Saltillo Sealers

[jjbgames]

I am preparing to start my first major tiling project. I am installing Saltillo Tile in my den, living room, dining room and kitchen(about 900 Sqft.). I have seen videos, and read everything I could find on this forum.

I want a low sheen finish from the sealer and then want to put a paste wax over it for protection and some shine. My mother has had the saltillo tile with wax for about 30 years and it is wonderful.

My question is about the Aqua Mix sealers. They have a penetrating sealer, a seal and finish low sheen, and a Saltillo seal and finish low sheen. They then of course have their flagships, the Prosolv 10 and the Sealers choice 15. The Saltillo seal is about 1/5 the price of the sealers choice. Is it good enough for pregrout and final seal?

[Sponsored Links]

[doitright]

Hi JJ, Welcome! :)

I've moved you were you should get more attention. Have you performed a search yet?

We are usually on a first name basis around here. What's yours? :shades:

[jjbgames]

Hey John,

My name is john also. Thanks for moving the thread...I didn't know where to put it. I have done searches and have seen it go back and forth between what to use. John Bridge has even said use Thompson's Water seal! There are just so many opinions, :crazy: I was hoping for a new thread with a single serve all purpose answer!(wouldn't that be nice if it existed!)

I have never heard the Saltillo Sealer by Aquamix mentioned. I was wondering if it was a new product.

[jjbgames]

:topicoff: Also, I am planning on doing the room with a 6X12 border of straight tile with the rest of the room on a bias. Has anyone seen anything like this? How does it look in saltillo?

[doitright]

Hi John :)

Hopefully others will chime in with their experience with Aqua Mix Saltillio Sealers/Products.

I'm from the old school. Linseed oil/paint thinner or a good impregnating sealer. Brown Trewax or Acrylic Wax. That's the way we did it. :nod:

As far as your pattern, I think it would look nice. We always laid our saltillio straight. However, we used different patterns when desired (San Felipe, Hex, etc.). Wasn't always Saltillio, sometimes San Marcos (the orange stuff).

[Barbs]

Hi John,

With the help of the fine folks here, we installed a Saltillo floor a couple years ago. We set them on the diagonal, which looks really nice, if I do say so myself.

We use the Aquamix Low Sheen Saltillo Sealer, and I'm very happy with it. It stands up to all the abuse we can give it, which with 2 boys, 2 dogs, 2 cats and a beachy, sandy lifestyle, is quite a bit. Our floor looks as awesome today as it did when it was first installed.

Hope this helps, and good luck with your project!

Barbs

[jjbgames]

Thanks Barbs,

I will use that then. I will probably be pretty liberal with it and give it a good coat.

Thanks
John

[doitright]

Hi John :)

I highly recommend to follow the label directions. Put it on too thick, and you'll be posting wanting to know how to remove it. :bang:

[jjbgames]

got it....thanks!

[Barbs]

Rather than one liberal coat, may I suggest 2 or 3 thinner applications?

This stuff goes on easily with a sponge mop (you do have to get on your hands and knees to do the corners), and dries for reapplication within an hour or two. It's an easy day's work to get 3 nice seal coats down, and your Saltillos will thank you. Apply just enough sealer to evenly coat the floor/grout without puddling (you should see just a sheen over the surface, no gray areas where the sealer is thick). Have a beer, admire your work, apply another coat.

Works for me!
Barbs

[jjbgames]

Great..I can do that...especially the part about the beer! :crazy:

Thanks,
John

[B. Yager]

If you use Aquamix don't use the cheap ones, most of the Saltillo I restore the people used the cheap one to save money and I can get it off like it wasn't even there. If you want a high gloss on it use a good impregnating sealer and put Aldon's Lifeguard on top of it the more coats you put on the shiner it gets. Or you can use Stonetech's laquer from the start.

[whatoozy]

Since I used the 50/50 boiled linseed oil/mineral spirits to color my saltillo I wanted a compatible petroleum-based sealer and finish. I found an excellent system from Sparks SW, Inc. Here's their website:

http://www.sparkssw.com/sparks_web_03004.htm

I let my linseed mixture dry for 1 1/2 weeks (leaving no gummy puddles, for sure) and then used Sparks "Stone Glamour". Put on 2 thin coats of this and then moved on to the "Mexseal" high gloss finish. It works great, looks fabulous, and is extremely tough when cured. As soon as I finish putting on 4,000 coats of Mexseal (ok, more like 5 or 6), I'll finish it off with coats of wax.

Sparks SW distributes to many tile dealers. I got mine here in the D/FW metroplex at Roma Tile on 121-FW.

Jeff

[kcstoneguy]

I have had very good success with sealing saltillo using Vibrance from Betco..this is 25% solids acrylic sealer that you just mop on...easy to strip as well...will last several years...normally folks want the low shine look, but if they want high shine this is what i would pick...it is made for natural stone or concrete...but to strip, you just use regular floor stripper ...

john jackson
Integrity Stone