9,000+ customers served · 10+ years of PNW experience on every crew
Grout sealing applies a penetrating sealer to clean grout so that moisture, soap residue and spills sit on the surface instead of soaking in. It does not stop grout getting dirty. It stops the dirt getting absorbed, which is what makes grout look permanently stained. Everstone seals grout across Southwest Washington and the Portland metropolitan area.
Sealing is the most misunderstood service we offer, so here is the plain version.
Grout is porous, which is why it absorbs everything it touches. A sealer occupies that pore structure so liquids bead and sit rather than soak. Spills stay recoverable for longer. Routine cleaning works better because you are cleaning a surface rather than excavating a sponge.
Sealed grout still gets dirty. It still needs cleaning. And sealing does not prevent etching: acidic substances attack the material underneath the sealer, and no product on the market changes that. Sealer is not a force field, it is a head start.
We will not seal dirty grout, and you should not let anyone else either. Sealing traps whatever is in the grout at the moment of application. Seal soiled grout and you have locked in the discoloration and made it harder to reach.
Where grout needs cleaning first, sealing follows tile and grout cleaning in the same visit. Where grout has failed structurally, sealing will not help until the grout itself is sound.
Sealer goes on after cleaning, so the change you can see in these two is the cleaning stage. Sealing is what keeps it looking that way, by slowing how quickly soil and moisture work back into the grout. Both are real Everstone jobs.
We check whether the grout is sound, whether it has been sealed before, and whether a previous sealer is still present. Sealing over a failing topical sealer is a common way to get a result nobody likes.
The grout is cleaned and fully dried. Application onto damp grout is the most common cause of a sealer not taking.
We apply our proprietary commercial-grade sealer, developed with the chemist and chemical manufacturer relationship that came with the business.
Allow between 2 and 24 hours before the surface is used again, depending on whether it is a shower or a surface that stays dry. The first seven days matter most. The treatment is still curing, and a spill left to sit during that window can leave a mark that later cleaning will not lift. Clean up spills immediately during this period.
We look at the grout, tell you whether sealing will actually help, and quote it. Free, and no obligation.
Products
Proprietary commercial-grade penetrating sealer
Surfaces
Grout in kitchens, bathrooms, showers, entryways, laundry rooms
Typical duration
Half day or full day, 5 to 7 hours depending on the scope of work
Price range
From $549, depending on the surface, the area, its condition and the time the work takes
Cure window
First 7 days are critical; ready for use in 2 to 24 hours
Reseal interval
Depends on use and cleaning practices
Warranty
5-year limited sealer warranty, included
Grout sealing is covered. This is one of the services where our warranty applies directly and without qualification.
The sealer carries a five-year limited warranty to the original purchaser against sealer failure: peeling, flaking, or excessively rapid wear, for five years from the date of application. If the sealer fails, we replace it.
The warranty is sealer-only. Labor is excluded, as are etching, staining of concrete, caulking, enhancing, quartz, and the sealing of glass. Our liability is limited to replacement of the sealant found to be defective. Claims need proof of purchase and evidence the surface was maintained according to the care instructions.
Five years is worth putting in context. The nearest interior competitor in this market offers a one-year initial warranty on their sealing product, extendable only through paid annual maintenance. Several exterior companies in the Portland metro offer no written warranty at all.
There is no single interval. It depends on traffic, cleaning products used, and whether the area stays damp. Showers need it sooner than a guest bathroom floor. More: How often to clean and seal tile and grout
Put a few drops of water on a grout line and wait a minute. If it beads, the sealer is working. If it darkens the grout, the sealer has worn through.
You can. The two things that go wrong are sealing grout that was not fully clean, and sealing grout that was not fully dry. Both lock in the problem instead of preventing it. Retail sealers also tend to be topical rather than penetrating, which is why they peel.
No. The sealer Everstone uses is penetrating, so it soaks into the grout rather than sitting on top of it, and you should not expect a color change after sealing. An enhancer is a different product that can bring color out of stone. It is not part of standard sealing, and it is excluded from the sealer warranty.
It helps by reducing how much moisture the grout absorbs, but nothing in a wet room prevents growth on its own. Ventilation does more than any product. More: Why shower grout turns black
From $549, depending on the surface, the area, its condition and the time the work takes.
Sealing is what keeps a clean floor clean. Estimates are free and carry no obligation.