Pool tile sealing - best products to use

[sapphirepool]

Hello,

Looking for suggestions for sealing ceramic pool tile at the waterline. I live in Arizona and the hard water here stains tile quickly after spending $400 to clean it. The tile is somewhat porous which makes the buildup even worse. Any thoughts? Thank you.

Damon

 

[JoyfulNoise]

I don’t seal my tile. I was told by many people that it makes no difference in terms of scale/water marks but there’s a very real chance of yellowing the tiles if the sealer is exposed to UV. My tiles are not glossy smooth but they’re not porous either.

For typical sealing applications, either DryTreat or DuPont products come highly recommended. You might check out their product lines and see what they have for tile sealing. For porous surfaces, a penetrating sealant that doesn’t leave a surface film behind would be best in our harsh Arizona sun. But do expect to have to spend a good deal of money on it as high quality sealants can run $60-$100 per gallon. And you will likely have to reseal every 18 months to 2 years depending on exposure.

 

[PoolguyinCT]

Sealants doesn’t actually “seal”

Moisture enters concrete walls from backside, soil exposure & obviously the interior wall.

In winter (Real winter climates) sealing prevents water vapor from leaving the grout / setting beds & tiles on the pool floor..