Most weeks I receive calls from people asking how to remove a sealer residue. Sealer residues occur when an impregnating sealer is incorrectly applied. Impregnating sealers (or penetrating sealers as they are sometimes known) are intended to be in or below the surface of the stone rather than ‘on’ it. So, the correct application involves applying the sealer to the surface, allowing a short time for penetration (this might be around 5 minutes, depending on both the sealer being used and the material being sealed) then any surplus sealer, remaining on the surface should be removed with something absorbent, ideally a white paper or cotton towel.All too often though, for various reasons this cleaning away of surplus, whilst still wet, does not take place. Reasons include not reading the instructions and my favourite: “I’ve been using sealers for years, always done it like this and never had a problem.”
A sealer residue can appear in a number of ways: as a dry, white powdery deposit; streaky marks or shiny spots; with some sealers, the residue can take the form of a wet or greasy coating. There are a number of ways in which the problem might be rectified, depending on the circumstances.
For example, if a solvent sealer was used, it is sometimes possible to use a little more of the actual sealer, the solvent carrier-fluid it contains can sometimes re-dissolve the residue allowing it to be wiped away with an absorbent cloth.
For other residues, we would recommend the use of a micro-abrasive cleaner like Microscrub. First apply a little water to the affected area, and then add a little Microscrub and scrub. Rinse well and dry down with paper towels. For really stubborn or thick residues that have been left for some time, a stripper may be required. In such situations, we would recommend a solvent based sealer stripper or remover, such as Strip_it applied neat and left on for a minimum of 30 minutes before scrubbing with a white nylon pad.
Apart from the last remedy (using a stripper) the others should not result in the need to re-apply more sealer afterwards. So, it need not be the end of the world if a sealer residue is left on the surface, but it is of course better to avoid the problem altogether, by applying the sealer correctly in the first place.
Copyright Ian Taylor and The Tile and Stone Blog.co.uk, 2013. See copyright notice above.
Ok, did not mean to alarm you but chipping and cracking are not normally anything to do with a non breathable sealer. If a sealer stopped the stone from breathing – (which means it did not allow moisture vapour to pass through the stone) then other things can happen; pressure can build up behind the sealer which can cause blistering or spalling (flakes of the stone surface coming off) and you can get mineral staining where soluble minerals are carried in the water to the surface where they are trapped and are deposited.
However you described the issues as chipping and cracking. Chipping is normally as a result of impact as I mentioned, or it can be where two edges rub together if there is any flexing in the sub floor.
Cracking is almost always due to movement in the subfloor
I see the words ‘Deck’ and ‘2000 sq ft’ – so it is a large area and if it is laid on a timber frame, or over dirt, or anything other than a properly constructed concrete base, then there exists the potential for movement (you said some tiles had ‘sunk’ it really sounds like you have a subfloor that is not properly prepared for stone). If the subfloor moves – however slightly then this can cause the relatively inflexible stone to crack, and it will always crack along its weakest point which often manifests itself as cracks along veins in the stone etc.
it is hard to advise better with out any more detailed information – but investigate potential movement in the base as a starting point
Chips and hollows can be filled with resins and fillers, ask any stone pro (it is very often done on travertine floors) Cracks however, if they are all they way through (and you may not have realized that they are) cannot really be fixed, you either hope they don’t get any worse or change out the worst ones.
Hope this helps
Ian
Thanks Ian – i will look into that product.
I have also head paint thinners is also a solution. What are your thoughts on that – would it damage the tile?
I could test it on a small error.
Hi Jason,
A paint thinner will be a solvent – just like a stripper, it might work b ut it might be overkill and it might have an effect on the resin that is between all the marble pieces in your conglomerate.
hope this helps
Ian
Thank you so much again for your input. Let me go back and say that there is ‘spalling or flaking’ on some pierced and and the installed has agreed to replace them. So no chipping, I may have used the wrong wording. As far as the cracking, there is plenty veining and only time will tell.
