Ruined porcelain tiles

FreetodoasIlike

Just before Christmas, and before the last lockdown, I had my kitchen floor replaced from ceramic to porcelain tiles. The tiler wore a mask and we never really saw him do him do the job. They were rustic tiles, the sort of tiles that look good on patios. The tiler assured us that they would be suitable for indoors (he came to look at the sample tile) so all good. He did the job over two and a half days and came back next morning to grout. The tiles looked good but he told us to wait a couple of days and then mop the floor.  I did wait the two days but I think I didn’t wait long enough as when I wet the floor I ruined the whole thing😞. The grout hadn’t set and we were left with black grout marks all over the floor,  I called into the tile showroom and they advised the only thing I could do would be to endlessly scrub the tiles to try and remove the grout which had hardened.  We did this back braking job for about two weeks and have managed to get most of the grout off the times.  However, after nearly three months the tiles don’t look good. I mop with a steam mop/steam cleaner/scrub on my hands and knees and they look Ok at first, but the next day look dirty and the grout looks a dirty grey colour.

Is there any way I can put some sort of sealer on the tiles to improve the look?  When the time showroom opens again I will pop in for some advice but does anyone have any tips how to improve things?  

theonlywayisup

FreetodoasIlike said:

The tiler wore a mask and we never really saw him do him do the job. 

Not sure if this is relevant or not.

FreetodoasIlike said:

The tiler assured us that they would be suitable for indoors (he came to look at the sample tile) so all good. 

Who bought the tiles?

FreetodoasIlike said:

The tiles looked good but he told us to wait a couple of days and then mop the floor.  I did wait the two days but I think I didn’t wait long enough as when I wet the floor I ruined the whole thing😞. 

How did you 'ruin the whole thing'?

FreetodoasIlike said:

 The grout hadn’t set and we were left with black grout marks all over the floor, 

Are you saying you 'pulled the grout' over the tile surface?

FreetodoasIlike said:

I called into the tile showroom and they advised the only thing I could do would be to endlessly scrub the tiles to try and remove the grout which had hardened.  

If you have smeared grout over the tiles you need to remove it, have you looked for a grout removing solution?  

FreetodoasIlike said:

Is there any way I can put some sort of sealer on the tiles to improve the look?  When the time showroom opens again I will pop in for some advice but does anyone have any tips how to improve things?  

No sealer will improve it.  You need to remove the grout and seal when all is clean. 

Jeepers_Creepers

You call them 'porcelain' tiles and also 'rustic'. Porcelain suggest to me 'glazed' so fully sealed, so I wouldn't expect the grout to stain them - or at least it should be removable.

(On a different issue, if tiles are suitable for outside, they are certainly suitable for in )

Any chance of a photo?

I wonder why the grout took so long to set? I'd have thought the tiler would have used either cement-based or epoxy-based grout; in either case, it should have chemically 'set' solid even if they were still not actually 'dry'.

If it's unsealed porcelain (is there such a thing?!), then a good clean and then a sealant should restore it.

Don't panic - just wait for the tile shop to open again. Or, contact the manufacturer of the tiles - it should be on the box.

FreeBear

theonlywayisup said: No sealer will improve it.  You need to remove the grout and seal when all is clean.

Putting a sealer on the tiles now will just trap the grout stains and you'll never get rid of it. I'd be wary of using and high strength cleaning solutions without testing a small inconspicuous area first.

grumbler

FreetodoasIlike said:

 I did wait the two days but I think I didn’t wait long enough as when I wet the floor I ruined the whole thing😞. The grout hadn’t set and we were left with black grout marks all over the floor,  ... the grout which had hardened.

That's just impossible that the grout that didn't set after 2 days set later.

Money_Grabber13579

Perhaps if you were using a steam mop, it is that which has destroyed the surface of the tiles? I have a steam cleaner and it warns against using it on certain types of surfaces.

Davesnave

Money_Grabber13579 said:

Perhaps if you were using a steam mop, it is that which has destroyed the surface of the tiles? I have a steam cleaner and it warns against using it on certain types of surfaces.

Genuine porcelain is fired to a high temperature. You can throw just about anything at the tiles in my hallway and they come up looking as new.

TELLIT01

Can you post photo's of the tiles and the problems.  As others have said 'porcelain' and 'rustic' seem to be contradictory.  Surface finish is all important here.

FreetodoasIlike

Thank you for all your replies. The tiles are From the ‘Pietre do Keope’ range and are described as  “add some country charm to your home. This cream coloured matt tile is crafted from porcelain - man made material known to be particularly strong so it can easily withstand the wear and tear of a lively home whilst maintaining its rustic aesthetic. The square tiles can bit fitted indoors or out”.

The tiler had them outside; we fitted them in the kitchen.  The first photo is what they look like the day after mopping. The second I took today after mopping. The grout looks Ok after a mop. It then turns grey and tiles don’t look clean. It would appear the grout hadn’t set and I used too much water.  The tile shop sold me grout remover and we spend two weeks scrubbing the black grout.  They were sold as porcelain tiles. They are rough to touch.

dave23

What colour was the grout meant to be? Your tiles look very similar to ones we have on our bathroom floor. We have chocolate coloured grout