Faber Gres Protector Review
Ceramics and porcelain tiles are popular for their versatility and ease of maintenance. The tiles can be made to mimic other kinds of surface materials, be it stone, concrete, brick or wood, but without loads of effort or resources going into the upkeep. They have low levels of water absorption and in many cases can go without any special sealant treatment. They dry quickly when they get wet, and the natural abrasion on the surface provides adequate traction to prevent them from becoming slippery. Sure, porcelain tiles aren’t waterproof, but the water resistance is sufficient enough to avoid water damage – which is also why you see materials like porcelain tiles being a popular choice for moist areas like bathrooms and mudrooms. For ceramics though, the moisture can be more problematic, which is why one of the major issues affecting these units is cracking from the dampness and temperature fluctuations. However, these surfaces face common threats, key among them being stains. When staining agents are set into the material, they can be difficult to remove. Here, focus shifts to taking proactive steps that will prevent this from occurring. Accidents and spills are a part of life, despite one’s best efforts to avoid them, but having a treatment in place to ward off the effects of the staining agents will still enable you to protect your installation. That’s where formulations like the Gres Protector. It’s a product from Faber, that has been specifically formulated to meet the requirements of ceramic and porcelain tiles.
Benefits Of The Faber Gres Protector
- Stain-proof your surfaces
Here you have an impregnating agent that gets into the ceramic and porcelain stoneware, forming firm bonds with the material, and preventing staining agents from getting into the structure. By keeping liquids like coffee, tea and wine, all through to fats like oily residue from getting into the pores of the treated surface, it protects the structure from staining. Those spills can then be cleaned up without worrying about stains that would have otherwise set into the material. That way you get to maintain the aesthetic appeal of the surfaces.
The water-repellent nature of the Faber Gres Protector makes it a beneficial solution during grouting and washing processes for stoneware and ceramic installations. Here, it is used as a pre-grouting treatment, where, once applied to the surface, will prevent the tiles from absorbing the loads of water that are used during the routine operations, and it also prevents staining from the grout itself. This makes the process more seamless. When the Faber Gres Protector is being applied as a pre-grouting treatment, give it 1 day to dry before proceeding to grout the surface.
- Preserve the original look
Protecting your installation from stains doesn’t mean that you have to compromise on their beauty. The Faber Gres Protector does not leave behind any traces on the treated surfaces. It delivers the water and oil-resistance properties without altering the original look and feel of the installation. When using the formulation on light-coloured tiles, the tone and colour of the installation remains the same. When used on dark-coloured tiles, it lightly enhances the aesthetics of the material, making the tone and colour more prominent.
By treating your surfaces with the Faber Gres Protector, the day-to-day maintenance becomes much easier. For starters, keeping those accidental spills from being soaked up by the tiles buys you time to clear them without stains forming. This also reduces the amount of resources required for the task. Moreover, this solvent-based impregnating agent serves to limit the dirt absorption capacity of the material. It keeps dirt from penetrating into the surface of the installation that way the different substances can be quickly cleared off the surfaces.
When choosing products for the cleaning, remember to work with formulations that will be suitable for the particular surface in question. Faber, the brand behind the Gres Protector, also provides cleaning products for the diverse types of surfaces. These are the likes of the Natural Cleaner and the Floor Cleaner products, which are both safe for application on surfaces treated with the Gres Protector. They will enable you to get rid of the dirt and grime without compromising on the functionality of the stain-proofing treatment. Products from the brand and trusted, with their reliability having been proven time and again over the years of the company’s existence – a history that traces back to 1986.
- Indoor and outdoor applications
This formulation is for both outdoor and indoor surfaces, with its resistance to UV radiation and weather elements. This applies for ceramics, as well as the different kinds of porcelain stoneware, including structured, polished, lapped and natural variations. Given that it has low-odour solvents, it minimises the impact on indoor air quality.
The Faber Gres Protector is certified food-safe. This makes it an ideal stain-proofing agent for kitchen countertops made of the materials mentioned. The application rate of this formulation is 10-15m² per litre, and this will depend on the absorption levels of the installation being worked on.
The application process is quick and easy. Here, one works with a cloth, brush, roller, or even a lambswool applicator, spreading a thick coat of the product onto the target surface. Emphasis is on ensuring that a uniform layer has been achieved, after which you simply allow the treatment to dry. It dried fast, being absorbed by the ceramics or porcelain stoneware, where the drying takes just 1 hour. Use white spirit to wash the equipment that you worked with.
To get quality results:
- Clean the surface before treating it with the Faber Gres Protector.
- 10 minutes after applying the product, assess the surface for areas with residue or excess product. Redistribute the contents as needed. In fact, it’s advisable to continue doing this throughout the 1-hour in which the treatment will be drying, for you to end up with seamless results.
- If the application is being done on recently laid tiles, let the adhesives used cure before applying the treatment.
