How do you clean/reseal Satillo Mexican Terra Cotta tile floors?

Brenda D
by Brenda D
Just bought a house with this flooring. There is some discoloration (not wear) and it looks like what I am guessing was a previous coat of sealer is starting to come off the tile. Most tile restoration contractors wont even come to look at the job.
  2 answers
  • KMS Woodworks KMS Woodworks on Feb 03, 2012
    This depends a bit on the "sealer" that was used. Some Saltillo tile comes "pre-sealed" with a thin penetrating "grout" type sealer. This kind does not chip or flake. There are a number of grout / tile cleaners that can remove old residues, you may need to experiment with one of those. Then I would recommend using a non surface forming sealer. While great looking initially Saltillo is not a very robust tile ( at least compared to ceramics and Porcelain) I have installed a few hundred sq feet for a client but prefer the more robust porcelains. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmswoodworks/4494023166/in/set-72157623780066078/
  • Tso5166288 Tso5166288 on Sep 23, 2016
    I have a 12 x 24 family room with 12x12 mex tiles. Some are called satillo, start as raw clay tiles, get colored, sealed with products made for them. In my case, the tiles were colored then had a ceramic coating applied. Sporadically, the coating wore off, the color wore off and the bare clay appeared in hi traffic areas. Restoring the floor would not work because the remaining ceramic covering repelled the new colorant and finish. Ceramic couldn't be dissolved as in normal resurfacing. Did a Tommy's turn and after thoroughly cleaning, painted on oil based stain, mixing some red into dark mahogany oil stain, schmeered on splotchy with a rag, followed with several coats oil based polyurethane. Ended up with overal sexy blackish looking floor with red hi-lites. After three years, partially carpet covered, still looks amazing, but glad I was much younger when I did it.... lotslots of work!