Concerned about enhancer possibly causing grout "splotchiness"

[FunWithStone]

Hello Everyone! First a quick thanks for all the great information. I have done quite a bit of reading and learning here on this site, and this is my first posting.

First a little background information...

Stone:
Name: Philladelphia Dark Antiquated Travertine
Description: I guess you would say it has a tumbled look (not polished, not filled) with chiseled edges.
Sizes and Pattern: 8x8, 8x16, 16x16, and 16x24 in a Versaille pattern (gives a somewhat random cobblestone effect that seems to match well with the tumbled/chiseled edge stone)

Grout:
Status: Purchased, but not yet applied (installers are planning on applying grout tomorrow. Another note here - Installers have inspected the tile, and they believe that a grout release or a sealer is not needed PRIOR to grouting)
Product: Custom Building Products Sanded Polyblend (New Taupe)
Application: Grout will be applied and left relatively "high" in the joints such that it flows into the chiseled edges of the stone tiles.

Sealer:
Status: NOT YET PURCHASED OR APPLIED
Products being considered: Stone-Tech Enhancer Pro OR Stone-Tech BulletProof Sealer

And now my concern...

I was leaning toward the Enhancer Pro to enrich the colors of the stone (and many posts seem to like this stuff on travertine), but I have read several posts on here about some enhancers (this one included) causing uneven color enhancement and "splotchiness" on the grout itself. In my application, there will be a lot of visible grout since I have chiseled edges and I plan on keeping the grout filled high. With so much visible grout, I would not be too happy if there was significant and splotchy variations of grout color caused by the enhancer. My question are related to this...

1.) How common is it to have an enhancer cause uneven or "splotchy" grout color variation?

2.) What will generally cause this? And related to this, how can one reasonably avoid this?

Thank you in advance for your help! I will be doing the sealing part myself, and I want to use the best product for my application. I do plan on testing the products first on a sample tile, and I suppose that I can test on some grout as well. But testing on a small amount grout may not reveal splotching.

Thanks again for your time!

Daniel

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[dl]

I have limited experience with Enhancer Pro but have used it on several projects using TEC grouts and Hydroment grouts. My experience was that it does not cause splotchiness but does darken the grout somewhat. My observation is that in general splotchiness is primarily caused by uneven grout floating or sponging and if anything enhancer minimizes it rather than aggravating it. Perhaps someone with more experience will add their comments.

- DL

[prashster]

I used Stone Enhancer Pro on a part of my shower and I did not like it. It turned my grey grout brown.

Didn't have 'splotching' problems, though.

[FunWithStone]

Thanks so much for the tips and comments. At this point I am leaning toward the Stone Tech BulletProof product. Seems simpler to apply, and I am being told that it has a slightly higher level of protection than the Enhancer Pro product. After seeing the tile installed, I have come to the conclusion that I am very happy with the natural contrast in the stone, and I also do not wish to darken my grout any more than it is. I will let you know how it goes with the sealer! Thanks again!

[timiny]

I wanted the enhanced look of the stone but did not like what it did to the grout on my test board. I ended up installing the tumbled travertine, enhancing it, grouting, sealing with a non enhancing sealer.

[Outback Annie]

Is there any reason that a tile can't or shouldn't be enhanced and sealed prior to laying them? IF it's OK to do that then couldn't a clear grout sealer be used after the laying as the tiles have already been enhanced and sealed? :scratch: I'm just wondering.

[doitright]

Hi Annie :)

First it could be very time consuming (prior to setting). Smaller sized projects are more feasible to do this. Beyond that, it depends on the material being used, and desired results.

[prashster]

re: sealing/enhancing b4 grouting: I was also informed that sealing the edges of the tiles could inhibit grout bonding with the tile. It's not the end of the of the world if a little spills on the sides, but take reasonable care to apply it only to the face.

Some say that pre-sealing helps with grout cleanup, but IMHO, the key to removing grout haze is to grout in small batches and clean up quickly with minimal water. I presealed my kitchen backsplash, but waited a long time to clean the grout haze. Had a bugger of a time buffing it off. I did my shower in porous marble and did NOT preseal. But I cleaned up within 20 mins of grouting, and had not a LICK of hazing probs.

When I do my next project, I will not preseal. Wasted time for false sense of security, IMHO.