Flooring Tile - Another grout sealer question

I have a very large job ahead of me, I need to seal the grout in our newly constructed house. The area is about 2000 sq. feet. I’ve done this once before in a much small area and it involved using a small paint brush on hands and knees.

I saw a spray on sealer that would greatly reduce the time and aching body parts but I’m wondering how this will not leave the tile a mess. Does anyone have any experience with this?

DO NOT USE THE SPRAY SEALER.:alarm: :alarm:

The one from HD has a class action suit against the maker for causing physical harm to many people, some with permanent damage to lungs, many spending days in ICUs. Go to www.floorstransformed.com and do a search on Stand and Seal grout sealer. You will see some horror stories.

Some tile retailers that sell to the trade carry a hollow stick about the size pof a baseball bat, has a plastic wheel at the end and you fill it with sealer like AquaMix Sealers Choice. Roll the wheel down the grout line and it dispenses the sealer while you stand up.

hey Bob, do you happen to know the brand that was recalled? Was it TileLab by any chance?

Stand and Seal, I forget the marketing name of the company but it is under Roanoke Companies which was just bought out by someone else. There is a similar product at Lowes but have not heard any reports on it but based on the other one, its not something I want to breathe in. The FT site has a lot of info in their threads on the bad one. They didnt recall it yet to my amazement, all they did was pull the display until warning labels could be put on the caps of the spray can. Get a load of the display which they did not change, a picture of a guy standing and smiling, no mask, while spraying this stuff. Read the MSDS and you find out you need a heavy duty filtered mask lika a HAZMAT guy would wear.

OH ok thanks. I just wanted to make sure it wasn't the one I just used I got from HD. All I remember is it was made by Tilelab and you could spray it or apply it with a sponge which is what I did anyway. Put 2 apps down with this stuff that had the consistency of water. Seemed to do about as much good too. Was not cheap either I think it was over 40$ 1/2 gallon and worthless.

Thanks Bob

The spray that I got was from Lowes but after reading what you said, I would rather not use that either. I've been looking around for that applicator stick you mentioned but can't find one either local or on line. would you have a link to where I can find one?

Rich

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml05/05253.html

Dont use this stuff

http://www.benojgundlachco.com/applications/CatalogManager/default.asp?gpcid=1&cid=2&scid=79&ItemID=1164

Yes I know. The stuff I got was a different brand and from Lowes. I would like to find that applicator stick if you know where to get one.

R

I got mine at Mohawk Tile's Atlantic City store www.mohawktile.com I dont know if they sell online or over the phone but if you cant find it any place else it may be worth a try

Tileguybob

Ive looked at these several times and been tempted to buy one but never have. Do you get much use out of it? Does it indeed save the back, knees and some time? It looks like it would.:)

i use a "pinic mustard bottle" and just went along the lines with it.

Hey thats it. Ill just get a really big "picnic mustard bottle" and then I wont have to bend over anymore.:D

i use a "pinic mustard bottle" and just went along the lines with it.

This may be the best idea yet. No one carries that stick around here. The one place that the mfg gave me doesn't stock them and it would have to be a special order. How good can this stick be if no one has them. Too bad to because that sounded like what I was looking for.

I see where QEP makes a stick called the wonder sealer, its not the same as mine, might be better actually. Saw it at www.tools4floors.com in the grout tool section

Johnny,

Yes they are pretty good. Just cant move too fast or the wheel hops out of the grout joint especially at intersections. And as with any of them you can forget which lines you did and did not do.:wall: Old age aint what its cracked up to be.:)

I called tools4floors and they stopped carring them. Thanks for the tip though.

Thanks Tileguybob

I'm gonna pick one up. Been crawlin around on my hands and knees for over 30 years and it doesnt get any easier. Anything that gets me upright for a while makes sense.:)

Johnny,

Are you close enough to AC to go to Mohawk Tile? They are on Mill Road in Absecon, about 2 miles in off of Rt. 40.

Tileguybob

Im all the way up on the north border of NJ bordering NY state, but have a shore house in Manahawkin only about a half hour from AC. I check it out one day when Im down there. Problems is when I do get to AC it always winds up costing me more than it should.:D

I was in Manahawkin today at the Avalon Tile store on Rt 72. I do a lot of work for a builder in Ocean Acres.

That stores about 5 minutes from my shore house. Im in Beach Haven West. I was at Avalon on Saturday myself. Picking out carpet for a bedroom for my house though. I spent some time there talking to some store employees trying to feel the area out. I thinking about trying to get some work in the area there so I can spend more time with my family in the summer time. Problem is Im so backed up I cant seem to get out of the 6 day work week up north as it is.

They are doing tile installs again. We used to do work for them about 3 years ago then they disbanded the program. Next time in ask for Steve, the estimator. He can get you a package that explains their program

Thanks Tileguybob