Do Porcelain Patios Need Sealing?

Porcelain is a great option for patios. Although it can be expensive upfront but requires very low maintenance compared to natural stone patios.

I see it all the time that people are very much interested in sealing their patios as soon as possible because this makes it easier to keep them clean. So, the question that arises is do you need to seal patio surfaces that are easier to clean even when not sealed such as porcelain.

It’s not like porcelain patios must be sealed. Porcelain is non-porous so, it doesn’t soak anything which avoids staining. Whatever falls on it, it’ll sit on the top of the slab and will not get soaked in providing a high level of stain resistance. Also, the dust or dirt on porcelain is easier to clean without needing to seal.

Sealing Porcelain for its Dirt/Dryness

It’s not like it will not get dirty, it will get dirty like the rest but the difference is that porcelain is easier to clean compared to other types of patios. So there is no need to seal porcelain just because it gets dirty. If you’re thinking of sealing your porcelain patio because it gets dirty all the time, don’t worry you’re not alone. Porcelain can be kept clean with time to time maintenance without needing to seal it.

If you’re thinking to give your porcelain patio a wet look as it has just been hosed down by sealing it, there’s no point in doing it because like other things it won’t absorb the sealer as porcelain is little to no porous, which doesn’t create a wet look.

Sealing Porcelain Before Grouting

If you’re wondering that the installation process will cause mortar or jointing compound stains on your porcelain hence, you need to seal it prior to pointing, then you can watch the following video to see how easy it is to clean mortar or any brush-in jointing compound from porcelain slabs.

There’s also an article on this site should you seal patios before pointing where if you read you’ll find sealing can be done before pointing for non-porous slabs for easy cleaning of the stains from the mortar. But honestly, you don’t need to protect porcelain with a sealant for that as you could easily remove the stains as the porcelain won’t soak it in.

By don’t protect, I don’t mean you’ve to totally careless while pointing a porcelain patio. If you’re pointing in the traditional way with sand and cement mortar using a trowel, you should go back with a sponge and bucket of water after pointing every few slabs so, it doesn’t get difficult to clean later when dried.

Also while pointing with brush-in jointing compounds like Joint-It or EasyJoint, keeping the surface wet as much as possible is very important to wash away all the residues from the jointing compound.

In conclusion, you don’t need to seal porcelain before pointing or grouting as proper measures while doing the job as mentioned above won’t cause any problems.

As porcelain is non-porous, no matter if you seal or don’t seal it this early (before grouting), efflorescence simply won’t pass through porcelain.

Conclusion

There’re mixed opinions out there if you ever try to find whether should you seal porcelain or not. As this post says, there’s no such need to seal your porcelain patio but if you try to find about it somewhere else, it may be advised to seal porcelain.

Also inside a landscaping community that I’m a member of, I found the same question the other day, and as I said, there were all mixed responses. But mostly it was NO.

The better idea is to ask the supplier from whom you’ve sourced the porcelain whether this porcelain that you’ve got needs to be sealed or not. Also, try to get in contact with a local landscaper for more information.