Kemper York Company: Sealing Questions

Important Sealing Questions

Do I want a penetrating sealer or film coating? This is the sealing question that anyone asks who wishes to protect their investment in a tile, stone or other masonary surface. To determine the answer to this question, additional preliminary questions need to be asked.

Is the surface to be sealed interior or exterior? If the surfaces is exterior, what are the expected high and low temperatures? Will the surface be exposed to water? If so, how much and for how long?
What are the sources of potential staining? Are they apt to be water soluable stains or oil soluable? Are they room temperature stains or hot temperature, like grease splatters. Will the stains be alkalinic (residues form cleaning products) or acidic (coffee, juices, wines) or both?
What are the aesthetic considerations? Should the surfaces be reflective i.e. have a sheen ranging from high gloss to matte? Or should the surface retain it's natural out-of-the-box appearance?
What level of maintenance is desired? Think in terms of a scale of one to five with one being able to clean with soap and water and five requiring re-applying the sealer weekly.

Answers to these questions will allow the Kemper York Company to select the best products and application processes, and whether to seal with penetrating sealers or film coatings. Remember, sealers are designed to provide a "window of opportunity" to clean up potential stains before they become a problem.