Q: I recently put down a porcelain floor in my entry and kitchen and now wish it had more shine, is there anything I can use to give it shine?
A: There is a yes to this question, but I would also advise against it. Porcelain tile, once complete will come at a certain gloss level that it is intended to stay at. There are top-coating sealants and waxes out there for porcelain tile which are meant to be applied post installation and can give matte tiles a shiny appearance; however, the problem is that because porcelain tile is so dense, the products can’t penetrate the surface and instead form a new surface layer.
This new layer will show traffic patterns, is easier to scratch, and also can potentially peel up and flake in spots because it is simply not bonded to the tile. If the porcelain was not properly cleaned ahead of time, the sealer/wax can take on a hazy or full appearance and multiple coats of sealer can cause a discoloration appearance in your tile. When these problems occur, it can be rather costly to strip and reapply new layers of sealant.
You could add a sealant to get some shine, though I would honestly not suggest doing this. You could simply try a few different cleaners to see if one ensure a better gloss level from basic cleaning, but in the end tile is typically not meant to have its gloss level changed post installation.
