Saltillo tile, what’s not to love? The gorgeous rich tones and hill country vibe exude a timeless elegance that adds warmth to a home, making this handmade tile a perfect design choice. Saltillo tile is a breathtaking addition to your home with a kaleidoscope of earth tones that dance across the surface when the light hits it, bringing a rustic charm straight into your living space.
What is Saltillo?
So, what makes Saltillo tile so special? Well, it’s not your run-of-the-mill terra cotta tile. This magical stuff comes from an ancient riverbed nestled in Saltillo, Mexico – the one and only place on Earth where it’s found. Each tile is handcrafted with love and care by multi-generational families, making it not just a floor covering but a work of art. It’s like having a piece of history right beneath your feet!
Saltillo can be one of the most beautiful and durable floors but only with proper daily care, coating maintenance and restoration when needed. Lucky for you, your Saltillo is telling you exactly what it needs. Dull spots in the traffic areas? It’s time for cleaning and reciting maintenance
Do I Need to Seal Saltillo Tile?
Yes! While it may not look like it, the porous surface of Saltillo tile means it’s susceptible to moisture and thus prone to staining, mold and bacteria, cracking and chipping. This is why a base coat of sealant is required at the time of manufacturing AND an additional wear coat is needed when it’s being installed into a home. This second coat makes it a “forever floor,” meaning it can last forever…but only if the wear coat is routinely applied once it wears down. Without this secondary seal, your Saltillo may start to show signs of damage and lose some of its renowned beauty.
Signs Your Saltillo Tile Needs Care
How do you know when your Saltillo tile needs a little love? If any of these look familiar, it’s time to consider cleaning, restoring and resealing your Saltillo. *Pro tip: An easy test is to drop a few droplets of water on a few randomly spaced tiles. If the water soaks in, your floor is in dire need of attention and resealing.
Dirty grout & wax break-down
Dull coloring
White discoloration from moisture
Flaking and Chipping
Stains on Saltillo
Why You Should Have Saltillo Professionally Sealed
While we love a good DIY moment, we don’t recommend this approach with Saltillo tile because it is easy to cause even more damage than it had in the first place. Do your Saltillo floors have white areas that won’t go away with just cleaning or is your finish flaking and peeling? Our Aladdin Stone Restoration team has the ability to strip off years of old finish, clean wax caked grout, color correct grout and seal with multiple coats of our highly durable finish.
Now that your floors have been recoated and the shine restored, how do you maintain the shine? Aladdin provides every Saltillo customer a gallon of our neutral ph cleaner for spray mopping when needed and spot cleaning daily. We also have mop kits available with dust heads for daily sweeping, the more you sweep the less the dirt can scratch your floors under your feet as you walk. Ran out of neutral cleaner? It is available for purchase at our 315 W Josephine location or by delivery. Contact us today schedule to strip off years of old finish, clean wax caked grout, color correct grout and seal with multiple coats of our highly durable finish.