Grouting & Sealing: Important Factors to Consider in Binding Your Tiles

It is likely that you will stumble upon travertine tiles if you are looking for durable and elegant flooring that can be used in any application. The typically neutral and earthy colors and unique patterns allow you to create bold and one-of-a-kind flooring in your home. They are available as travertine pool coping, too, which is supplied in variants like standard bull-nosed, thick, and remodeling copings for different applications. Regardless of your choice, proper installation, which involves grouting and sealing, is recommended for best results. Here are some of the factors you must consider when binding tiles and copings:

• Make sure the area is clean – Remove any debris, dirt, or remnants of old flooring or copings before installation. You may need to prepare varnished or painted surfaces with coarse sand paper to ensure excellent mastic bond between them and the tiles. Moreover, you need to make sure that the tiles and substrate are dry.
  
  
• Practice – Lay out the tiles to determine the pattern that you want to create. Remember that colors and patterns may vary slightly from one tile or travertine pool coping to another.
  
  
• Consider using a white thinset – Tiles and coping in a lighter color will look better with white thinset. Keep in mind that the stone is porous, so a darker thinset can tint or darken it. Just be sure to mix well until you achieve a consistency that is similar to that of peanut butter.
  
  
• Maintain proper grout space between tiles and coping – The supplier should be able to recommend the right spacing, which is typically 1/4” or 3/8”, depending on the size of the copings and tiles. You may need to use spacers for best results, and lay out the stone without joints if it is polished or honed.
  
  
• Seal at the right time – Professional installers differ in their opinions on the appropriate time to seal travertine pool coping and tiles. Some would recommend sealing before and after installation, and others would suggest prior to grouting and afterward. It does not matter when you seal the tiles, as long as you do with the right sealer. Consider a natural stone sealer that will not alter the stone’s look.

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