They did manage to take off the sealer, although I see some sealer in various spots and in various lights. We are planning to reset the sinking pavers and resand the deck and hopefully that will remedy the sinking situation.
Now I am wondering if I can go ahead and put on the proper sealer even though there is some (albeit very small patches) sealer left on. Do you think it will be harmful to pavers or shall I have them remove every bit of it? One more thing, the installers want to wait couple of weeks to put the new sealer on but I don’t want the pavers to stain, do you think it will ok if we waited? Please advise again. Thank you.
Hi, no problem.
OK you have some spalling that suggest there is some trapped or rising moisture but this is made worse by the sealer not allowing the moisture out. You say they are being replaced and the deck re-sanded – so it is on dirt? not concrete? Sorry I am still not clear on your construction, but it still sounds to me like you have no ‘solid’ base beneath them and so the tiles are laid like pavers over dirt, maybe compacted well, but this means there is room for movement and also there is no likelihood of a damp proof membrane beneath so there may always be an issue of rising moisture.
I would take off any remaining sealer you can see – if you can see it, they should be able to remove it. You may as well start with as even a surface as you can.
As for waiting to reseal – why? – I agree with your concern, how do you keep it clean in the mean time, unless they are concerned about the amount of moisture still in the system, or that their repairs will put more moisture back in? But even so, a few days should suffice and if you choose an impregnator that is of premium quality, it should be breathable. You/they can hire a moisture metre and actually measure the moisture coming out of the floor, if it is in the green zone ( some moisture metres have a traffic light system, green, amber and red) then you should be fine.
Hope this helps
Ian
Good Morning Mr. Ian,
Yes the pavers are installed on sand. I am not so much concerned with the sinking at this point as I am with the spalling or flaking of the stone. I think by resanding the deck, the pavers will get more set. I really appreciate all of your input and you have been so helpful. Hopefully by removing the sealer and putting the new sealer on, major concerns will be solved. Will keep you posted as the job is complete. The installers have not been too keen on removing the topical sealer as they continually insist that the right sealer was applied. I guess no one wants to admit their mistakes.
I will look into the sealer your mentioned in your initial email from mepei. Thank you again for being extremly helpful and for so much of your time.
Hi Ian, I have a patio made of Techo-Bloc Aberdeen slab pavers that are multi-color (brown, azzuro, beige). I recently had someone seal it using Thompson`s Clear Multi-Surface Waterproofer. The results in one application has left the pavers untouched looking in different area`s with a darker look with the multi colors in other spots. Other than that the whole area has a sweeping mark appearance throughout. Could you please tell me what caused this and what can be done to correct it.
Hi Joe, it is hard to say to be honest. It could be that more than one coat is required if the slabs have varying porosity and that a more even look will be achieved once the different parts are all filed up equally, i.e the sealer reaches the surface. however I think this unlikely as it is more common with coating sealers, as far as I no the sealer you mention is an impregnating sealer and should not build up in that way.
It could be poor application, using a brush but not applying an even amount, applying too little in areas and too much in others, and leaving residues to dry on the surface, this can be as s result of letting it pool and then not doing anything, just allowing it to dry.
It may improve with further applications but I would suggest a quick call to Thomson’s tech services department, they may no exactly what has gone wrong and may recommend a product [of their own] to remove it and start again
hope this helps
Ian
Hi, I live in the US and came across this wonderful blog. I just applied a sealer and enhancer (product is Tilelab sealer & enhancer in case anyone is interested) on about 100 sq ft of Indian slate. After finishing, I just hated the dark and dull look. What are my options to remove it?
I read that the enhancer is topical. Can it come off easily.
I called the company and they recommended the Aqua Mix sealer and coating remover.
Please help!
Hi, I don’t know that particular enhancer but I do know the company, Tile lab and Aqua Mix are both owned by the same folks and Sealer and Coating Remover is an excellent product, if they say it will work i would think it should be fine.
