slate tiles

Late last year I visited a property in the village of Trellech, situated in the Wye Valley to look at renovating a Slate tiled kitchen floor. This is always a busy time of year for Tile Doctors as understandably people want their floors looking at their best in time for the festive season.

The Slate floor was comprised of twelve-inch square tiles which I could see were in a poor state, the sealer had obviously failed and without its protection dirt had become deeply ingrained into the Slate and Grout. To prove my point, I carried out a small test clean on part of the floor to demonstrate how clean we could get the floor. The difference was very clear and delighted with the potential results they asked me for a price to renovate the whole floor.

I worked out a quote to deep clean the floor and then seal it which would bring back the natural beauty and colours of the stone whilst adding protection. They were happy to give me the go ahead and fortunately I was able to find a couple of days to do the work before Christmas holidays.

Cleaning a Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor

To begin the cleaning process, I applied a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean to the Slate tile and grout and left it to soak in for ten to twenty minutes. This dwell time is important as it gives the product time to break down the dirt and any old sealers still present on the floor.

The floor was then scrubbed using a coarse 240-grit Carbide Brush fitted to a rotary floor buffer to get the tiles as clean as possible. The pad can struggle to reach into the recesses of the grout lines, so I followed this up by scrubbing the grout with a stiff wire brush and more Pro-Clean. The floor was then rinsed with water, and the now soiled cleaning solution removed with a wet vacuum.

Once done, the floor was inspected and then any areas that required more work were hand scrubbed until I was satisfied the floor was as clean as it could be. After another rinse with water the floor was dried as much as possible with the wet vacuum.

Sealing a Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor

Applying a sealer to damp tiles can result in a patchy appearance so the floor was left to dry for 24 hours before I returned to apply the sealer. We had discussed sealers at our first meeting where I had gone through the different products and finishes available. From this the client requested a satin like finish so Tile Doctor Seal and Go was selected.

Once I had confirmed the floor was dry with a damp meter, I set about applying the first of what would be four coats of Seal and Go. This product is water-based sealer so it doesn’t give off an odour as it dries, it also brings out the colour in the stone and leaves a lovely subtle satin finish.

The clients were extremely happy with the result and before leaving I took time to discuss aftercare. Essentially this means looking after the sealer and preventing its accelerated break down with the use of strong cleaning products. For a floor like this I like to leave clients with a bottle of Tile Doctors pH Neutral Tile Cleaner which is mild enough for daily use and has a pleasant fragrance, regular use should keep the floor in great condition.

 

Professional Restoration of a Slate Tiled Kitchen in Monmouthshire