Slate Sealing Archives - North West Yorkshire Tile Doctor

Colour Restored to Cement-Stained Black Slate Paving in Bedale

A client in Bedale had a Black Slate Patio installed the previous year and was never happy with its appearance. The paving was quite extensive and included the main patio, areas around the property and its perimeter. The client understood the stone was Limestone however it was clear to us it was Slate, either way it had quickly lost its colour and now looked washed out and grey. Although the patio had been laid level it had been left with a thin coated of lime mortar following the installation which had further affected its appearance.

Black Slate Patio Before Renovation Bedale Yorkshire

Black Slate Paving Before Renovation Bedale Yorkshire

I visited the property, surveyed the paving and ran a couple of tests to work out the best way to restore its appearance and demonstrate what we could do. The testing worked well and our customer knew at that moment they could trust us with its restoration.

Having taken measurements, I worked out what products would be needed to do the work and later that day emailed over a quote which they were happy to accept.

Deep Cleaning Black Slate Garden Paving

To remove the lime cement hazing that was covering the Slate and generally clean the stone a medium dilution Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up was applied and left to soak in for ten minutes. This gives the product time to breakdown the lime cement before working it in with a black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary buffer.

Grout Clean-Up is designed to remove light grout smears and mineral deposits and once done the paving was given a low-pressure rinse and the soiling extracted with a wet vacuum. The Slate was now clean and clear of cement; it just needed to dry out before it could be sealed.

Sealing a Slate Tiled Patio

We have picked a good weather window for this work and fortunately after leaving it to dry for another day it was ready for sealing. We use a damp meter to test for moisture and this was used on our return to confirm it was dry.

Two coats of Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal were applied to seal the Slate and this being an oil-based sealer did a great job of restoring the black colour and deep rich finish to the stone. X-Tra seal is rated for external use and is an impregnator that soaks into the stone, occupying the pores and thereby ensuring that dirt remains on the surface where it can be easily rinsed away.

By the time we had finished the patio looked the best it had ever had and the customer was pleasantly surprised and very pleased with how it now looked, apparently it was just how she wanted it.

Black Slate Patio After Renovation Bedale Yorkshire

Black Slate Paving After Renovation Bedale Yorkshire

To keep the patio looking good it’s important not to clean it with a strong product that can damage the sealer. For this reason, we recommend using Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is ph. neutral and sealer friendly.

Professional Restoration of a Black Slate Garden Paving in Yorkshire

Kitchen Slate Granite Before After Renovation Harrogate

Kitchen Slate Floor with Inlaid Granite Renovated in Harrogate

1 Comment / Harrogate Tile Cleaning, Slate Tile Cleaning, Work History / Nigel Stoker

I was recently asked to survey an unusual stone floor at a house in in Harrogate comprising of Slate inlaid with Granite. The client advised that it had not been cleaned properly for 20 years and wanted it renovating! It was now definitely overdue a deep clean and professional attention. Fortunately, having worked on these floors for many years I knew I could make a substantial impact and transform its appearance. Fossilized slate is a beautiful stone when cleaned and sealed correctly.

Slate and Granite Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Harrogate

The owner confessed they had actually been sealing the floor every two years but without a deep clean first, so they were effectively sealing in the dirt each time. I discussed with them the process I would use to clean and re-seal the floor and we agreed a price to carry to out the work.

Cleaning Slate and Granite Tiled Kitchen Floor

To remove the layers of old sealer and dirt used a set of Tile Doctor Diamond Burnishing pads. The pads are attached to a rotary floor machine starting with the coarse 400-grit pad which was lubricated with a dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go to help strip the floor of dirt and layers of sealer. After rinsing and extracting the soil I worked through the different grades of pads in sequence finishing with the 1500-grit and this time using just water for lubrication.

A set of diamond handheld burnishing blocks were then used to clean up the edges and corners where the large 17” pads struggle to reach. This ensures all areas are treated and free of dirt and old sealer.

The floor was then rinsed and extracted again to remove the remaining soil. I find a wet vacuum is an invaluable tool for this. The floor was then left to dry out overnight ready for sealing the next day.

Sealing a Granite and Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor

I returned the next day to seal the floor, first checking with a damp meter that the floor was dry, and the moisture reading was below the acceptable level. These results were fine, so I had a green light to continue and seal the stone.

The customer wanted a shine on the floor so rather than apply a satin sealer which I felt wouldn’t adhere to the stone properly I decided to polish the floor further with a the last of the four burnishing pads which is a very fine 3000-grit pad. You don’t need to use a lot of water with this last pad just a small amount sprayed onto the floor using a technique we refer to as a ‘Spray Burnish’.

To seal the floor, two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow were applied. This is an impregnating matt sealer which intensifies the natural colours of this beautiful stone and provides long lasting durable protection.

Slate and Granite Kitchen Floor After Cleaning Harrogate

Even I was impressed with the finished result but more importantly the client was over the moon. To keep the floor looking its best I recommended they use Tile Doctor Stone Soap which is pH neutral. You should always read the label in detail when choosing a floor cleaning product as many are too strong and not recommended for sealed stone surfaces as they will prematurely erode the sealer.

Professional Restoration of a Slate and Granite Kitchen Floor in Yorkshire

Kitchen Slate Floor with Inlaid Granite Renovated in Harrogate Read More »