Hope this helps
Ian
Ian, we have just had a large area of limestone laid in a kitchen/living area and we are left with large smears and streaks. The products used were Filafob stain protector (solvent based) and then Filafob wax. As we were not present at the time of application we are not sure if the streaks are due to excess protector, or the wax, or both. it is evident that the tilers have left grout and dirt on the surface before sealing. The sealing took place about a month ago. Have you had experience of this product and how would you suggest we resolve it please. thanks Tom,
Hi Tom, OK, well the fact that there are still grout residues beneath both the sealer and the wax means that you are going to have to strip both anyway. Best way forward would be to contact Fila (as their products were used) and ask for their recommendation to strip both the Filafob and the wax, but it will be some kind of solvent stripper I guess. After that you could use my Microscrub to remove the grout smears – I sell it on amazon, (microscrub by all for stone) I am not linking to it as the links seem to upset google, but you will find it easy enough.
Once you have it cleaned you can re-apply the two Fila products, if that is the look you want, I suggest you do it yourself, following their instructions rather than trusting the Tiler again.
Hope this helps
Ian
Ian
I just had 900 square feet Portland Wordstock porcelain tile installed. They used 511 Impregnator sealer by Miracle. It has left a hazy look on the tile what can I do or use to remove this from the tile. Thanks for any help you can give me.
I installed 4 inch tumbled travertine tiles on my bathroom vanity about six years ago. The last time that I resealed them the sealer turn them a yellowish color. I am so upset that it did this. This was not old sealer it was a different brand than I usually use.is there any way of taking them back to their natural color?
Hi Rhonda,
OK, it sounds like sealer residue. If you have any of the 511 left, try dabbing a small amount with a cotton wool pad or similar, of the sealer over an small part of the tile where the problem exists. Rub for a few seconds to a minute. Then, BEFORE IT IS ALLOWED TO DRY remove the liquid with an absorbent cloth or paper towel. Buff it dry with more paper towels.
The reason this may remove the haze is that the sealer is dispersed in a solvent, and often times that same solvent can be used to remove the surplus, the key is buffing it dry to remove any still wet material before it is allowed to dry – (which may be what caused the haze in the first place).
If it works you have a couple of options, either use this method, which will require more sealer, or use a similar solvent or sealer stripper (you could call Miracle’s tech support and ask for the stripper they recommend). If you use a stripper then you will most likely have to top up the sealer again afterwards in any case.
The other way would be to try an abrasive cream cleaner such as Aqua Mix nanoscrub or Mapei Ultra care Abrasive Surface Cleaner – I think Miracle have one two but I don’t know it’s name. These types of cleaner will simply and safely abrade any the surface residue without removing any sealer from within – if they work that is, but worth a try.
Hope this helps
Ian
Hi Sue, the only chance you have is to attempt to remove the sealer- you have not said what sealer it was so i cannot begin to guess how easy this may or may not be.
But, it does sound like the sealer itself has coloured the stone so you need to remove it. My suggestion would be to contact the manufacturers of the sealer you used, they should have a tech support department. They should also be the best people to tell you what solvent to use to strip it off the tiles, they may even have a proprietary product that they make themselves.
However depending on the sealer, you may be able to remove it all, 100% , partially (but even that may be enough to restore the colour) or, sadly not at all, esp if it was a colour-enhancing sealer that is designed to darken and enhance
Good luck
Ian
Hi Ian
I have recently tried to seal a new Indian slate patio using Aqua Mix Seal and Finish low sheen. I think I may have put too much sealer on and not cleaned up the residue as I was left with a mottled effect (see pic 1). I have then tried to strip this back using Aqua Mix Sealer and Coating remover. This has made it much worse (pic 2) and I am left with a much more widespread residue. I have applied more remover and it it a little better but after rinsing it just seems to leave thsi white residue. Can you give me any help as to how to get my slate back to how it should look.
