LIVING TERRACOTTA

Terracotta floor tiles, Handmade terracotta tiles

Sealing and Maintenance

 

Once your Terracotta tiles are laid you will need to seal them for extra protection from dirt and wear, If laying them externally a sealer can be supplied LTP Mattstone to impregnate the tile for protection against rain and frost, Remember the tiles naturally have a very high frost resistance so is not necessary but may benefit from added protection.

If laying the tiles indoors the level of sealer used will depend on the quality of sealer applied. 

Because Terracotta tiles are manufactured from natural clays, differences in colour can occur during the firing process. Terracotta tiles are not as highly fired as other floor tiles, and are considerably more porous, so take care to seal the tiles to reduce their natural absorption characteristics. There are three main reasons for sealing the tiles: 
  • To protect the brick from wear and tear
  • To reduce staining and maintenance
  • To give an aesthetic finish which will enhance the natural colour and beauty of the tile


We can supply products for the treatment and maintenance of all handmade terracotta

Using the products mentioned below follows the traditional method:

If you wish to darken the tile, Use our specialised Floor grade linseed oil, followed by the use of our LTP Beeswax available in shades, clear or antique. The wax can be buffed to a shine or coated with our Ironwax Gloss or Satin sealer to use as a wax protector.

Or use the products which are designed to keep the tiles as a more natural colour as possible, Apply LTP Stone oil then seal with the LTP Clear Beeswax. The wax can be buffed to a shine or coated with our Ironwax Gloss or Satin sealer to use as a wax protector. Using this method the tiles can be sealed more quickly and the high grade sealant lasts longer than most brands. The finish in both above methods is oil and grease resistant.

 

Method To Darken and seal

 
This traditional method of terracotta treatment uses LTP Boiled Linseed Oil this is the traditional pre-polish sealer for terracotta. This viscous liquid enhances the natural colour of terracotta and offers good mechanical strength once cured. LTP Boiled Linseed Oil is ideal for impregnating and sealing even the most porous tiles and can be used with LTP Genuine Turpentine when sealing most terracotta.

The impregnator can be applied to the terracotta before fixing, or it can be applied after fixing but before grouting, to minimise staining during the fixing process. The most common method is to start fixing the terracotta tiles and impregnate them as they are laid.

This provides inherently better stain resistance, so only one or two coats of the impregnator will be needed. As a result:

  • Total drying time is reduced
  • The likelihood of surface residues of oil is negligible. ( remove any visible surface residue )
  • The coverage of the mixed product is approximately double that of boiled Linseed Oil alone.
  • The colour and texture of the tile is still as beautiful as if sealed with regular boiled linseed oil, and is compatible with either a wax or liquid Terracotta Sealant.


The only reason for applying a second (very thin) coat would be to darken and enhance the appearance of the terracotta further. Then apply a light coat of LTP Beeswax ( Clear or Antique ) before Grouting.

The terracotta is now completely sealed and resistant to water, grout staining and general builders dirt.

Grouting
During grouting, the excess will be easy to wash off, but we recommend that you wash with a diluted mixture of LTP Grout Stain Remover. This not only aids the removal of cement residues, but also dissolves any inherent salts that may be visible. Allow the grouting to dry fully, according to the instructions for the brand of grout or mortar used. Once the grouting is dry and the tile is clean and dry, you may apply your choice of products i.e.

 
For a Darker deeper finish use:
LTP Antique Beeswax The traditional way of finishing natural stone, terracotta and quarry tiles pre-sealed with LTP Stone Oil Antique, LTP Stone Oil or LTP Boiled Linseed Oil. This brown beeswax polish protects, enhances and provides a hard protective layer, which helps resist staining. LTP Antique Beeswax is very durable and can be buffed to a shine immediately after application. The wax can be buffed to a shine or coated with our Ironwax Gloss or Satin sealer to use as a wax protector. Maintain with LTP Waxwash on floors and LTP Stonewash on walls.
 
 Or for a protective clearer finish use:
 LTP Clear Beeswax The traditional way of finishing natural stone, terracotta and quarry tiles pre-sealed with LTP Stone Oil or LTP Boiled Linseed Oil. This clear beeswax polish protects, enhances and provides a hard protective layer, which helps resist staining. LTP Clear Beeswax is very durable and can be buffed to a shine immediately after application. The wax can be buffed to a shine or coated with our Ironwax Gloss or Satin sealer to use as a wax protector. Maintain with LTP Waxwash on floors and LTP Stonewash on walls.
Method for Clear, Light Seal 
 
 
This approach uses the range of products:  LTP Ironwax Primer, This product should be used on thick and highly porous stone floors and terracotta before finishing with LTP Ironwax Gloss or LTP Ironwax Satin depending on required finish.
Or for a more simple coverage and protection, Best for outside areas.
LTP Mattstone : Suitable for all wall and floor surfaces LTP Mattstone provides a natural matt finish with minimal change to surface character on travertine, quarry tiles, terracotta, slate, stone, unpolished marble, terrazzo and cement floors. Provides effective resistance to staining from coffee, wine and other domestic fluids. Maintain with LTP Waxwash on floors and LTP Stonewash on walls.
Tips: Can be used in wet areas. Suitable for interior and exterior use and on floors that have no damp proof course.


Sealing
These tiles are completely raw and unsealed upon delivery, so you must take care not to mark or stain the tile during laying. An application of Terracotta Ironwax Primer Impregnator will greatly reduce the chance of staining from general building dirt and from the subsequent grouting. Apply a liberal coat of the impregnator to each tile as it is fixed. Ensure surface to be treated is completely clean, dry and free from cement and grout stain See our LTP Grout Stain Remover. Any moisture may cause the LTP Ironwax Primer to dry opaque or prevent the seal from reaching full hardness. Once dry the tiler can then start grouting immediately, thus reducing his time for the whole job. Coverage of Terracotta Impregnator is about 12 square meters per litre. It dries and becomes effective after only 1-2 hours.

Grouting

Begin to grout, Once the grout has dried (drying time according to grout manufacturers recommendations), we recommend an acid wash with  LTP Grout Stain Remover, for the following reasons:

  • To remove the inherent salts in the tile;
  • To dissolve the grout residues (water and detergent cannot do this);
  • To clean off any general building dust.


After Grouting
Once the adhesive and grout are cured, further sealing is required, preferably before the tiles come into general use. We recommend LTP Ironwax Gloss or LTP Ironwax Satin  . Each thin coat takes approximately 60 minutes to dry, so once again this will save valuable time compared to traditional methods. Apply the Sealant carefully with clean sponge or fluff free cloth. Coverage should be Approx. 10 square meters per 2-4 litres. Once all coats have been applied, vacate the area and leave to dry completely. This will take twelve to twenty-four hours, depending on the ambient room temperature.

The terracotta is now resistant to staining from water-based product, hot oil, grease, foodstuffs and the like. Due to the high level of natural salts in Terracotta, Terracotta Sealant is designed to be water permeable for seven to ten days, to allow any water vapour to escape. Therefore recommend only minimal washing for one to two weeks after installation.

Maintenance for Both Systems
It is important to maintain Terracotta with pH neutral cleaner. Do not use general household cleaners and detergents as they may affect the sealant's capabilities and longevity, or detract from the Terracotta Sealants inherent wax-look finish.

We recommend LTP Floorshine or LTP Waxwash products for regular maintenance. The first is to maintain the surface of the tiles as new, and the second , will both clean the tiles and enhance the surface shine.

Click the following link to view and purchase from our range of terracotta sealers and wax products  Our Sealant Range