Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
cat_mom

Best sealer for White Thassos (and another stone)?

cat_mom
14 years ago

This is actually for the bathrooms, but more traffic here, so....

We are going to be using a Thassos mosaic as a border over the tub and as a backsplash over the vanity. We'll also be using Thassos to trim out the niche and for the shelves in the niche. What is the best (and easiest to use) sealer for Thassos?

We'd used 511 Porous Plus for the guest bathroom a year or so ago on the listello border tile (a mix of travertine and marble strips) and travertine floor tiles (and I think the grout? Is it good for grout, too?). I didn't love using it; it left a tacky finish no matter how quickly I buffed off any excess. We want to be sure the Thassos is protected as best as it can be, so if 511 Porous Plus is the best sealer for that, I will certainly get that (although this time the tile guy can have the fun of applying it!).

We'll be using travertine tile in another bathroom: honed Coral Peach travertine for the floor, split-faced Amber trav mosaic as a border over the tub, and as a backsplash over the vanity. Is the 511 Porous Plus our best bet for those, or some other sealer?

Also, should we stick with the same sealer for all of the grout? The field tile in both bathroom tub areas will be ceramic (porcelain?), floor tile in the first bath will be porcelain--all with minimal grout lines (at least, that's the plan).

TIA!

Comments (39)

  • bill_vincent
    14 years ago

    Instead, try the 511 Impregnator..... for ALL of it, including the thassos.

  • cat_mom
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thanks Bill! I knew I could count on you! :-)

    Just out of curiosity, why that?

  • bill_vincent
    14 years ago

    The Porous Plus is made for extremely porous surfaces, such as some limestone, Saltillo tile, that sort of thing. The 511 Impregnator does exactly the same job at half the price, and it isn't made to plug up the larger pores on soft stones and tiles, so it'll get into the smaller pores instead of sitting on the surface and gumming it up.

    If, when you pour a liquid on the face of a tile, ceramic or stone, and it doesn't literally disappear before your eyes into the face of the tile, you don't need the Porous Plus.

  • rococogurl
    14 years ago

    With due respect to Bill, I'd take a look at the Akemi Nano. It disappears and does a super job. Simple to apply and wipe down. It dries in 30 mins. I used it over another sealer that wasn't sealing. About to do my whole backsplash (the sanded grout colors up when wet).

  • cat_mom
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thanks roc! I can check that one out, too. What do you mean about the sanded grout coloring up when wet--permanently?

  • bill_vincent
    14 years ago

    Yes, you can go over the Porous Plus with the Impregnator (I WAS going to say go over the PP with the impregnator and then thought better of it :-) )ANYWAY.... Not sure how that other sealer will react with the Porous Plus. Also as for the grout "coloring up", that just means you're using a breathable sealer, meaning moisture can transmit back and forth across the sealer, which is necessary, so that moisture doesn't become trapped inside the stone (or grout). Those that DON'T allow the grout to "color up" are not breathable sealers.

  • rococogurl
    14 years ago

    When water splashes on my grout (and there's very little of it) it goes dark. That goes away but oil or soap wouldn't.

    So I'm going to run the sealer over the backsplash. I also need to caulk (they didn't and the grout is shrinking a bit along the seam.) I'm quite sure they didn't seal it and the product they used to seal the marble (fabricator swore by it) was useless.

    Bill, I wish you'd try this Nano out. Think you'd be impressed. I used it in my shower after I refinished the seat, which had water stains, and it has made a huge difference.

  • rococogurl
    14 years ago

    Also, catmom, if you're in town you're always most welcome to come by and look at the finish.

  • cat_mom
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Oh Bill, too funny!

    So, Impregnator is your top choice. I know other guys (and gals!) on here like that one as well.

    Rococogurl, I'll have to read up on the Akemi Nano. I sent you a link via email--let me know if that's the correct product. Where do you get the stuff?

    I would love to come by sometime to see that--city place?

  • cat_mom
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Hye Bill, here's a technical instruction sheet link for the Akemi Nano product mentioned by rococogurl. Your thoughts? I'm still searching online to see if there are any reviews (if it would be any better/worse than 511 Impregnator). Both you and rococcgurl have given me great advice on so many things throughout my reno projects; I know neither of you will steer me wrong! :-)

    Do you think Mongo, Kevin or any of your other "stone/tile brothers" would have any experience with this stuff?