Hi Craig
OK, first of all as it is a topical sealer you do not have to remove it before it dries, it is meant to dry on the surface. However you can leave too much on and if it pools then you can have sticky patches etc. The other thing that can happen with that product is if it is damp, while the sealer is curing, it can affect the look of the sealer it can go whitish and mottled.
It is a thick and fairly tough product and stripping takes more than one go. What has happened is this: the remover has begun to break down and remove the sealer from the surface, but it will not do it all in one go. Instead it kind of attacks the sealer in layers, initially it will kill the shine and remove some of the sealer, but this means it can often look worse as you are now leaving behind damaged and not fully removed sealer – so it has turned more of it white and dull.
The answer is to keep going, it may take a few more attempts, the thicker the residue, or the more coats you applied the more attempts it will take to remove it.
Couple of tricks to try though:
First make sure you leave the remover on long enough, the longer the better, up to an hour (as long as it does not dry, just keep adding more to keep it wet.)
Second, get some really hot tap water (not boiling) and ADD this to the Remover that is on the floor AFTER it has had a minimum of 30 minutes to 1 hour scrub it around a little then leave a bit longer
Scrub hard and remove the liquid. Rinse again with clean fresh water, with a little bit of soapy detergent added this to remove the remover and any dissolved sealer that is now floating in suspension
Scrub and rinse again
Hope this helps
Ian
Hi Ian,
I stupidly sprayed cilit bang power cleaner grime and lime onto my slate tiles and now it has left it with a white discolouration. What can I do to remove this? It’s a real eye sore and I dont know what to do.
Thanks
Sophie
Hi Sophie,
OK, well the main issue with that product is the acidic compounds it contains. This is usually a problem acid sensitive surfaces like polished marble and limestone for example (and to be fair they do no w warn people not to use it on acid sensitive surfaces). However you have a white mark on slate, this may not be so straight forward.
I may need some more information from you; for example what type of slate is it you have? Many high grade slates (Like Welsh) are not generally sensitive to acids, but others such s some of the multi-coloured varieties from Africa, India and China can have some components or minerals that are affected. However this often just means that the acid can remove some of the iron/rusty based coloration -0 dulling the slate a little.
So I am wondering if in your case, the cleaner has not so much affected the slate itself, but something that was on the slate.
As I say typically the issue is with acids attacking something that is sensitive to acids. If your slate had a grout haze or residue left on the surface that was barely noticeable, then it is possible that this cleaner has now etched (damaged) and partially removed the residue – so it has kind of part-cleaned something that should not be there anyway but as most modern grout contains other things like polymers acids alone may not fully strip them. If this is the case then you may need to investigate cleaning all the slate with a combination of acidic and solvent cleaners, and or abrasive cleaners to remove any more residue that is left, if I am right then your slate surface would hopefully be in tack beneath this.
The other possibility is that there is some kind of sealer or coating that has been applied to the slate and it is this coating that the cleaner has damaged. Stripping back the affected area and resealing would hopefully fix this.
I am sorry I cannot be 100% sure on this but there are too many variable. Do you have any photographs? If you send me a message via the contact page I can reply by email and you could send me a pic that way.
Hope this helps
Ian
Hi
I’ve sealed my limestone patio after sweeping it down twice and useing a leaf blower to remove any dust left behind when it was all dry. The following day when it was all dry from the application I’ve noticed some dust from the limestone has been sealed in. I have enough sealent left to give another coat, would a second coat break down the first coat enough for me to wipe the dust out there for fixing the problem? Your input would be great fully receive.
Kind regards
Shaun
Hi Shaun, I guess it might, all depends on the sealant, is it solvent based? – if so it might just break down the first coat as you suggest.
But to be honest unless you have used a coating sealer (one that leaves a surface coat over the stone) – which I would think unlikely on limestone, then with an impregnating sealer it will not really have sealed it in. If this is the case just try rubbing the dust away with a mild abrasive white pad then just dab a little sealer back over the area as a top up.
