Case Study | Cutler Bay
Someone had put an acrylic sealer on this Cutler Bay porcelain floor, and it was failing. The tile came from Spain, so the owner called it Spanish tile, but it is porcelain. By the time we got there the coating was ripping apart. Here is why we stripped it instead of cleaning over it, and why porcelain gets a coating at all.
What the sealer was doing
Hazing over
Building up along the edges
Wearing through in the walking paths
Ripping apart
The Job at a Glance
Cutler Bay | Porcelain tile made in Spain | Ceramic coating
STEP 1 OF 3
What We Found
The floor had the wrong product on it. An acrylic coating had been applied over the porcelain, and in this climate it was not holding. It had hazed over, built up along the edges and corners, worn through where people walk, and in places it was ripping apart.
A floor in that condition cannot be cleaned back. Scrubbing over a failing acrylic just seals the problem in underneath it. The coating had to come off first.
Watch the job | 1 minute
STEP 2 OF 3
What We Did
Miguel and Franco did this one together, and it took about 6 hours from start to finish.
STEP 3 OF 3
Why Porcelain Gets a Coating
Porcelain is dense. It cannot be honed or polished the way natural stone can, so a coating is how you change its finish. The ceramic coating we use is one part and silane based, and it is rated for tile and grout, concrete, masonry, epoxy, natural stone, VCT, LVT and LVP.
Stone is a different story. On marble, travertine, limestone and Saltillo in South Florida, we refinish the stone and use a penetrating sealer, so the stone can still release moisture.
The right product for the surface matters more than how hard you scrub.
What the Client Said
★★★★★
George P. | 5-star Google review
Failing Sealers: Questions People Ask Us
How do I know if my floor has a coating on it?
It usually shows as an uneven sheen, cloudiness, or buildup along the edges and corners. A shine that looks patchy is often a coating rather than the tile itself.
Can you clean over an old acrylic sealer?
No. Cleaning on top of a failing coating traps the problem underneath it. The coating has to be stripped first.
Why do acrylic sealers fail in South Florida?
Acrylic is a common choice, and it does not hold up well to South Florida humidity and foot traffic.
Hazy or Peeling Sealer on Your Floor in Cutler Bay?
Text a photo of the floor to 305-741-9729 and we will tell you whether it is the tile or a coating on top of it. Every job begins with a $250 assessment, credited in full toward your service.
More real jobs on our tile and grout cleaning in Cutler Bay page, or read our rust stain and terrazzo case studies.
Veteran-Owned | 25+ Years | 185+ Five-Star Reviews