Epoxy grout is incredibly durable, and it can stand up to a lot of wear and tear. It also has a lot of benefits over traditional tile grout.
But when it comes to sealing epoxy grout after installation, there are pros and cons for both methods: un-sealed or sealed.
Before you decide which option is right for your home, let’s look at what each one entails so you can make an informed decision!
Sealed vs. Unsealed Grout
Whether or not you should seal your grout depends on a few factors:
- The type of grout you used. Depending on the type of grout and sealer you use, it’s possible that sealing may not be necessary. For instance, some manufacturers say that their epoxy products are self-sealing and don’t require any additional treatment. Others recommend sealing with a clear silicone after installation.
- Whether or not your tile is porous—and therefore more likely to stain—or nonporous (like porcelain). If the tile is made from stone like granite or marble, it’s more likely to stain than ceramic tile. If this is the case for your home’s flooring material, then it may be worth sealing just in case stains start showing up down the road due to spills or other accidents in your home.
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Does Epoxy Grout Need to Be Sealed?
Epoxy grout is a versatile and durable material for floors and walls. It is resistant to stains, but it’s not immune. Because epoxy grout is a porous material, it can stain more easily than ceramic or porcelain tile.
Epoxy grout can be sealed with a penetrating sealer to improve its resistance against stains such as wine, oil, tobacco, and food oils (including tomato sauce).
Even if you don’t plan on using epoxy grout in your kitchen or bathroom areas where these types of staining might occur, consider sealing it anyway. This will ensure that the color of your floor remains vibrant over time.
How to Seal Epoxy Grout
To seal epoxy grout, you can use a sealer that is specifically designed for epoxy grout. You can also use a sealer that is designed for ceramic tile. You can also use a sealer that is designed for natural stone.
In addition to sealing epoxy grout, it’s important to understand what types of stains are common on these surfaces and how to treat them.
Pros of Unsealed Epoxy Grout
If you want to be able to clean your grout easily, then you should not seal it. The reason is that if you do seal it, then the grout will become harder and more difficult to clean.
You also may want to consider not sealing your epoxy grout if you want to change colors easily. This is because once it has been sealed, changing its color will be much harder.
You may also wish not to seal your epoxy grout if doing so would make it difficult for you or others in your household who have different coloring than yourself.”
Pros of Sealing Your Epoxy Grout
Sealing epoxy grout is a great way to keep the look of your new grout looking new. Epoxy is known for being stain resistant and easy to clean, but it still needs to be sealed in order to protect it from stains that might come from dirt, spills, or other things you can’t control.
Sealing will also help prevent mold and mildew from growing inside your grout lines if they are left unsealed. If there’s one thing I learned about tile when I was helping my father-in-law do some remodeling work on his house, it’s this: nothing grows better in dark spaces than mold!
Sealing will also help keep the dirt out of your grout lines so that they don’t get discolored over time.
The pros of sealing epoxy are many: no more stained and dirty-looking floors; no more unsightly black powder residue around edges where dust has accumulated; no more unsightly hazy film caused by humidity (if you live somewhere humid); no more dark spots under tables where water dripped down onto flooring when mopping up spills; etcetera…
Cons of Sealer on Epoxy Grout
If you’re going to seal your epoxy grout, you should know that it will make the surface slippery. This can be dangerous for people in a bathroom or kitchen who are on their feet all day. If a bath mat is available, it would be better than nothing at all.
Another drawback of sealing epoxy grout is that it will make the surface more difficult to clean. Dirt and soap scum will have a tendency to stick in those deep grooves, so you’ll have to use harsh cleaners or scrub harder than normal in order to get them out before they dry out and become permanent stains on your flooring.
whether or not you should seal your epoxy grout depends on you and your preferences.
Whether or not you should seal your epoxy grout depends on you and your preferences. If it’s important to keep your floors looking good, we recommend sealing them. Sealing will help keep the grout looking new for longer and also keep it clean.
This is because sealing creates a barrier that prevents stains from being absorbed into the surface of the grout itself. It also prevents mold growth within the joints of your flooring system.
Conclusion
Well, that’s all there is to it! If you’ve decided that you want to seal your epoxy grout, we recommend using a sealer that contains a light tint so that it blends into the color of your flooring and doesn’t look like a stark white line.
Remember not to use too much or else it will make the seams stick out more (which is what happened to us). Just remember: if at first you don’t succeed… try again!
