How can an engraved photo be preserved on a bathroom tile

[Andrei Georgescu]

I have quite good results engraving on black bathroom tiles. The engraving survives light cleaning with the hand to remove most of the dust but the problem is after I wash them when all the dust goes away and the image fades. Is there any resin that could keep the dust particles in their place?
http://i57.tinypic.com/24o4mit.jpg

[Bill George]

On wood router art, I have used automotive clear coat as a top coat to help preserve the colors. It might be worth a try on a scrap piece.

[Andrei Georgescu]

Thank you, I will try that.

[Tammy Arnott]

Hi Andrei. I'm new here, but have found this forum to be a wealth of information, so I thought I'd share what I do.

Another option might be more durable than relying on the dust to stay in place as a colorant. This method works well for me on granite tiles. I haven't had any reason to try porcelean yet, but I imagine the results might be similar.

I clean them very well and let them dry, then fill them with paint. I use an outdoor-rated acrylic white paint. (Laserbits offers a stone fill that may be a better option, but it is more expensive, I'm too impatient to wait for mail order, and I drive by Michaels or Hobby Lobby almost every day. It's in the same type of bottles that you find the $.59 paint for, but it's usually around $1.99. Be sure to get the outdoor-rated kind. Or buy the stone fill.)

Anyway, I use worn old cotton t-shirts that I've cut into strips and use one to work a drop or two of the paint into a 4" x 4" area, then use another clean rag to buff the top surface clean before the paint dries. This fills the tiny nooks & crannies created by the laser while leaving the surface its original color.

Following that, I seal the tile with a professional grade stone sealer, but I suspect that a grout sealer would probably work too.

The color has held up beautifully for several years with no yellowing, but I have not subjected this to a harsh bathroom environment where scrubbing would be a necessity.

Best of luck!
Tammy

Might be something to try that would be more durable in the long term 287935

[Andrei Georgescu]

That looks very nice, I wondered how do you guys get that clean white on black granite. First thing in the morning I will try your method on some granite I engraved today. Thanks.

[Bert Kemp]

Rub and buff will also work and then seal. I spray 3 coats of clear exterior enamel on ceramic tiles works great.

[Bill George]

Hi Andrei. I'm new here, but have found this forum to be a wealth of information, so I thought I'd share what I do.

Another option might be more durable than relying on the dust to stay in place as a colorant. This method works well for me on granite tiles. I haven't had any reason to try porcelean yet, but I imagine the results might be similar.

I clean them very well and let them dry, then fill them with paint. I use an outdoor-rated acrylic white paint. (Laserbits offers a stone fill that may be a better option, but it is more expensive, I'm too impatient to wait for mail order, and I drive by Michaels or Hobby Lobby almost every day. It's in the same type of bottles that you find the $.59 paint for, but it's usually around $1.99. Be sure to get the outdoor-rated kind. Or buy the stone fill.)

Anyway, I use worn old cotton t-shirts that I've cut into strips and use one to work a drop or two of the paint into a 4" x 4" area, then use another clean rag to buff the top surface clean before the paint dries. This fills the tiny nooks & crannies created by the laser while leaving the surface its original color.

Following that, I seal the tile with a professional grade stone sealer, but I suspect that a grout sealer would probably work too.

The color has held up beautifully for several years with no yellowing, but I have not subjected this to a harsh bathroom environment where scrubbing would be a necessity.

Best of luck!
Tammy

Might be something to try that would be more durable in the long term 287935

Beautiful. How much power are you using?

[Andrei Georgescu]

Didn't have time to do a photo but I tried the paint thing on two chameleons engraved on granite scraps.
288012

[Andrei Georgescu]

This reply mode is confusing. :confused:

[Dan Hintz]

This reply mode is confusing. :confused:

Near the upper right of the screen there's a dropdown labeled "Display"... select "Linear" and I think you'll be much happier.

[Andrei Georgescu]

That's more like it.

[Tammy Arnott]

Sorry... I didn't realize that I wouldn't get a notification when someone replied to the thread. I use a 30W and this was engraved at 26% power, 70% speed, with an image density of 5. (Scale on this brand runs from 1-6).

[Mike Null]

Look into using artist's fixative spray.