QUESTION

How do I restore my glazed ceramic tile surface? we have a 5' round glazed ceramic table on our covered porch, 100' from the Gulf of Mexico. The surface has become rough. I suspect the salt air has taken its toll. How can I restore it?

ANSWER

Answer: If you have glazed ceramic tile surface on your table and it has become rough, then I suspect that the body of the tile is very porous perhaps a Saltillo clay body? Glazed tile is a glass-like material that is impervious and normally would not be damaged by salt spray in the air. Some people use the term glaze as being synonymous to shinny surface, so I am assuming you mean a real glazed tile as previously defined.

If the body of the tile is very porous it is possible that the minerals/salts in the body of the tile can migrate to the surface of the tile causing spalling/deterioration. Saltillo tiles are known for have small undissolved clumps of lime in the body that can expand and cause lime-pops that break the tile surface. A glazed tile surface can become etched from being subjected to some type of acidic substance or food product. This condition will give the tile surface a slight textured surface that can be visibly noticeable. There is nothing you can do to fix an etched or deteriorated glazed ceramic tile surface. If you have a sealer with a shine that you are calling a glaze, it can be stripped and refinished.