How difficult is it to strip and reseal saltillo tile floors? Is this something that I can do myself or do I need to hire a professional?
My reaction here is the following: NOOOOOOO! Well, you can. But I don' t think you should. The charm of Saltillo tile is that earthy, rustic color. That's why people choose it. All of that aside, it is your tile to do with as you please. However, there is one thing to think about before going ahead: resale value. Changing the look of an already distinctive type of tile which many people look for may hurt your chances some on this front. Handmade tiles are a real selling point with some buyers. If you've got 'em, flaunt 'em! :) What ever you decide, good luck with your reno!
You don't say why you need to strip and reseal. Is it because of general wear and tear stains? Food stains? grease?Before you invest any time/money in it, try this: Get a Vapor Steam Cleaner!!! I have saltillo tiles in 40% of my house and was looking at stripping and resealing. I laid the tile in the first place and I knew it was going to be work to strip and reseal, then I started reading about Vapor Steam cleaners. They are very popular in Europe (homes tend to have more tile than floor carpeting) and are amazing. Basically they are machines (they look like canister vacuums) that heat plain old water to about 300 degrees, with a pressure gauge up to 65 psi. They come with a lot of attachments, including a nozzle that I used on the grout that has made my tile floors look like they were just put in. You never have to use any cleaner other than water ever again. Best thing is you can use this to clean EVERYTHING! Your oven, your bathtub, your windows, your countertops. It is far more reasonable than stripping/resealing. I got mine from a company in Jupiter Florida called Vapor Steam Products. The model I have is the TR5. For a little over $400 you will have a vapor steam cleaner that you can use throughout your house. The first time I used it on the tile I saw a huge difference. The second time, it was like they were brand new. Then you can just put on a product like Armstrong Tile polish which will make them glossy. You can also use these on area carpets and mattresses and they are the only thing that will KILL dustmites - though they are not vacuum cleaners. And just a word of advice, I did a lot of research and Hoovers and Bissel have very low-end versions of these, and trust me they don't even come close. All of my friends thought I had my tiles stripped and resealed and now they're all going out and getting these. Try this, and save your back and your bank account. Good luck.
