Sealing Slate Archives - South Cumbria Tile Doctor

Riven Oyster Slate Floor Renovation Grasmere

This Oyster Slate tiled floor installed at a property in Grasmere had become dull and uneven in appearance due to ground-in dirt. The floor was subject to heavy foot traffic from a large family and over time the sealer had worn down allowing dirt into the pores of the stone and leaving it looking permanently dull. Unhappy with its appearance the owner requested a thorough clean to restore the natural colour and texture of the slate and then seal the surface to protect it long-term while retaining a natural finish.

Oyster Slate Floor Before Renovation Grasmere

Before quoting I paid a visit to the property and conducted an initial inspection of the floor to assess porosity and condition. I also used the opportunity to measure the floor area which was quite large as it extended from the living room into the kitchen and adjacent utility.

From the inspection I was able to work out a renovation plan which fed into a detailed quote that included all the products needed to do the work. The quote was emailed over the client who was happy for the work to go ahead and a date was scheduled.

Cleaning an Oyster Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor

To get the floor clean and free of any remaining sealer a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean was sprayed onto the tiles and left to soak in for ten minutes. This gives the product time to work its way into the pores of the stone to digest the soiling and breakdown old sealers. The floor was then scrubbed using a rotary machine fitted with a coarse silicone brush that gets into the stone and grout to lift embedded grime from the riven surface and grout.

Oyster Slate Floor During Renovation Grasmere

The soiling was then rinsed off the floor and extracted with a wet vacuum. The Slate tile and grout were then inspected and any stubborn stains re-treated using the same process. Due to the size of the floor I worked in sections and once complete rinsed and extracted again to remove the remaining residues. A fan was deployed around the floor to increase drying times.

Oyster Slate Floor During Renovation Grasmere

Sealing an Oyster Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor

After leaving the floors to dry out fully overnight I returned the next day to apply a sealer which would add colour and an appealing finish to the slate. For slate I recommend using Tile Doctor Seal & Go which adds an appealing subtle satin finish to the stone. Four coats were needed to fully seal the stone and protect it from ingrained dirt and staining.

The floor now has a clean, even appearance with the natural character of the Oyster Slate fully revealed. The new seal provides durable protection, easier maintenance, and improved resistance to moisture and everyday wear.

Oyster Slate Floor After Renovation Grasmere

The slate floor looked so much better once complete, and the clients were very happy with the improvement. The new sealer will also keep dirt on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away for which I recommended using Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner and a two-chamber mop.

Professional Renovation of an Oyster Slate Tiled Kitchen in South Cumbria

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Brazilian Semi Riven Slate Kitchen Floor Kendal Cumbria

1 Comment / Kendal Tile Cleaning, Slate Tile Cleaning / Chris Jones

This client in Kendal recently had a new kitchen fitted, but the builder/ joiner didn’t put any protection over the Brazilian Black semi riven Slate flooring resulting in quite a mess. As a result, the new Kitchen units looked great but the floor was pulling the look of the whole job down.

Brazilian Black Slate Before Cleaning Kendal

The client called us in to rectify it, we have a lot of experience with stone floors and have the know-how and equipment to achieve a good result. You will see from the photographs we took time to protect the new kitchen units whilst we were cleaning, this is standard practice for a Tile Doctor it is just a shame the kitchen fitters hadn’t done the same to protect the floor.

Cleaning a Brazilian Black Semi Riven Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor

Work started by stripping off the old sealer with a product called Tile Doctor Remove and Go which was diluted and worked in with a 200-grit diamond milling pad. This process leaves the floor free of old sealers and dirt resulting in lots of soiling which was rinsed off with water and extracted with an industrial wet vacuum.

Brazilian Black Slate During Cleaning Kendal

The next step was to treat the floor to an acid wash using Tile Doctor Grout Clean Up, this removes any mineral staining from the tile including grout smears and leaves the tile in a pH neutral state after the use of Remove and Go which is a strong alkaline product. Another advantage of doing this is that it will improve the bond with the new sealer later. Once that was done the floor was given a rinse with water to remove the Tile Doctor Grout Clean Up and then dried with a wet vacuum.