    Here is a link that might be useful: Akemi Stain Repellent Nano Effect

  • azstoneconsulting
    14 years ago

    I have not tried the Akemi Product, but would be willing to test it
    at my training school for Granite Fabricators - AZ School of Rock.
    Akemi has a really good reputation and history in our industry -
    so I would think that their product would work for what it's been designed.......

    I HAVE used Miracle Sealants - Porous Plus 511 and 511 Impregnator
    with outstanding success.

    I also have used the STT (Surface Treatment Technologies) "SB" and "FE"
    and would recommend EITHER Miracle's 511 products OR STT's Products.

    Once I have tried the Akemi "Nano" products - and see for myself that
    they work as claimed - I will add them to MY "list" of recommended products too.

    hth

    kevin

  • rococogurl
    14 years ago

    yes catmom, city. check your email.

    kevin, I can't ship you a sample as it's flammable. Here's my source. Would love to know what you pros think. A pro stone refinisher recommended it to me -- I was trying to order 511 or Bellanzoni and he steered me to this. Said it had amazing performance in his opinion. I was buying either way. I have a lot of stone in 2 places and this has solved a huge issue in my shower and my kitchen counters (Castle White Canadian marble) are doing well.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Akemi Nano

  • bill_vincent
    14 years ago

    catmom-- the part I wanted to see described sealing the tiles without closing the pores-- means it's a breathable sealer. I'd be willing to use it, barring any problems unforeseen that others may have had with it. Might ask over to John's site.

  • bill_vincent
    14 years ago

    One other thing to think about, though-- as I said above, I'll guarantee the two 511 sealers are compatible. You might want to call Akemi and ask them if their sealer would be okay over the Porous Plus, if that's the sealer you want to use. I agree with Kevin-- Akemi's been around a long long time, and I've got a good healthy respect for their product line.

  • cat_mom
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    You guys rock! We have a little time before the bathrooms are even ready for tiling (demo going on now--go DH!), so if either of you awesome stone/tile guys have a chance to use it before we need to seal, I'd love to get your input.

    My inclination would be to use either the 511 Impregnator OR the Akemi Nano (barring problems, as Bill mentioned). If we do use the Akemi Nano for the two newer bathrooms, I will certainly check if it can be used over the 511 PP (in the bathroom we reno'd a year or so ago).

    Bill-do I need to register on John Bridges in order to post? I've read some threads there, but have never posted.

    Roc, nothing in my email yet....

  • cat_mom
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    After all the time I've spent here (and being totally comfortable with the ins and outs of posting here), I've entered new territory, Bill! I hope I become at least 1/2 as proficient there as I am here!

  • bill_vincent
    14 years ago

    Aw heck-- We're an easy bunch to get along with! :-)

  • littlesmokie
    14 years ago

    cat mom, this is a helpful question for lots of us.

    May I ask everyone, is there an impregnating sealer with a high shine finish? In other words, can I hone the stone, seal it, and still have enjoy a similar look and feel to the polished marble I pine for?

    Also: how bad is the smell of these various sealers? I am sensitive to chemicals and am concerned about toxicity but obviously need something that works.

    Maybe a dumb question, but will all liquids bead up on these sealers? So basically, these products help to protect against stains like red wine as well as from acidic substances like lemon juice that cause the etching?

    I had planned to get a honed calacutta, but really really fell back in love with the look and feel of polished marble at the stone yard.

    Hope that wasn't too much of a hijack. Thanks!

    Dawn

  • bill_vincent
    14 years ago

    If you want to use a topical finish sealer, there's no NEED for e penetrating sealer. The stone is still protected. If you want something high gloss, look into Miracle's Mira-Gloss.

  • marcolo
    14 years ago

    So basically, these products help to protect against stains like red wine as well as from acidic substances like lemon juice that cause the etching?

    littlesmokie, marble etches. So, if you are prepared to wake up every morning, and watch the beautiful morning light cast a sparkling glow on the outline of a beer can that your husband put down for two minutes ten years ago, day after day after, day, then a polished marble countertop is for you.

    Sealers protect against staining. Nothing protects against etching.

  • cat_mom
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Luckily most of the Thassos that we will be using will be on the walls in the bathroom. They will be a mosaic (of circular tiles), trim pieces around the edges of the tub walls (instead of bullnose tile), and pieces framing the niche. With the exception of the niche, nothing will sit directly on the marble. The niche will pretty much be filled with bottles of "stuff" and soap all the time, so the etch marks will rarely if ever be on full display. Because the mosaic will be broken up by grout and varying tile sizes, it should camouflage some of the etching that is sure to occur from splashing or overspray of different toiletries or other products.

