Shower tile sealer

[SH140]

Just finished the walk-in shower tiling. It has 2"x2" rough-finish porcelain tile on floor, 12"x12" on walls. 2 days I sealed it with "Dupont ?" product. Yesterday after installing and testing the valve & shower head, I noticed that the water beaded-up on the walls, (almost like the walls were "sticky"). The water on the floor acted kinda similar. It wanted to form small puddles, and they were mostly still there the next morning. This is my first shower with tile on the floor, so I'm not exactly sure what to expect, but would have thought after 10 hours the floor would be dry.

Could this be a problem with the sealer? After application, does it need to dry for more than 24-48 hours to be effective?
Is there any kind of "wax" I could apply to make tile less "sticky" to allow water to run-off better?

Appreciate any help on this matter.

 

[thomasWshea]

Sounds like you applied the sealer as directed. I would say beading is good. The evaporation has more to do with how humid the air is. As long as it's sealed properly, it should be fine. Not sure about waxing, it sounds like an idea, but I would go into a tile store and ask someone there. They may know of a better way, or recommend a specific wax. I heard lemon oil prevents soap scum build up, the soap scum holds the water. Maybe a wax would have the same effect.

 

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[Jadnashua]

All of the sealers I've dealt with (and I admit, that's not a huge variety) tell you to let the sealer sit for a specified time, then buff off the excess that did not soak in. SOme also want you to repeat. Some tile, most porcelains, will not absorb any sealer at all, and it's a waste, but sometimes just easier to cover the entire area to get it on the grout which usually does benefit from the sealer.

If it is sticky, it sounds like you did not buff off the excess after the specified time. Sometimes, the only easy way to get that off easily is to dampen a rough cloth with some sealer and buff, then switch to a clean towel to finish off. The sealer will act like a solvent for the dried stuff on the tile.

The sealant might cause some beading, but its primary purpose is to help prevent stains from penetrating...not to seal out water. Glazed tile and unpolished porcelain tile generally do not benefit from a sealer. The act of polishing a porcelain tile opens up some pores in the surface, and most call for sealing them .

 

[SH140]

It's been a few more days since last post, and last night I took the first shower. This morning the floor was dry. So maybe it just takes more than a couple days for sealant to dry and work properly. It seems that all is well now. Thanks for the input.

 

[RCraig]

Another thought to put into the mix - perhaps it would help to have some kind of exhaust fan/vent to remove excess moisture from the room.