I've kind of had the same problem. We sealed and enhanced before installing. The directions said to do this. Now that it is grouted I need to seal the grout and I was thinking maybe I could just seal the whole thing, but I'm worried about changing the grout color because it is a color enhancing sealer. I don't know.

I will tell you this with regard to sealing in advance: If you do seal/enhance before installing and grouting make sure that you do not get the sealer on the edges of the tile (the part where the grout sticks). You want the grout to stick and a sealer can make it stick less well. Moisture from the grout is not an issue at all as far as I know with regard to the stone itself. Hopefully we will both get an answer about how long it should be before you seal the grout.

- Jim

Thanks so much for your input, Jim!

I wasn't actually thinking about sealing the stones prior to installation; I was going to wait the 4-5 days before sealing.... but now you've started me thinking in new directions. We did a sample piece and it dries really quickly. Maybe I could get up early tomorrow and seal it all before the installer comes. He could do the back foyer floor while it's drying.

I'm really glad you gave your advice about not getting sealer on the grout-sides of the tiles. I was thinking the exact opposite! I didn't think about adhesion. I just thought that if the marble absorbed the moisture from the grout, it might crack/crumble fairly soon.

I too hope a definitive answer comes through soon. I should have considered all this long before now.

Good luck with your project. My guess (which isn't likely worth much) is that the sealer will slightly darken your grout. You probably wouldn't need too much grout sealer for the job... Is there one on the market that is not an enhancer as well (water-based, not solvent based) and therefore might allow your grout to remain its intended colour?

Sandra

Our tile guy enhanced/sealed our stone after grout. This was for floors and shower walls in travertine, marble and onyx. The enhancer darkened the travertine and the grout at the same time, and a second coat does make it noticeably darker than the first coat. We went with a grout color that matched the unenhanced travertine, so the end result was what we were looking for...we love it!!!

Aloha,
Leilani

P.S. To "bold" text, put the letter B between before and after the text you'd like in bold. To "italicize" text, use the letter I instead of B. :)

You might want to ask this on the bathroom forum -- lots of tile experience there.

Thanks for the advice! The installers are just coming in the door now, so no time to lose! I don't even have the grout yet..... gotta scoot out now to get it and I'm so glad about your advice to match the unsealed tiles and then enhance/seal everything. It's all making perfect sense now. I'll also post this in the bathroom section as suggested... just in case someone replies within the next hour or two.

Thanks again! This site is awesome!
Sandra