Hope this helps
Ian
Hi,we have had a Sandstone patio laid and upon kicking up all kinds of dust and dirt for months I asked the company what they could do to prevent this to which they suggested they seal it. Since it has been sealed it looks wet and awful all the time to the point people ask if it’s rained even when it’s dry! We have tried a Patio sealant remover but to no avail and now we are in dispute with the company for putting this down, I have photos, etc but not sure if there is anyone independent that could look at the patio and see why it looks like it does and if there is anything we can do? Thanks
Hi Andrew,
OK, there is in my experience a split between the outside patio and drive way sealer suppliers and the internal, commercial/domestic tile and stone flooring sectors.
By this I mean that most of the companies in ‘my’ industry (tile and stone) tend to focus on what we call impregnating sealers, sealers that offer stain protection without necessarily altering the look of the stone, indeed many are designed so that they appear almost invisible so as to leave a sealed, but ‘natural’ look. We do have sealers that are designed for enhancing the look as well, but these are used in particular circumstances, where the customer wants that look. We also have coating sealers that lie on the surface and provide a degree of shine, and what can be called by some a bit of a wet look – again, we only use these where they are desired, or in some cases where they would offer better protection than an impregnator. However due to their tendency to wear off quickly they are not often used outside.
The driveway specialists however have tend to use resinous sealers that leave a coating and wet look – and many people seem to like them on that type of surface. It may also be that this type of resinous coating sealer can also offer ‘some’ help in terms of preventing the surface dusting (most impregnating sealers have no adhesive properties, they are not designed to stick loose particles together, neither I suspect are the coating sealers but by their very nature they will, to a limited extent at least, coat and seal in any loose surface dust that may remain after a good clean).
I think that patios have always been more the domain of the Driveway/paver people but since the relatively recent adoption of more and more natural stones as a patio material has become popular in the UK, there is now a real crossover in terms of who lays them, and therefore who’s wisdom you receive at the time.
My guess is that you have had a sealer applied by tradesmen more familiar with driveways and have opted for a thicker, more resinous type of coating sealer which will leave a semi glossy coating and darken the stone, creating the plasticky looking wet look that you describe.
The problem is they can be tough to remove. In fairness to the contractor (and I do not know the circumstances here) they have probably done what they felt best addressed your main concern, that of dusting. However most competent trades in this area would be wise enough to conduct a small test, by sealing a small off cut so as to demonstrate, and seek your approval or rejection of the finished look and results, had they done this then you would have been able to see for yourself and most likely would have rejected it as an option. In fact, had it been me I would have insisted. If they have just taken it upon themselves go ahead and use this without making you fully aware of the change it would make to the appearance then that would seem foolish to me.
Legally I am not sure where you stand and as I am not a lawyer I am not sure what you advise you. Regarding removal, the first thing I would try is to contact the manufacturers of the the sealer that was used for their recommendation. They may have something stronger to suggest than an off the shelf product.
Failing that I could put you in touch with an independent consultant with good knowledge and experience who is considerably closer to you than I am. If you want me to do this please contact me via the contact us page and send me a message.
hope that helps
Ian
Hi Ian.
I have a large, raised patio area, suspended on concrete block and beam. Below is a large storage/workroom. The patio was constructed over 20 years ago by previous owner, a builder, and is well constructed. The pavers themselves, (look like a Marshall Heritage Calder type of pressed concrete), are set on top of the blocks with 5 ‘dabs’ of mortar, 1 in each corner and 1 in middle.
I have previously applied sealant, with Advanced Sealing Solutions ‘Adseal Trade’, and the time has come to reseal. My problem is 2 fold, firstly there is inevitable water ingress below, which is temporarily removed for a season or so after sealant is applied. Secondly the old sealer residue is very unsightly, I have tried hi-pressure washer but this leaves striping and does not remove all residue.
