| g wonderful glass mosaic tile art is easy! Let me show | | | | sealers to prevent staining in all circumstances. |
| you how. | | | | I prefer a high quality penetrating grout sealer on my |
| The purpose of sealing grout is to make it water and | | | | glass mosaics. My favorite is TileLab SurfaceGard |
| mildew resistant, and to help keep out dirt. Many | | | | Penetrating Sealer made by Custom Building Products. |
| mosaic articles and books say you must always seal | | | | It's water based, easy to apply, cleans easily off glass |
| grout. I don't always agree. In my opinion, indoor | | | | tesserae, and repels dirt, water, oil, and stains. I apply it |
| wall-hanging mosaics displayed in dry environments | | | | to my mosaic tabletops and trivets using a soft |
| don't need sealing. I simply don't bother because my | | | | paintbrush to spread it over the entire surface. Two |
| indoor wall hangings don't get wet or dirty. However, | | | | minutes later after the sealer soaks into the grout, I use |
| indoor mosaics exposed to dirt and moisture (e.g., | | | | paper towels to wipe excess sealer off the glass |
| tabletops and backsplashes) should, indeed, be sealed. | | | | tesserae. Then, after another two minutes, I use a |
| Grout on all outdoor mosaics should always be sealed | | | | clean towel to buff off any remaining residue. If you |
| for maximum protection from dirt and weather. | | | | wipe the sealer off the tesserae within a few minutes |
| There are two basic types of grout sealers: 1) | | | | after applying it, there's usually no problem with it dulling |
| Penetrating, and 2) Membrane forming. | | | | or damaging the glass. |
| Penetrating Sealers: These sealers soak into the grout | | | | Although the product label recommends two coats, I |
| and leave deposits when the base liquid evaporates. | | | | tested it and found that one coat is usually enough for |
| The deposits, typically latex or silicone, fill the voids in | | | | my indoor mosaic tabletops and trivets. When first |
| the grout, which then helps the grout resist dirt, grease, | | | | trying the product, I let the sealer dry for two hours |
| and liquid. Penetrating sealers usually don't change the | | | | and then applied a drop of water to a grout line. The |
| grout color, except to slightly darken it. Higher quality | | | | water beaded instead of soaking in, indicating the grout |
| sealers typically result in less grout discoloration. | | | | was adequately sealed. So, I use only one coat for my |
| Membrane-forming Sealers: These sealers don't soak | | | | indoor mosaics that need stain and water resistance. |
| into the grout; instead, they stay on the grout surface | | | | However, for all outdoor mosaics, I always apply two |
| and harden, usually to a glossy finish (i.e., they form a | | | | coats. |
| thin membrane on the grout surface). | | | | It's important to wipe off excess sealer from glass |
| Membrane-forming sealers are typically used in grout | | | | tesserae within a few minutes of applying it. Don't risk |
| dyes to purposely change the grout color. | | | | the sealer dulling your glass with a residue that may be |
| Note that sealers don't provide 100% protection in all | | | | impossible to remove if left to thoroughly dry. Also, |
| conditions. Read product labels carefully under the | | | | when using grout sealer, don't forget to take proper |
| heading of "Limitations" and you'll notice that they | | | | safety precautions. Read and follow the product label. |
| typically say "repel" or "resist," which aren't the same | | | | Remember, making mosaic art is easy. You can do it. |
| as "provides complete protection." Don't expect | | | | Yes, you can! |