    I am really more concerned about protection from staining, yellowing, and mold/mildew (for the last thing, we'll be waterproofing the hardibacker with the Laticrete roll-on like we did in the shower the guest bathroom). I'd like to keep the Thassos as white as I can for the long-term.

  • rococogurl
    14 years ago

    catmom -- check your email again.

    Water beads up on the Akemi. Stuff that dries down -- coffee, food smudges etc wipes away. Do have some etching now but not much.

  • cat_mom
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Still trying to get more input about it vs the 511 Impregnator. Not many responders over at John Bridge yet, and the one guy is touting the STT SB stuff that Kevin had mentioned. Love your pic though!!!!

    PS I emailed you back.

  • cat_mom
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I hope it's ok to cut and paste from JB to here. This is what the gentleman over at JB said:

    I doubt you will find any mention of the STT line on GW. Try StoneAdvice.com . This product was initially designed for distribution to stone fabricators. I have been using their products since inception (a few years ago). When used as a comparison among other name brand sealers, it will outperform them. If you choose STT SB, we can get it to your front door.

    There are a lot of supporters for the Miracle line, I'm just not one of them.

    I'm sure the Akemi is an excellent product, but the directions leave no margin for error.

    In the past 30 years in business, I have used many products for tile & stone. There has never been any one product that has remained unchanged over the years. Currently, I'm on the band wagon for this line. Is there anything better out there? Maybe, but I haven't run into it yet.

    The plot thickens... (Bill, help me out!)

  • bill_vincent
    14 years ago

    I just went over and looked for your thread. I saw the one for 1x1's, but not this one. Got a link?

  • cat_mom
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Sure--I linked it below.

    It was moved to "Cleaning, restoration, and sealing" shortly after I'd posted it.

    Here is a link that might be useful: John Bridge thread

  • littlesmokie
    14 years ago

    Just wanted to say to Marcolo ("if you are prepared to wake up every morning, and watch the beautiful morning light cast a sparkling glow on the outline of a beer can that your husband put down for two minutes ten years ago, day after day after, day, then a polished marble countertop is for you.")

    LOL!!!

    I remember someone here saying that there is only one question you need to answer if you are considering marble countertops: if your stone gets a stain, is it ruined? If the answer is yes, then marble is not the right choice for you.

    I think I've read every marble related thread over the last few months & I still can't quite wrap my mind around how a stone that is properly/regularly sealed can still etch, but I'm glad for the clarification & will take your word for it.

    And hi again cat mom, sorry, hope I wasn't butting too badly into your conversation. It sounds like any of these sealers that have been recommended might work well for you, but I understand you are trying to find the "best." Good luck :)
    Dawn

  • cat_mom
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Bump for Bill.

    littlesmokie--heck, we all jump in all over the place! Not a problem at all. :-)

    Yeah, I guess I am searching for the "best." I really hated using SCI's sealer and 511 PP, so ease of use is factor. We'll hve the tile guy do the initial sealing, but it'll be on us to follow up every year thereafter. I also want to know that the stone is sealed as well as it can be against staining (I mean, I am really looking forward to soaking in my new tub while sipping from a glass of RED wine when the reno's are completed!!!).

    rococgurl has had great results with the Nano sealer, and she hasn't steered me wrong yet (with other things). I'd just like to get some more feedback about that vs. the other ones mentioned by Bill and Kevin before deciding.

  • niffy
    14 years ago

    Ok, I'm weighing in here because I actually have the STT SB sealer on all the countertops in our house. We are going to add the second part - the FE- to our marble island. We hadn't planned to initially, and I will say that everything we've thrown at it so far in just the SB state(with the below EXTREME exception) has come off easily, including a tomato "stain" on the counter that ultimately self destructed. We've had dried on spaghetti sauce on our backsplash that has wiped away with no trace.... Coffee on my coffee bar - no problem. The reason we are getting the FE is that we were traumatized before closing and after original sealing: our builder's cleaning crew took the burgundy felt covers off our Rohl faucets and must have left them sitting for hours or days in a puddle of water on the countertop. RED DYE leached from the "protective" covers that had been removed - and stained the bejeezus out of our new, unused, honed statuary island. Horrifying doesn't begin to cover it! If you wet one of those covers and wring it out, dark pink dye comes pouring out into the sink! No porous stone would have been unscathed with that sitting on it, unattended....