What I would like to do is remove all this old residue and then apply something that will hopefully eliminate all water ingress for a longer or even semi permanent basis. If this is a resinous ‘wet-look’ sealer then so be it, as I value a dry storeroom. However if you can suggest anything else I would be most grateful.
Many thanks
Hi George,
You might be asking for the impossible here. First of all, it is not clear to me if the pavers are jointed with anything? If so how water tight is the joint? I do not know the range of product you mention, I can get a rough idea about them from their web site but I do not believe they are intended to be used as after the fact water-proofers – not many sealers are. Most, indeed all the sealers of this type that I know of are intended for reducing water ingress into the stone/paver a bit, but mainly to prevent or help prevent staining.
Waterproofing of your situation, particularly with the potential for water ingress at the joint but also with the 5-spot installation technique, is sadly doomed I am afraid – I know of no topical sealer that will act as a complete water proofer to prevent water getting into and through your installation (sure a fresh coat of sealer will help repel some of the water, for a bit).
The only way that I know of to achieve a 100% water-tight system would be to have installed a tanking membrane under the slabs (on top of the concrete block n beam) then to have properly laid the slabs in a full coverage bed, and even with that also the incorporation of some kind of drainage system to direct any water getting through the slab and hitting the membrane to a drain outlet (Schluter system s have one I believe). But to try to water proof it now, is very much a sticking plaster approach I am afraid.
To remove the sealer residue you are most likely going to need a solvent based stripper (I would contact the sealer manufacturer as I think they have one – ask them if there are any issues with it pulling pigment from your pavers though)
Hope that helps
Ian
Hi Ian
Thanks for prompt reply.
Forgot to mention the fact they are mortar joints.
Is there any point to a resin sealer, or will I still end up with the same problems?
If not, it sounds as though starting again is my best bet.
Cheers
George
Hi George,
OK, from what I can see on their web site, the sealer you used has ‘high resin solid content’ – I would not get too hung up on the word resin – it usually only denotes that the sealer uses a particular type of polymer as the sealer – they are often thicker, higher solids and coat a little more densely for porous situations – but they will not form an impenetrable skin that can hold out 100% water for a prolonged time and still maintain a reasonable look tot he pavers indeed if they claim to be breathable at all (which they should be) then they cannot be water proofers. Unless you want to forgo the look of the patio – by covering it completely with some kind of polymer-skin flat-roofing product, you will only be able to seal the pavers from a stain prevention point of view, not a water proofing one.
Sorry this is not what you want to hear. If you do go down teh route of taking them up and relaying them, have a look at this page for some installation ideas: http://www.schluter.co.uk/balcony-finishing-profiles.aspx
Just with tiles, and other surfaces, the surface ‘finish’ (in your case the concrete flagstones) should not be relied upon for any waterproofing, this should be designed into the substructure.
Hope this helps
Ian
Hi Ian
Many thanks for your time.
I think the best solution is to ‘bite the bullet’ and start again from the sub-structure up. Thanks for the link I will try to incorporate something like this.
George
Hi Ian,
I sealed my light grey granite patio last night. However, it has dried very patchy and streaky. Dark in some areas and light in others? Does this sound like residue? I used LTP Mattstone H20 applying it with a paint brush and gently wiping over the tile after 15 minutes with a cloth.
Shall I apply another coat or do you have any advice how I can get the colour even?
Thanks,
Mark
Hi Mark.
OK, so it was light to begin with and now it is dark in places, are the ‘light’ patches looking just as it did before sealing or are they in fact lighter? Is there a kind of dull, matt finish on the lighter patches?
There are a few too many unknowns here but, some granites, particularly lighter ones, are often from China for cost reasons and while there is nothing wrong with them per se, they can be very porous. This means that when the are wet they absorb a lot and go very dark. It also means that it can take a lot of sealer to cope with all that porosity
You did this last night – I am going to suggest that the darker parts may simply not be fully dry yet and would be inclined to leave them a little longer. Perhaps the porosity of the stone is variable (so some of them have dried much faster), or the substructure beneath has varying porosity and in areas is holding moisture for much longer.
