Sealed Saltillo Tile: The Buying Guide

Sealed Saltillo Floor Tile

3 Reasons to Buy Sealed Saltillo Tile vs Unsealed Saltillo Tile

1. Less Expensive
2. Less Maintenance
3. Easier to Install

What is sealed Saltillo tile and how it is different from unsealed tile?

Sealed Saltillo tile, or terracotta tile, is a type of clay tile that has been treated with a protective sealant. This sealant fortifies the terracotta tile and prevents stains, moisture absorption, and everyday wear and tear damage. On the other hand, Unsealed Saltillo tile lacks this protective coating and is more susceptible to staining and damage since it isn’t fortified with several coats of penetrating sealer.

Learn more by watching our video about Sealed and Unsealed tile differences.

Save Money with Sealed Saltillo Floor Tile

let’s do some math

Up front, (our) sealed Saltillo tile is a little more expensive than unsealed tile. But in the long run, it’s the least expensive option for the full flooring project.

The quality difference between our sealed and unsealed Saltillo tiles is striking.

We are known for the quality of our presealed Saltillo tiles. Each tile is delivered to you with 5+ coats of penetrating sealer already soaked into the clay.

How does this benefit you? The clay tile is fortified, protected, and ready to install with no time-consuming prep work. Since it’s already a fully sealed terracotta tile, your installer can most often skip the expense, time, and labor of applying grout release (except for our Antique (textured) terracotta tile… that still needs grout release for the texture.)

** Still considering unsealed Saltillo tile? If you intend to purchase unsealed Saltillo tile to save money, please consider this. Even with a very inexpensive, low-quality sealer, you’ll need multiple coats applied BEFORE you can install the tile. That alone costs an average of $3-$5 per square foot.

Then, throw in the labor cost to seal those tiles. Most installers charge $1 – $3 per square foot to seal tile floors.

** Why do I need to apply SEVERAL coats of sealer? Please don’t make the mistake of applying 1 or 2 coats of sealer. The tiles may be protected from some water absorption but with only 1 or 2 coats of sealer, it’s unlikely that you’re getting the fortification benefit of many coats of a small molecular-bodied sealer that penetrates deep into the clay tile.  Unsealed Saltillo tiles must be fortified in this process to deliver the durability qualities of Saltillo riverbed clay.

See where we’re going with this? It makes no sense financially when we can supply our fully sealed Mexican tiles for a lower-priced project value.

Our recipe for success is simple.

1. Buy presealed Saltillo tile. (Super Saltillo with round edges and Regular Saltillo with square edges are the same price.)
2. Install the sealed terracotta tiles.
3. Clean the floor and allow it to dry.
4. Apply the final topcoat sealer for sheen preference, added scratch-resistance, UV protection, and grout sealing. Enjoy the look and feel of terracotta flooring.