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Porches & Decks

While film on terra cotta tile

16 years ago

Hey all - a question... My terrace was resurfaced about 3 years ago by a contractor that did work on the outside of my apartment building. The new surface is terra cotta tile.

Starting this summer, the tiles in one section have developed a white film over them - and no matter how many times I wash the tiles, the film comes back. I don't understand what could be causing this - any ideas?

It almost seems like something is oozing out of the grout, because the grout won't stay clean either. It is only one part of the terrace - the lowest part near a drain, which prevents water from standing on the terrace when it rains.

Thanks in advance...

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Comments (3)

ron6519
16 years ago
Is this stuff liquid or solid? Is the grout chalky to the touch? Come off on your finger if you rub it?
It could be the cement material in the grout is breaking down. If this was unsealed terra cotta tile it will absorb this powdery residue when it gets wet.
The first thing you need to do is find out if the drain system is the cause. If the grout continues to deteriorate, the thinset can't be too far behind. Loose tiles will be next.
For the film on the tiles, they sell a product for grout cleanup. You might try that. As I remember it contains a mild acid, follow the directions carefully.
Ron
marcinde
16 years ago
It's not necessarily that your grout is deteriorating; it sounds like it may just be efflorescence, which terra cotta tile is horrible for.

Check with your local masonry supply yard to see what they recommend as an efflorence cleaner in that application, in your area.
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Lanzz
Original Author
16 years ago
hey guys, thanks. Some more info - the film is chalky on the tiles, and the underlying grout is solid. But - the grout seems to get almost a flaky coating on it that is very hard to scrape off, and when I do - it comes back just like the film on the tiles.

I tried two strengths of acidic tile cleaner from Home Depot (the limit of my expertise) and the film mostly came off, as did the crud on the grout, but it all came back as soon as the tiles got wet again.

Thanks for the thoughts so far - I appreciate your experience here.

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