I would not expect a water based impregnator to darken the stone apart from while it is still wet, it should lighten again as the moisture leaves – but outside in mixed UK weather that can take a little while, especially if there was a ‘reservoir’ of moisture in certain parts of the sub floor.
Try a water drop test today – put some water (just clean water) on both a light and dark area – see if what happens is the same, do the light areas darken (as they absorb water)? or do they repel it and only the darker areas take the water in. If so then it may simply be that the darker areas require a little more – (but you would apply evenly another coat all over).
If you have any photos you could email me (contact me first by the contact us page and I will reply with an email address) then it may help me see a little better
hope this helps
Ian
Hi
I had a patio laid in Indian quartzitic sandstone a few months ago. It was sealed within days with Pavetuf invisible sealant (inpregnating) to prevent seagull staining as it is in a coastal location. It looked ok at first with the slabs a light grey and largely uniform colour. Now the patio has light and dark patches all over it with individual slabs having dark blobs as if the mortar bed beneath is causing the stains along with white residue from effloressence. Other slabs are either mostly dark or mostly light. When wet, the patio reverts to a uniform colour and looks fabulous. I remember that although the amount of sealant was applied at the application rate recommended, it pooled on the surface but dried quickly. What do you think is the cause and can you suggest a remedy. Any assistance would be much appreciated.
Lynn
Hi Lynn,
OK, first of all sandstone is hard to seal, it is so porous that it can take a lot.
If it pooled but dried – I am a bit confused – if it is an impregnator then you should not really allow it to pool, so you could have got residue let however, as it wets out easy when ti rains, it sounds like it could maybe do with more sealer.
The staining could be mineral leaching from below, or moisture and / or efflorescence with no way out, if the sealer is not a breathable one.
There are few things that don’t seem right here, I would contact the tech services dept. of the sealer company in question and see if they can offer any advice.
Hope that helps
Ian
Hi there,
I recently sealed my tile backsplash with a product called 511 seal and enhance. I accidentally spilled some on my new granite counter and it has dried on the surface. How can I get the sealer off?
Hi
Andrea, apologies for the late replay.
I think in this case, it may be best to ask Miracle for their suggestion- they have a tech support line I think. If your counter top was previously sealed then this will have helped prevent this new sealer from getting in. If it was unsealed then you may have a harder time removing it
Hope this helps
Ian
Hi Ian
I have been asked to strip a quarry tile of a service repair dealership. This is a high traffic area. Tire marks, armor all stains, oil stains and much more from cars being service.
I inspected the area and all tile is very sticky. I went and stripped allyhe tile. At the end of the project all the tile was looking amazing. The owner called me and was very impressed. Four hours later he calls me again to let me know that all stains were coming back. I went back to the dealership and all tile looked like nobody had ever clean this tile before, all the tiles had stains, and was very sticky.
I already tried strippers, solvents, and degreasers and nothing seems to work. The tile floor remains the same and I am already very frustated. Our company has spend alot of money on supplies, chemicals and labor and still can’t find a solution to this problem.
I would appreciate your help and advise without this problem.
Hi, I have seen this sort of thing a couple of times before, Some tiles, especially porous ones, that have been in this type of environment for many years, can absorb a lot of contamination, and may take several deep cleans before you finally (if that is possible) empty the ‘reservoirs’ of oil grease etc. Each clean takes some away, but then more ooses up from within – if this is happening then it should be finite, and not go on forever.
All I can suggest is keep trying the same test area, and see if after a few deep cleans, it improves. You may never get back to original quality though
Hope this helps
Ian
Hi, a week ago, I put a sealer on my stone floor in my shower. The sealer still has not dried and is tacky to the touch. Must I remove it with thinner?
