streaky travertine after sealing

[hope4311]

hi everyone. first i want to thak everyone because i have been reading posts about travertine install that have been very helpful in my install.
well, i installed the honed and filled travertine on my bathroom to floor. it looked beautiful...until i sealed it that is. i used tilelab matte sealer and finish before i grouted. well, it is streaky as all heck!!!! someone said i may not have wiped off the excess but this stuff dried instantly! what do i do? should i use a tilelab remover to get the sealer off then get a different sealer? was it just the sponge i used to apply it with that made is streaky? i used a grout sponge. if that is the problem, what should i use to apply it, a roller, a sponge roller? please help!

thanks,
erica

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[Lou Noble]

Hello,

If the sealer has been put on in the last couple of days you coule use a rag with a little bit of the sealer on it to re- emulsify( i dont think i spelled that right) the old sealer and take the streaks out.

If the sealer has been on for more than a couple of days you may have to strip it off. a H\D alkaline stripper should take it off.

Regards,

Lou

[Lou Noble]

me again...

i didnt see the bottom of your post though. To seal never use a sponge or roller. you should use a spray bottle or hudson sprayer, your sealer will go further and you will not have that streaking problem.

I spray my sealer on, wait for about 3mins and wipe in with a clean towel. easy as pie...

[hope4311]

i tried to emulsify but that doesn't sem to work :(
guess i'll have to strip.

does anyone know how much a refinisher would charge for a 6' x 7' bathroom floor? i do have a couple lips i could've lived with but when i just went upstairs, i noticed marks! my genius boyfriend must have dragged the toilet across the tile when he put it back on. i could scream right now!

[hope4311]

i forgot to say...i am in south jersey. does anyone know a reputable refinisher here?

[joh]

I know of two NSRA members that work in south jersey. Send me a pm if you want the information. But before you do that post a few pictures of the damage, we may be able to let you how to fix it yourself.

[hope4311]

will send a couple more through

[hope4311]

another one...

[hope4311]

:confused:

[hope4311]

scratch

[Darek]

Hello Erica
I’m not familiar with the sealer that you use but it looks that you used topical sealer instead of impregnating sealer. If so you will need to strip the sealer, hone your travertine to remove scratches and apply good quality impregnating sealer. I don’t think you can do that on your own so I will suggest calling restoration pro.

[hope4311]

i used crap from h/d...tilelab matte finish & selaer. i was too impateient to order bulletproof and wait for shipping LOL. i learned my lesson and will order that now though. i read on another thread i can buff until my arm gives out to get the selaer off. do you agree? the problem w/ hiring a professional refinisher is that the bathroom is only 6' x 7'. and now i see that the biggest scratch and the major lip are covered by a rug anyway. is it possible for me to sand the lip and scratches myself since they aren't really noticeable anyway unless someone sits on my bathroom floor LOL?

[MasterGranite]

Sanding?? With what kind of sander? Are you talking hand sanding - I hope so. Looks like a topical sealer to me. It might come off with some steel wool if yer lucky and the steel wool wont hurt the finish on the stone. Try Steel wool, start with double zero and end with tripple zero, or you can try wet sanding with 360 grit sand paper. Either of these methods will not hurt the finish on the stone, but it's best to do a test. Remember to do a test area.... did I mention before to test an area. Same with your replacement sealer so you know the look you're gonna get and see if it's what you want.

The tile that is sticking up, that's called lippage! Compared to the sealing job, if that's the only one I'd live with it, but the sealing, yikes. That is not good. Wrong stuff for a honed finish. Not to worry yer not the only one that has done this.

[hope4311]

leave it to me LOL. my first tile install ever and that goes off w/o a hitch (except that one lip of course). then, i go and screw up the sealing which should be the easiest part! figures!
well, i'm still proud that i did the job myself...though this fiasco does take a little of the glory out of it. LOL :crap:

do you suggest bulletproof sealer the second time around?

thanks so much for the sanding advice.

-erica

[Lou Noble]

Erica,

I dont think it would be a good idea to "sand" your stone by yourself... i have seen way too many homeowners make there stone look even worse by trying to "fix" the problem themselves. if you dont mind the scratches and the lip i would just leave it. otherwise hire someone to take care of it for you.

the sealer "bulletproof" is not that great, it will also leave worse streaks than what you have now. i would stick to a solvent base product, they are easier to work with.

for the sealer already down, take a white pad on a disk sander and buff the surface with an alkaline clean... let the cleaner sit on the surface for about 15 mins and buff with the pad and sander.

Good Luck!!

[hope4311]

so a tilelab stripper isn't neccessary? what section would i find an alkaline cleaner in h/d? is there a solvent sealer at h/d that's any good that you know of or a brand that you suggest?

[Lou Noble]

Two brands that i like are prosoco or Stone Pro. they have both alkaline cleaners and solvent base sealers.

[StoneBuddy]

Yes, you indeed have a topical finish. The clue is in the label. Mira Matte Stone Finish. It is a matte finish topical "coating." With the lips and the "wax" and the scratching it probably is in your best interest to call in a restoration guy.

The coating and the lips can be ground off, and a honed finish resto job is cheaper than a polish resto job 4 sure.

Contact an NSRA member for members near you.

GOOD LUCK.