Slate Tile Cleaning

Welcome to my Work History archive where you will find detailed examples of the cleaning and renovation of Slate flooring carried out in West Sussex

Cleaning and Renovating Slate Floors

Slate is a very popular floor and wall tile due to its low porosity; there are many varieties and textures of Slate available as such Tile Doctor has spent many years researching the best cleaning and sealing methods and products. The semi-riven tile is particularly easier to maintain compared to the rough textured Slate commonly available due to its cheaper quarrying cost.

Porosity however small, is the main issue when maintaining Stone floors as dirt can easily become trapped in the pores and once that happens it becomes very difficult to clean. The solution is to prevent the ingress of dirt in the stone by applying a sealer such as Tile Doctor Seal and Go which works very well on Slate. However sealers do wear down with use and the application of unsuitable cleaning products, and so unless regularly maintained the floor will need to be stripped, deep cleaned and then resealed again every three to five years.

Below you will find detailed examples of work we have carried out in the past, it should give you some idea of what’s involved and what can be achieved with the right techniques and products.


Slate Tiled Floor Hastings Before After Sealing

Old Slate Tiled Floor Renovated in Hastings

This Slate Tiled floor belongs to a client who had recently bought an old Oast House in Hastings. They were in the process of restoring it and when lifting up the floor discovered an original slate floor underneath it. As the photos show it was in a very poor state and they were unsure whether to rip it up or see if it could be renovated.

Slate Tiled Floor Hastings Before Cleaning Slate Tiled Floor Hastings Before Cleaning

On arrival they showed me the floor and told me of their dilemma; we provide a free no obligation home survey so after a thorough inspection I proceeded to run a test clean on a small section to see how well it would come up. This involved applying a 3-1 dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and working it in with a stiff brush and hand held buffer with a black scrubbing pad. I was very pleased to see the floor come up really clean and informed them I was very confident that not only could I get the floor clean it would amazing when finished. The clients were happy to hear the good news and gave me instructions to go ahead

Cleaning black slate floor tiles

On my return I applied the same strong 3:1 dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean to the floor that I used before letting it soak into the tile for ten minutes before using a stiff brush and large buffing machine fitted with a scrubbing pad to clean the entire floor Slate tiled floor. When finished I went over the floor again looking for stubborn areas and spot treating them until I was happy with the result. Once happy I gave the floor a good rinse using fresh water to remove any trace of cleaning product from the floor and using a wet vacuum to remove the fluids and get the tiles as dry as possible.

Sealing Slate floor tiles

I left the floor for two days to allow time for it to completely dry out and returned to seal it using Tile Doctor Seal and Go. I applied four coats of sealer which gave the floor a fantastic finish and though the clients were initially weary of the shine I explained that it would dull down over a short period as it cured. Before leaving I gave them advice on how to keep the tiles clean and recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a neutral PH cleaner that will not reduce the integrity and longevity of the sealer; they were both very happy with the end result as was I as the difference after was striking.

Slate Tiled Floor Hastings After Sealing Slate Tiled Floor Hastings After Sealing

 

Slate tiled floor cleaned and sealed in Sussex

Old Slate Tiled Floor Renovated in Hastings Read More »

=================================

West Sussex Tile Doctor

================================= Read More »

Scroll to Top