What kind of tile is this?

Hi Iwandoliver,

I don't know exactly what kind of tile it is. From the picture it looks like some kind of vinyl tile, but if it has weight and texture it might be something else.

My question to you is who picked it out? That is the person who should have left you instructions from the manufacturer. If you don't know what it is, how can you clean it? If perchance it is vinyl tile, it doesn't need sealing, but if your contractor can't tell if it's vinyl, then it's probably not. Go back to whoever purchased it and tell them you need to know what type of tile it is and the name of the manufacturer. Then you can use that information to look it up online with your search engine. Wishing you the best!

Take a spoon to the floor - tap it with the back of the spoon. If it "clinks" it is a ceramic or porcelain type tile. If not, it is vinyl. My guess since you say it has a gritty feel to it, it is probably ceramic. I would clean and seal.

Who picked this tile? Did you have installed or is it existing?

Its corey tile it gets sealed with grout in the seams its a very fine silica sand that fills in all the gaps. You apply it after tile is all installed you rub it in over the grout. It seals it all nice so moisture cant get into or under it.

If your ceramic or porcelain tile feels grit on the surface, my guess is that the installer did not do a good job of wiping down the tiles with water after he/she grouted between the tiles and now a very thin amount of 'sanded' grout remains on the surface. It is very important you wipe the surface immediately after grouting and change the water in your pail really often. Once it has dried it is really hard to get it off. You might could try gentle cleaning the surface of one of the tiles (in an inconspicuous place ) with steel wool and then soap and water. Once you get rid of the grit, you can buy wipe on sealer and apply it. We have done several DIY tile installs and we always apply liquid sealer to each tile BEFORE we install them (and then again after the install clean-up). It helps immensely with the cleanup after grouting when you preseal. You didn't mention which room your new tile is in but if it is the bathroom, I would definitely seal it and the grout especially around the toilet - peepee will bleach your grout color if it is dark and if it is white it will turn an ugly yellow/brown. My stepdaughter has a house full of men who are aim challenged and she quick seals the tile in the toilet area using a wax applicator mop about every six months.

It looks like the PermaStone that I have. It can be installed grouted or ungrouted.

In my humble opinion, there is something wrong with this situation. How could you pick it out and no one has the name? Call them back. If they are a business, they have to know where they bought it, it has to be on record including where they sent the payment. Ceramic tile doesn't need a sealer and if it's stone and not sealed before it's grouted, the grout will seep into the stone. Sealing the grout is usually a good idea. Take a look at the link below to learn more. Truthfully though, I'd go back to whoever purchased it and get the name of the manufacturer. It's your right.

Looks like limestone to me, and if it is, it should be sealed.... https://ltpuktechnical.wordpress.com/2012/07/04/sealing-and-protecting-limestone-and-travertine-tiles/

You are absolutely right they have given me problems ever since we closed on the house the only reason he joked the tile was because he had to it was in behind the flooring samples in his office i know it's expensive because I called and priced it with the same installer for a 16 ×20 porch they wanted 1,800 hundred dollars said it was just tile and did not need sealing really this is the same people who installed the laminate flooring that pops when you walk on it i have documented all my repair request and am considering an attorney we also had to have the septic pumped after one year thats wrong thanks for letting me vent lol

Grout should be sealed but not the tile.