and also highly dirt and dust repellent. One coat of either, FilaMatt, FilaSatin or FilaLongLife should be applied after installation but before grouting and then a further coat after grouting, ensuring the tiles are free from any grout residues.

Whilst these are similar in appearance to slate, they are actually much more porous. The Schist requires several coats of FilaFob or Fila W68 and then a wax surface sealant. Sandstone is exceptionally porous and may take several coats of FilaFob or Fila W68 before it is fully sealed, although each coat will lessen the porosity of the stone. Sandstone also has a coarse surface texture and so requires the higher protection of FilaLongLife.

These stones have lower porosity levels and so will not absorb much sealant. Therefore they only require a penetrating surface seal of Fila MP/90. One or two coats should be applied, before and after grouting. After 24 hours the residue should be removed with a cloth or single-disc cleaner fitted with the appropriate disc. FilaClassic should be used as an on-going maintenance product to replenish the surface seal.

Terracotta generally requires the most sealing of all our products. All Terracotta tiles are raw, exceptionally porous tiles that need total saturation sealing, surface waxing and a finishing coat of sealant. It is worth noting that, due to the nature of Terracotta, salts and minerals present within the tiles may rise to the surface during the fixing process. It may be necessary for this efflorescence to be removed with a diluted application of Deterdek. The fixed Terracotta tiles need to be clean and dry prior to their initial coat of a 50/50 mix of Boiled Linseed Oil and White Spirit which is to be applied with a clean flat brush. The amount of coats required will vary depending on the type of Terracotta and also position in the firing kiln. Applications should continue until the tiles become completely saturated. Any surplus unabsorbed fluid must be removed from the tile surface with neat White Spirit as staining can occur if the residue dries on the tile. The Terracotta tiles are then grouted ensuring any grout residues are cleaned from the tile surfaces. Once the floor is clean and the grout has thoroughly dried, one or more coats of Fila Naturwax Neutral or Fila Naturwax Brown can be applied to the floor using a cloth and then hand or machine buffed to give a polished shine, if required. To maintain this appearance, apply two coats of a liquid wax surface sealant, FilaClassic, FilaSatin, FilaMatt or FilaLongLife.

Such areas are exposed to more intense and prolonged periods of exposure to water. We would therefore advise more specific water protection involving one application of Fila Hydrorep or Fila HP98 followed by one to two applications of FilaFob or Fila W68. FilaFob should always be used with Fila Hydrorep and Fila W68 with Fila HP98. A surface sealant should not be used as, with prolonged exposure to moisture, these sealants can become cloudy.

These areas will be subject to staining from natural atmospheric agents and organic matter. There is much debate upon whether stone should be sealed externally or left to weather naturally. The two primary considerations are quantity and type; sealing large external areas can prove fairly costly. It is worth sealing an off-white limestone over a more rustic/darker sandstone or slate. Ultimately though, the choice will come down to personal preference. External sealing of stone is generally either one coat of Fila Hydrorep followed by one to two coats of FilaFob or alternatively one coat of Fila HP98 followed by one to two coats of Fila W68.

Like any surface, stone will require a degree of maintenance. Correctly sealed floors are the key to minimal maintenance. Heavily trafficked areas will require more maintenance than other areas. Regular sweeping and vacuum-cleaning together with mopping is advised. Any abrasive or acidic household detergents should be avoided as they can remove the surface sealant or in extreme cases damage the stone. FilaCleaner is a neutral routine cleaner formulated to work in conjunction with Fila’s extensive range of sealants. FilaCleaner should be diluted to use as an everyday cleaner, whereas Fila PS/87 is a more concentrated detergent for stain removal in its undiluted state, or diluted for more routine cleaning. Liquid wax surface sealants such as FilaSatin, FilaMatt, FilaLongLife and FilaClassic should also be used as part of the ongoing maintenance regime. Once a month, add a glass full to a bucket of water and mop over. This helps to refresh the protective surface seal. Incorrectly applied impregnators, sealants and staining problems all have their antidotes. Please refer to the Ancillary Product Price List or contact one of our branches for more information.

Dunlop Adhesives
Tel: 01782 591100, Fax: 01782 591101
Technical Helpline: 01782 591120
Web: www.dunlop-adhesives.com
E-mail: info@building-adhesives.com

Norcros Adhesives
Tel: 01782 524140, Fax: 01782 524141
Technical Helpline: 0870 609 2851
Web: www.norcros-adhesives.com
E-mail: technical@norcros-adhesives.com

Fila Industria Chimica Spa
Tel: 0039 04959 52044, Fax: 0039 04994 60753
Web: www.filachim.com
E-mail: fila@filachim.it

Schlüter Systems Ltd
Tel: 01530 813 396, Fax: 01530 813 376
Web: www.schluter.co.uk
E-mail: technical@schluter.co.uk