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Using a sealer on matte/frosted glass tile?

10 years ago

Has anyone used a sealer with a matte/frosted glass tile installation? (I posted a similar question over in Bathrooms a few days ago, but wanted to see if anyone here had other thoughts.)

I've chosen a 1" x 6" offset mosaic matte (frosted) glass tile for my kitchen backsplash (Ann Sacks Lucian). The color is a soft white.

The tile tearsheet says to "seal matte finish with a penetrating sealer before and after grouting" but it doesn't suggest a specific product. I contacted Ann Sacks, and they said they don't want to recommend a specific sealer "since they're not installers". But the installers I've spoken to have never sealed glass tile.

I wouldn't think you'd seal a glass tile like you would a stone tile (and in fact my search turned up at least one thread here about glass tile troubles caused by the installer using a sealer), but maybe the matte finish gives the sealer something to adhere to?

I'm not DIY-ing this, but at this point in my renovation I've learned the hard way that I should try to know as much as possible about the various options so I can make sure the contractor does things the way I want in the end.

Any thoughts? Have you installed a matte glass tile, and if so did you use a sealer or not?

Comments (4)

cyn
10 years ago
I can't imagine sealing glass- glass is pretty much sealed because it is glass. However, maybe call a tile shop and ask them.
msbubbaclees
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks Letsgomom, that's what I was thinking too. But, since the manufacturer specifically says to use a sealer, I'm conflicted. My tile guy has never sealed glass tile, but he hasn't installed this tile before, either. He's willing to do whatever I want, so I thought I'd see if anyone else had run across this.

At this point, I'm thinking I'll have him prep a sample board using a sealer (he uses Mapei for other types of tile), and see how it turns out. What else can we do?

I can't be the only one who's used frosted glass tile for a backsplash--still hoping someone else will chime in here!
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detroit_burb
10 years ago
i can see needing to seal porcelain tiles with a matte finish, but not glass. go higher up with the tile manufacturer and see if they were even referring to glass on the tear sheet.
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