Hi,
If the sealer was a solvent based one, try using more of that first – use a bit more sealer on a rag or cloth often the solvent in the sealer is the best thing to remove it.
If it is not a solvent based product, try a white nylon pad and a tiny bit of water, failing that an alkaline solution, or even a stripper. If you have to use a stripper you may have to re apply the sealer afterwards
Hope this helps
Ian
Sir,
after jet washing and resanding my block paving using resiblock I find my blocks have turned a yellowish colour in parts , can you help.
Hi,
Not entirely sure but the Rsiblock is going to be a high solids sealer I think and so will sit quie high up in the surface of the stone, and thus sanding it will have poyically removed some of it – you may find that topping up the Resiblock will fix it – but I would consider calling their tech support first for advice.
Hope this helps
Ian
Can I get a stripper to remove acrylic block paving sealer please
HI, I think the best thing would be to contact the company who make the acrylic sealer, they are likely to have a suitable stripper and if not would be best placed to advise.
Hope this helps
Ian
Hi,
We have laid quartzite – natural stone – not manmade quartz material ( Golden Fantasy ) tiles and the installer applied too much of the Miracle 511 impregnator sealer. It shows sticky and streaky patches on the tiles all over. What can we do to remove the haze? When I wrote to Miracle, if we could remove the sealer, their answer was no, that particular sealer can not be stripped off.
So, wondering what can we do to just remove the haze?
Thanks
Hi, I am a bit surprised by their response to be honest, and their lack of willingness to help.
the first thing I would have tried would have been to use a little more of the same 511 product – using the solvent within it to see if it re-emulsifies the streaks – this often works well, then you just buff the surface of the stone dry – as it should have been done by the tile installer in the first place. This may still work but it might be too late now – worth a try though.
Failing that I do not believe their claim that it cannot be removed; it might be tricky. The streaks are just residue of sealer that has been left on the surface by not wiping away the surplus when the sealer was wet. You could try a micro abrasive cream cleaner – to see if the residue can be physically removed, (if that was possible then you would not be removing any sealer from within the stone). Failing that, you can try a solvent based stripper – this should help but it may also affect the sealer and require you to top that up/re seal after.
You appear to be in FL?- you could contact Mapei USA – based in Deerfield Beech – ask for their tech support folks (they are very good) and they have a range of tile care and maintenance products including the types of product I just mentioned
Hope this helps
Good Luck.
Ian
What is the best way to remove acrylic wet look sealer from block paving.
Hello,
We are renovating a home built in 1962 with lovely blue-ish slate tiles in the entry way. Unfortunately there is some kind of old shiny sealer on them which is actually starting to peel off in places and in other places has discolored to a kind of greenish yellow color. We are able to scrape it off a little at a time, and the peelings are a yellow color, but wonder if there is a better way. Any suggestions?
Hi, in my experience many acrylics can be removed with strong alkaline cleaners, or at least partially removed with them, or failing that with a solvent based stripper. With exterior areas it can be helpful to pre-wet the are first and avoid doing it on very warm days as the solvent will be drying out before it has done anything. Use of a scrubber machine if you ca get one will help I am sure. I would contact the manufacturers of the sealer and ask for their own recommendations, they may have their own preferred stripper.
Hi,
Sounds like a polyurethane/varnish type coating – it can go hard and brittle – some old linseed oil based products are similar. I would scrape as much of it off as you can, as long as you do not scratch the slate. After that you are going to need a strong solvent based stripper, you can try various paint strippers – even some of the not so nice varnish removers – do a couple of little tests and be prepared to have to do it in layers – i.e several applications, each removing a little at a time.
Hope this helps
Ian
Hi
I have terracotta pavers and sealed them with a product Crommelin pool paving sealer. I applied 2 coats, as per instructions, however, 2 days later, the pavers are really tacky to walk upon.
The sealer is a solvent based I believe.
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!