do i need to seal ceramic subway tiles?
if the subway tile you have selected has visible crazing we recommend applying a grout release or sealant prior to grouting.
IMPORTANT: if this subway tile is being grouted with a contrasting grout color vs. a matching one, then you should also seal before grouting because many tiles may have crazing without it being visible to the eye and would only come out with the grouting of the tiles as the invisible crazing absorbs the dye from the contrasting grout.
dry applications do not need to be sealed as the final step of installation.
in wet areas (backsplashes, showers, steam showers, pool & fountain water lines) grout lines and areas of visible crazing must be sealed as the final step of installation.
for all sealing and protecting, clé recommends stonetech stone, tile, and grout sealer from laticrete.
for more information about sealing please see our ceramic subway tile material guidelines.
do you offer trim for your ceramic subway tile?
at clé we follow the international model of no trim and highly recommend our clients to do the same. below are the trim alternatives we recommend for this collection.
- if your project needs to turn a corner either inwardly or outwardly, mitering the tiles to meet seamlessly in a corner gives it the cleanest, crafted finish.
- another way to complete your tiling is to run a bead of caulk or grout along the exposed brick edge.
- like with any of our tiles, you can also build out the sheetrock so that the surface of the finished sheetrock is flush with the surface of the tile.
for more detailed recommendations about trim, please see our trim guide.