How to Reglaze Saltillo Tiles

Scrape any caked-on solids from the Saltillo tile with a paint scraper. Vacuum the tiles well with a shop vacuum cleaner.

Mix chemical floor stripper in a bucket with water according to label directions. Spread a generous amount of the stripper solution with a mop over the tiles beginning in a far corner of the room. Use enough solution so the floor will not dry before you finish the room. Use a figure-8 movement and cover an area about 6 feet square. Work your way across the room, overlapping wet edges of the strokes.

Let the stripper solution stay on the tiles as long as the label recommends. This is usually a few minutes. Start in the far corner and use a long-handled scrubber to work the stripper into the tiles.

Remove as much of the solution as you can with a shop vacuum cleaner. A squeegee can help with this.

Pour warm water on the floor and remove it with the vacuum. Rinse the floor in the same way with cold water two more times. If your brand of stripper has a neutralizer, follow the label directions to neutralize any remaining solution. Let the floor dry completely.

Use a sealer designed for Saltillo tiles and follow the label directions closely. In general, you probably will have to pour a puddle of sealer onto the tile in a far corner of the room. Let the puddle stand until all the bubbles have disappeared. Spread the puddle gently with a clean, natural-bristle broom. Saturate the surface of the Saltillo tiles with the sealer. Do not spread it too thin or agitate it to generate more bubbles. Let it stand a few seconds, then gently push the excess sealer to a dry area. Pour more sealer into the excess and spread it over the next area. Work your way across the room using this procedure.

Test the sealer with a water droplet. If the tile absorbs a water droplet after the sealer has been applied, apply another coat of sealer after the first one has set for three hours. Build up coats of sealer until the Saltillo tiles have an even gloss. Let the sealer dry for four hours before walking on it. It will take about three days to fully cure.