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natural stone tile backsplash?

15 years ago

I posted this question in the remodeling forum, also....We are in the planning stages of installing our tumbled stone tile backsplash. I would think it would important to seal these tiles to avoid grease stains, etc. I love the rugged look of the tiles, and I don't want to fill in the "holes" with grout. So. Should I seal the tiles before installation, and with what? And, how do I avoid getting grout in the holes? (these are 2" tiles with copper accent tiles) I am beginning to think natural stone may not be the best choice for a kitchen. Is quartz, or slate, a better option?

Thanks soooo much for any advice!

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Comments (4)

ccoombs1
15 years ago
I used tumbled travertine by Regio. They are high quality tiles with not nearly as many holes as the ones Home Depot sells. They are pre-sealed and somewhat glossy....and REALLY easy to wipe clean!! My original plan was to leave the holes unfilled. The only way to do that is to apply the grout REALLY carefully and avoid the holes. One the grout is in the holes, it's nearly impossible to get it back out. I planned to use a grout bag to accomplish this. But the more I though about it, I decided leaving the holes is a bad idea. Like Bill Vincent says....either fill them with grout or let "whatever" fill them....they WILL fill up. Dust, splattered food, etc will begin to fill those rough holes up in no time. I grouted them full and honestly....it looks wonderful. No regrets at all, and it is very easy to wipe clean if needed.
User
15 years ago
Oh yes, you definately need to fill those holes with grout! Because if you don't, it will be a complete mess. But what you may want to consider as an alternative is using a grout that has the color matched to your stone so the grout won't be seen as easily.
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You didn't say what type of stone your border is, and I'm not sure if it's in the bath area or on the floor, so I'll just tell you what we did, and show you a picture. Hopefully that will help you. I had read from the pros in the forum, that Miracle 511 worked well, so that's what we used. I bought the enhancer/sealer as well as just the sealer impregnator. I called the Miracle 511 customer service and was told we could enhance and then seal, but not seal and then enhance. So before grouting, we applied a coat of the sealer/enhancer and then grouted. Our tile guy did NOT clean the tiles thoroughly enought and grout got caught in the clefts, which he cleaned off, then we applied a 2nd coat of enhancer sealer and 2 or 3 coats of sealer impregnator after that in the shower. You can also find alot of additional information about the process by doing a search or posting your question at johnbridges.com. here is a picture of our enhanced stone:
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I don't think the backsplash will be an issue at all. Where are you putting it? At the sink? I would think if it is something that could go in a kitchen than it could go into the laundry room. More concerning is the laundry room on the 2nd floor. I have heard some that have had too much movement in their floors to successfully have washers upstairs, especially front loaders. Check the installation recommendations for your machine. Maybe someone else with more knowledge with machines can weigh in.
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Oh, seal it. Please. Maybe covering it with Plexi-glass. The other thing to keep in mind is that with the irregular face, dirt settles on the top edges of the protruding stone. My sponge just tore when trying to clean mine. I ended up using scrubbing bubbles every so often, which stunk, but worked well. For the record, it's a Fab.U.Lous way to get soot off the face of brick fire places, too. No pictures, but I wouldn't do anything that's got an irregular face, natural without sealing, or mortar or grout that will absorb tomato sauce. I don't fry, so I can only imagine the grease....
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Hi Gaylemh! It's always fun seeing the 'other' rope cabinets! :) I put in a marble subway backsplash and have been cleaning it with Rxock Doctor (Rx as in pharmacy???) Granite Cleaner and a paper towel. There was a LONG post on here where all the stone experts chimed in and basically said overall it's safest to clean all stone products with designated stone cleaners. I bought it at Wegmans and it reminds me of carpet shampoo. Same exact smell and white foaming bubbles. Keep wondering if I could use it on the sofa, or use the Woolite on the countertop?! :) Whatever it is, it appears to foam off grease without damaging the surface.
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bill_vincent
15 years ago
I saw your post, and Pete's answers. Although I didn'agree with what he was telling you, there are many who think the same way he does (concerning leaving the holes open) so I decided it'd be best not to answer and confuse you further.

But as long as you're still asking....! :-)

ccoombs already gave you my opinion. :-)
juleecat
Original Author
15 years ago
All of your advice sounds reasonable......the holes need to be filled in! Never thought about food and such filling up the holes for me! Ick. Ccoombs, may I ask where you found the Regio tiles? My local sources are few and far between.....thanks again!

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