Quarry tiles - seal then grout or grout then seal?

[inwood]

I've now relayed the quarry tiles to our pantry floor after installing the limecrete floor.

I now need to grout but since I've left very small gaps between each tile (about 3-4mm) I'm concerned that if I grout (point) using lime onto these then I'll stain the edges of the tiles. As I intend applying a linseed oil/turps finish (seal) to the tiles I was wondering whether it would be more prudent to apply the seal, then grout, then reseal?

Anyone any experience/advice?

 

[Nemesis]

The tile soc doesn't recommend linseed oil long term.

 

[biffvernon]

I wouldn't worry - just smear the lime mortar on with gay abandon making as much mess as you like. The spare mortar will go with a stiff brush used at the end of the day. What's left will go with a damp cloth. And if there are still any traces they will disappear when the oil is applied.

 

[Nemesis]

Oil makes it all go black long term.

According to the tilesoc.

 

[andrew gayton]

not in my experience................ 50/50 mix of raw linseed oil and (proper not substitute) turps is very effective on bricks, pamments, quarries and new unglazed clay tile. Perhaps the blackening has been due to the use of boiled and substitute mix?

 

[Nemesis]

Maybe - in the long distant past, but they nowadays don't seem to recommend it. I suppose it will depend on how porous the flooring is.

 

[biffvernon]

I think it may depend on the linseed oil. Cheap stuff can contain proteins which provide nutrients for moulds leading to black discoloration.

 

[michael]

Don’t know if it helps but I had a bathroom floor laid with some handmade Spanish terracotta tiles a few years back that I purchased in a sale. Great tiles, about 6” square and ½ inch thick and slightly irregular in shape and colour.
Prior to having them laid I had to seal them which meant taking them outside into the garden and painting them with “double boiled linseed oil” don’t know why it had to be “double boiled” but this is what the tile supplier specified. Single boiled was a no no! As soon as I applied the oil, the tiles would just soak it up and I had to continue with this process until the oil started to puddle on the surface (about six coats) which meant that they were fully saturated. The next stage was to wipe off excess oil from any puddling and stack the tiles outside a bit like a card house i.e. upright in a triangular patten leaning against one another so that the air could pass between them. After a few days to a week (middle of summer) the tiles were completely dry and ready to lay. No problems with grout staining but there probably would have been if they were not sealed due to their absorbency. Once laid and with the mortar fully set, a liberal coat of beeswax rubbed in and buffed up gave them an almost permanent shine. An ideal waterproof surface for the bathroom.

The moral of this story is if the tiles are absorbent and don’t have a glazed or manufactured finished surface then I would seal before grouting.

 

[CHRIS]

I have just laid a simple Victorian style pattern using Original style tiles and they advise using the HG brand of waxes etc, I am going to use the golv stuff

http://www.homecareessentials.co.uk/acatalog/copy_of_Satin_Gloss_Polish__Golvpolish_.html

I am not sure of its origins but I have been told it looks good when done