Tile Porousity

[Ben565]

Hi,

I'm trying to test if my quarrys tiles are porous or not. I've got a new tile from a local supplier and the orginal 1920's ones for comparison.

When I splash water on them it doesnt appear to soak into either of them, not straight away anyway.

I tried half filling a glass with water, put the tile on top then turned it upside down. If the tile is porous the water level ought to go down as the water is absorbed... but it doesn't, on either tile.

I'm a bit stumped by this as the original tiles were laid on a limeash floor, and I saw white efforvessance on top of them so they ought to have been porous.

Anybody know whats going on? perhaps I'm expecting them to act like a sponge when it doesnt work that way?

 

[tpt]

yep it doesnt work like that!

they will take in a tiny amount of water, but not enough to notice a water line diff. Just drop a drop of water onto the face, leave for 20 seconds and then wipe off - you should see a damp patch where the water was. You can seal the tiles after fitting - loads of good products around for this from HG, lithofin, LTP & Fila.

the white efflorescence will most likely have come through from the concrete floor, if its very old it wont have a damp proof layer and so damp will travel up from this through the tile, but its a long process!

 

[Ben565]

Cheers, makes sense.

They're going onto a limecrete floor so I actually need them to be porous.