Sealing a Brazilian Black Semi Riven Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor

Once the deep clean had been completed, the protective plastic was then removed from the kitchen units and the sealer was applied; on this occasion the client preferred a nice satin finish rather than a dull matt finish which was on there before we had arrived.

To seal the floor, we used Tile Doctor Seal and Go which produces an appealing satin finish and brings out the best in Slate tiles as you will see on the photos. The new sealer will protect the stone from staining and is very durable so will be ideal in this kitchen situation.

Brazilian Black Slate After Cleaning Sealing Kendal

For aftercare cleaning we recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner. This is pH neutral product that is effective yet won’t impact the newly applied sealer which can be a problem with stronger floor cleaning products.

Professional Restoration of a Brazilian Black Slate Tiled Kitchen in South Cumbria

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Old Black Slate Floor Restored Grange-over-Sands

200-Year-Old Black Slate Floor Restoration in Grange over Sands

1 Comment / Grange-Over-Sands Tile Cleaning, Slate Tile Cleaning / Chris Jones

The customer from Grange Over Sands had taken up a musty smelling carpet that had been in place for many years over a Black Slate tiled floor. After taking to the internet to do some research he had worked out that the pointing would need to be re-done, the stone deep cleaned and then a breathable sealer put in place. Using a breathable sealer on an old floor is very important as it won’t have a damp proof membrane and so must be allowed to breathe. If the moisture can’t rise through the floor, it will accumulate and reach out to the walls causing rinsing damp which can be most unpleasant and result in mould.

Black Slate Floor Before Cleaning Grange-Over-Sands

Realising this was a lot of work to do on his own we were asked to quote for renovating the whole floor including sealing. Whilst I was there surveying the floor, I also noticed the slate slabs were slightly uneven with small height differences between the stone tiles, something we call lippage which can be a trip hazard.

Speaking with the owner I discussed the lippage problem and how it could be resolved using a process Tile Doctor invented called milling which uses very coarse diamond encrusted pads to grind away up to 4mm of unwanted stone and then refinish the surface. Happy to go with my suggestion out quote was accepted and a date arranged for the work to begin.

Milling Black Slate Flooring Level

We use a heavy weighted buffing machine to mill the stone, it weighs about 55kg when fully loaded and the extra weight ensures the coarse diamond pads make good contact. The process starts with a 50-grit DRB Milling pad to cut into the stone and remove the lippage, only water is used to help lubricate the process and once done the floor is rinsed and the soiling removed with a wet vacuum.

This process is followed with a 100-grit DRB pad and then a 200-grit DRB which hones the stone and gives it a smooth texture. The other advantage of using these pads is by removing the top layer it also takes the dirt with it leaving a new clean surface.

Next step was to knock out the old pointing with a Titan Breaker tool, it’s a noisy process but much of was already loose or missing so it was easier than it sounds. The old pointing was replaced using a modern flexible product that is also breathable.

The new pointing was allowed to cure overnight and then we called back to finish that stage of the restoration by working in a dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go with a 200-grit milling pad. This step is designed to remove any sticky texture left over for the pointing and then we give the floor a final rinse with water and vacuum off the excess.

Sealing Black Slate Tiled Floor

The floor was left to dry off overnight and we came back for a 3rd day to seal the slate which was the final stage in the restoration. Before doing so though we like to check the moisture levels of the stone to make sure its dry enough. We don’t recommend applying a sealer to damp tile as it the results can be patchy.

To seal this floor two coats of Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal were applied, this product is oil based which is perfect for Black Slate as it helps restore the colour and adds texture to the stone. X-Tra Seal is also breathable and so will allow moisture from under the floor to rise through the stone and evaporate at the surface so no more musty damp smell.

Black Slate Floor After Cleaning Grange-Over-Sands

Once the sealer dried the room was transformed, additionally the newly milled finish will make the stone a lot easier to clean and maintain unlike the rough texture it had before. This was a great result when you consider this is an original slate floor over 200 years old; original features like this are very much sought after so a good investment that’s a natural fit within the older building.

I always mention to my customers the importance of using a PH neutral tile cleaning product for aftercare cleaning and not to use a bleach-based cleaning products which are simply too strong and will prematurely damage the sealer given time reducing its protective qualities and appearance.

Professional Slate Floor Restoration in South Cumbria

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