    John, (aka your advisor "doitright" over on JB forum), spent 4 days at our house restoring the tops. Stain is gone! Took a whole lot of chemicals (and even flames- don't ask!) but it looks perfect. A lesser human would've given up that first day, but lucky for us, he became obsessed with removing those stains completely. So- we are adding the FE because we were so stressed by the experience, but without the SB already in place, we all think we'd have been totally S.O.L. John has rags he uses to apply it that have been repeatedly washed - you can't GET them wet with water - everything beads up on them! And after the intensive stain removal we've been through with him, I value his opinions on all things stone more than ever. We had really debated about whether to spend a lot of money on a sealer (STT products are expensive!!) but are very glad we did.

  • bill_vincent
    14 years ago

    I just posted on your thread. John's an old real time friend of mine- I haven't seen him on John's forum in quite a while, and I've referred to him quite a bit of work over the years. He's one of the best.

  • nycll
    10 years ago

    i am looking at a mosaic backsplash tile that is a combination of white thassos & glass. i assume i will need to seal it. is a sealer safe to use over glass as well as thassos? thx

  • cat_mom
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Try STT's SB Sealer. It'll do a great job on the White Thassos, and wipe off the glass tile easily. It is not only easy to use as well as strong, but has minimal if any odor.

  • PRO
    BeverlyFLADeziner
    10 years ago

    Decades ago I selected a Thassos vanity top for a client who wanted a pure white surface for his vanity. The top went in and it was pure white but after a few month I got a call telling me that rust spots had appeared all over the top.

    Evidently, hidden in the stone, were tiny iron deposits that were not apparent when the top was selected and fabricated. Once the client started splashing water all over the top, the iron deposits rusted and rose to the surface of the marble. The Thassos was removed.

    I'm not sure that anything applied can prevent that.

  • Vertise
    10 years ago

    catmom, did you use the STT SB on your grout? I also have the TEC XT and mapei grouts installed in some flooring. I looked at their site and do not see a product called SB. Is this version no longer available?

    That stuff is crazy expensive! A gallon running in the thousands? Does a little go a long way? I think I've usually purchased a quart, AquaMix Sealers Gold also recommended on JB, which runs about $40 but have no recollection of how much it took.

    I was surprised to read at the end, that there is still a short window for cleaning something up, like 10 minutes. That does not work when coming home to or discovering old pet puke!

    This post was edited by snookums2 on Sat, Dec 14, 13 at 17:39

  • Vertise
    10 years ago

    bump

    That's an amazing story and heads up Beverly. These stones certainly can be unpredictable! I doubt most people are aware.

  • cat_mom
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    The White Thassos in our bathrooms (niches in all three, tub surround trim in the MB) is still as white and shiny as it was when it was installed (2-3 years at this point).

    We had used STT's SB Sealer for the bathrooms, but it had been reformulated between the time we did our FR/guest bedroom/garage entry (travertine tile) I think I got STT Deluxe (replacement for SB). I can't go check right now, but can tomorrow if you need me to.

    A little does go a long way. I can try to find receipts to see how much and/or which size we ordered. Definitely no larger than the pint or qt size container(s).

    No stains on our grout (thin, thin grout lines, light color though). I think one of our cats puked up food or a hairball (or both!) shortly after the floor was grouted and sealed (we have large format tiles, and I think she still managed to puke on a grout line). Cleaned right up without staining. We have come across dried cat puke on that tile, and no stains have been left behind after cleaning it up, though there is sometimes faint etching on the stone (which sealing doesn't address)

    Here is a link that might be useful: STT Deluxe

  • Vertise
    10 years ago

    Thank you so much for the information! Especially about the dried puke. This is my primary concern, lol. With those results, I will have to look further into it. No need to check receipts, thanks.

    That TEC XT grout is great. Wish I'd gotten it for the other room but went with what the tile store recommended. Found out the Mapei is just the ordinary stuff they sell at the HD for half the price. Hoping it holds up well over the years.

  • cat_mom
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    We used the TEC XT grout in two of the bathrooms, the FR, guest bedroom, and garage entry. So, the puked-upon grout was TEC XT. :)