Professional Products that are DIY Friendly
All Surface Types
But First - click here to remove the guess work about sealer results on your project:
Most people have no idea about the history and characteristics of their flooring. You can click this link to see how to easily test with water drops and understand which sealer is most appropriate for your goals.
Some questions you may not be thinking to ask right now that could become important:
. Was it sealed in the past? Does that matter?
. Will a new sealer be compatible with whatever was used before?
. What Aldon sealer will give the visual results you want?
. Will you also be able to have an Aldon sealer solve problem(s)? ( Answer: yes. Just know which to pick.)
Agglomerates (see also - Terrazzo further down.)
Shiny - Looks like Terrazzo, but the marble/quartz chips are in a polymer resin & marble dust binder. Also known as "composite engineered stone"
Silestone and Ceasarstone are in this agglomerate category because they are over 90% quartz chips and dust with a polymer resin binder.
Terrazzo tile is a cement binder, not polymer resin like the Agglomerates, please see Terrazzo below.
Bluestone
Varies from dense (almost slate like) to very absorbent sandstone texture. It has tones of blue, green, and purple. The "Pennsylvania Bluestone" variety is typically uniform blue/gray and highly absorbent.
Brick - Clay (see also "Pavers" below)
Standard or "Common" brickFace Brick - light and white colors
Flashed Brick - heat generated color patterns
Thin Brick Veneer
Mfg. or Replica Used Brick - new brick that is tumbled and colored
Used Brick - reclaimed from old buildings i.e. "Old Chicago" brick
Historic Old Brick - soft and erodes from weather, sealing fixes
Embossed Brick - a pattern is pressed in the face
Brick - Concrete (Paving - see also "Pavers" below)
Wall or Paving Brick. Solid or Cored. Many colors and finishes. Many are similar in appearance to the clay bricks.
Concrete Block (also known as CMU's)
Precision Block | Cinder Block | Dry stack | Retaining | Split BlockSlump Block | Burnished Block | Shot Blast | Pavers (see below)
Concrete Slab Treatments
Driveways | Garages | Pathways | Storage FacilitiesColored with iron oxide pigments or acid reactive stains
Stamped | Textured | Machine trowel polished | All finishes
and Regular finish slabs
Stamped Pattern Slabs
Acid Coloration Treatments
Concrete Tile
Concrete (cement) body. Some are known as "Encaustic Tile". They are approx. 3/4" thick with many shapes, colors, and sizes. They can be Wet and dry molded, or Extruded. A concrete tile can look like any kind of clay tile, but must be treated much differently.
2"+ thick Pavers - see "Pavers" below
Not installed, but already sealed? - see "Factory Sealed below"
Factory Sealed Surfaces - ( Also known as "Pre-sealed")
Glass Tile
Flagstone (sandstone)
Flagstone is a generic name usually referring to sandstone, but can mean an installation design that applies to other stone.Some have crystal deposits that vary the porosity across the surface.
Granite
Honed or Flamed | PolishedSome kinds of granite do not need to be sealed. Other kinds do need to be sealed to keep staining liquids out of micro-fissures. Granite comes in counter top slabs, tiles, monuments, etc.
Grout or Mortar
("Grout" and "Mortar" are the same thing and treated the same way)Discusses standard cement and sand grout, as well as unsanded, additive modified (latex, acrylic) and specialty grouts (epoxy)
For tabletop grout issues - see "Tabletops"
Limestone & Marble
Metal Tile
This page is for true metal pieces, not a metallic "glaze". See Tile, Ceramic (clay) - Glazed for the discussion of metallic glazes.
Mexican Tile
Saltillo | Super Saltillo | Tecate
In the family of terracotta tile, but more rustic
Mosaic Tile
Not glazed
Same hard fired material and color all through the body
Same characteristics as Porcelain tile & Glass tile
Small - square, hex, rectangle - usually with a mesh backing for easier installations.
Pavers, Driveway type
Concrete or Clay - 2 " or more in thicknessUsually sand joints, but not always
Harder than clay or concrete wall brick
Not the thinner, more absorbent clay or concrete tile also called "pavers".
Porcelain Tile
Same hard fired material and color all through the body. Some are zero absorption and stain proof, but that is no longer true of all as new colors and textures have developed. If it darkens from a water drop, it will stain and needs to be sealed. Discussion includes wood look and stone look tile.
Quarry Tile
Not glazed. Same hard fired material and color all through the body.
Standard Quarry Tile
Sandstone
There are many kinds of the sandstone family of stone. The name is not as important as recognizing the characteristics discussed. The name "flagstone" is many times referring to a sandstone.
Slate
All slate types: Indian | Chinese | Brazilian | VermontMany types and colors. Some slates require the sealer to provide reinforcement of soft and/or flaking areas.
Discussion of artworks made from all kinds of tile and stone.
Stone, Manufactured - molded concrete, not quarried
Cement and sand body . Duplicates the look of all the natural stones. Does need to be sealed to prevent fading and etching from acidic liquids.
Familiar names: Cultured Stone | Architectural Stone | Precast Stone | Stucco Stone | Coronado Stone
Bluestone Flagstone Slate
Quartzite River Rock Sandstone
A tile that looks like slate or stone? See "Stone Look" Tile above
Tabletops by all manufacturers
Some of the patio furniture manufacturers using Aldon products in their production are shown here. Click their logo for their table care information. If your stone tabletop is not made by one of these, it can still be refinished and protected as discussed on each of these manufacturer's pages.See Video for the easy refinishing process.
- By Erwin & SonsTerracotta Tile
Typically an even, light beige color. These are treated differently than Mexican Tile, but both are in the terracotta family. Many come from France and Brazil.
Terrazzo
Terrazzo can be a tile, or poured in place in large sections and machine ground to a polished finish. It has a shiny, polished finish and can look like Agglomerate (see above). They both use marble or quartz dust & chips, but Terrazzo uses a cement binder and Agglomerate tile uses a resin binder.
Tile, Ceramic (clay) - Glazed
Colors, textures, shapes are in the thousands. Although considered to need almost no care or protection, the new and unique glazed tiles available today do have some characteristics that should be known before installation.Stone Look -slate or other finishes
Metallic Glazed (fired) see above for pure metal tiles.
Tile, Ceramic (clay) Unglazed
Clay body - Fired - Not glazed or coated.Each of these tiles is a category by itself - see above.
Mexican Tile - Saltillo | Mosaic Tile | Porcelain Tile
Quarry Tile | Terracotta Tile | & More
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