Travertine is one of the famous natural stones that can be used for various applications in constructional and architectural projects. It has amazing characteristics and in order to stay perfect in a long period of time you have to maintain it properly. One of the key steps in maintaining travertine tiles, is to apply suitable sealants and seal travertine slab and tiles. In this article we will walk you through steps of "how to seal travertine", and then we will give you more information about various types of sealants.

Advantage to seal travertine

Travertine is durable popular natural stone and can pass the test of time if its cared for properly. A disadvantage to travertine can be its porous texture which means that it is susceptible to staining. In order to overcome this problem, there is a simple solution. You should always seal travertine slab and tiles; in this way you can protect them from damages like staining. remember that maintenance is a regular job for any natural stone. So just like any other natural stones, you should have regular plan to maintain your travertine slab and tiles and extend their life; in this way by using sealed travertine you can enjoy many years seeing this beautiful product. you can also polish your travertine after sealing it once to buy more time for your travertine tiles not to get dirty.

Steps to seal travertine slab and tile

Like any other process of maintenance for natural stones, we advise you, to get professional help for sealing travertine to. The first time applying sealants on your travertine tiles, should happen instantly when your travertine slab and tiles are installed. But the regular checkup and sealing travertine slab and tiles can also be a DIY project that you do it yourself. Here are the five steps that you should take:

Step One:  Remove the waxes

To begin the process of sealing travertine slab and tile, you should try to remove any wax coating on surface of your slab or tiles that it has come with it. Keep in mind that if your sealed travertine is with wax, you should only remove it with a specialized wax remover. Also try to make sure that you use a non-acidic solution, if not it can cause damages to your travertine slab and tiles; because The texture of travertine is extremely sensitive to acidic substances, so they can easily stain.

Step Two: make it cleaner

When you removed the wax coating on your slab and tiles, you should clean them. It means that you should sweep the entire travertine floor and remove any dirt or dust on its surface. The best solution in this step can be using a vacuum cleaner. Just remember that you should be careful when you walk on the floor that doesn’t have a coating on its surface. Unlike the surface of sealed travertine slab and tiles, now that you have removed its coating, if you are not careful enough the vacuum clear or any sharp object can leave scratch marks on the surface of your slab and tiles and also maybe crack your travertine. The best way is to carefully vacuum the floor with the vacuum’s brush attachment. Also to perfectly clean your travertine slab and tiles you can use an alkaline or neutral cleanser that is specifically designed for travertine slab and tiles. To get the best result, follow the directions described by the cleansers manufacturer.

Step Three: Dry the floor

When you are done thoroughly cleaning the slab and tiles, by using a cotton or microfiber cloth dry the surface and let the them fully dry for about 72 hours before you take the next step and apply the sealer. As we mentioned earlier, the surface of your slab and tiles are fragile. So you should not allow any foot traffic during this time and keep the floors clean before sealing travertine tiles.

Step Four: Find the right place to start sealing

At this point, you must have a suitable sealer that you chose before. Then you should carefully follow the specific process described by manufacturer’s directions. Most of the sealer product need to be spread evenly over the tiles. In order to level the coating, you can use a soft cloth. The best way to seal travertine tiles in a room, is to start off small at the farthest point of the room then move on to seal the whole floor. You should not move on, to the next section of tiles until you are completely finished with the application process on the spots that you can currently reach. When you are done applying the first layer of sealer, you should wait about 30 minutes before you apply a second layer just like the first on. You should mop up the excess sealer and level the surface of the floor with a soft cloth.

Step Five: Seat and Watch

In this step, you need to wait for 48 hours and let the sealer dry. To get the best results, it is advised to avoid walking on the sealed travertine floors before they are completely dried. To test the validity of the process that you went through, you just need to scatter a few drops of water on the floor. If the process is done properly, the water drops will shape small beads. After 48 hours, you can use the room with ease in mind that the sealed travertines won't get harmed.

 

Types of travertine sealers

You can choose a suitable sealer for your travertine tiles, from the three main types of products to seal travertine:

1. Enhancing stone sealers

2. Impregnating sealers

3. Topical sealers (mostly used to have a glossy finished appearance)

You should keep in mind that the type of sealer that you choose, mostly depends on the look that you want to achieve with it.

The Enhancing stone sealers

The enhancing stone sealers are used to penetrate into travertine porous texture and protect the slab and tiles from staining or acid discoloration while enhancing and complementing its natural colors. These products are recommended if you want to seal travertine slab and tiles in older paver areas, they can refresh it appearance and bring out the vibrant colors in travertine texture.

The Impregnating sealers

Similar to enhancing sealers, the impregnating sealers fill the porous texture of travertine. But they can also deposit solid particles into the pores of stone. In the meantime, they prevent water, dirt, and oil from penetrating the surface of the tiles. Due to this products feature, It is advised to use the impregnating sealers for hardscaping. Impregnating sealers can seal travertine tiles to hold up for many years by resisting the moisture that causes mildew and weed growth.

The Topical glossy sealers

by applying the topical glossy sealers while you seal travertine tiles, it will enhance the appearance of the floor to and makes your travertine look modern. Also this type of sealers can prevent the color fading of the tile, even if they are directly exposed to sunlight.

Hunters Pavers have been a paver, blocks and retaining wall supplier in Australia for a long time. Here we always try to provide the information and content that you need to know about various types of natural stone, or as in this article "how to seal travertine tiles?". If you have any more question regarding to our travertine products or how to seal them, contact us. our professional experts will help you in any way they can.