Sealing Mexican Saltillo Tiles

by Mary Ann

QUESTION:

We have a house in Baja Mexico with Saltillo floor tiles through out.

The sealant that was used on the floor originally by the builder was Desert brand #2. It is not a good sealant.

We have scratches and stains, etc. After 3 years of use, we need to have the floor re-sealed and need to purchase the sealant in the states before we drive back down the Baja.

I do not plan on sanding the Saltillo tiles to get rid of stains or scratches...just wash them and vacuum and then reseal at this point.

Suggestions? Which brand of sealant should we use? Thank you for your help.

ANSWER

Saltillo tiles can look very nice, but they are more difficult to clean and maintain than most flooring options.

Saltillo tiles are soft, so they will scratch easy. I would not use a vacuum cleaner, since grit on the floor can get trapped by the wheels and/or the vacuum cleaner itself can easily scratch the tiles.

For sealing I recommend STONE SENTRY or these sealers.

Saltillo is pretty porous so it may take 2 or 3 coats to seal the surface well and you may need to re-seal more consistently... more frequently.

It's easy to determine when you should seal by testing the tiles with water.

Good Luck,
Ryan

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