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Slate Tiles Cleaning, Restoration and Sealing Experts

Riven Slate is the hardest to clean of the three types. With riven slate you get so much texture that using a rotary machine is sometimes nearly impossible with a strong sealer on it. So cleaning a riven slate floor is very much a hands on job with strong scrubbing brushes and knee pads.

For cleaning riven slate we use the best and strongest alkaline cleaners/strippers when the  floor has been sealed with a topical sealer. If slate has a strong wax on the floor then specific wax strippers will be used. 

Cleaning product/stripper will be applied on the floor and left to dwell in normally for about 10 - 20 minutes and it's followed by scrubbing the slate floor with a stiff scrubbing brush fitted to an industrial scrubbing machine. All areas where the machine won't get will be scrubbed by hand which is followed by removing all soiled chemical water with a wet vacuum and then rinsing the floor. More often than not, riven slate needs at least 2 - 3 applications. In problem areas where original cleaner/stripper is struggling an Gel Formulated HBU (Heavy Build Up) Cleaner can be used to solve the problem, as gel can be left on for much longer to break down the old sealer.

It is extremely important to seal your slate floor or wall tiles, because the sealer acts as a shield against future stains and dirt build-up. Even more so it's important so seal the grout which most of the tilers are not doing when the floors are getting laid down. When sealing a floor it is important that tiles as completely dry. We always check the floor with our damp tester before sealing. Below are the sealer options:

• If a more natural look is required, then slate tiles need to be sealed with a colour enhancing impregnating sealer - it is a solvent based matt sealer which penetrates in the surface and allows stones to breathe. Impregnating sealer performs well in wet areas including bathrooms, wet rooms and patios. It's also suitable on floors that have no damp proof course. When Slate Tiles are fully dry from cleaning, we apply a colour enhancing impregnating sealer to enhance the natural colours and patterns of slate. It's best if you apply 2-3 coats if the tiles have never been sealed before and 1-2 coats if they have been sealed previously. Also make sure to wipe off any sealer that didn't absorb into the stone surface. Impregnating sealer can be used on all slate tile types.
• If Sheen is required for the slate floor then a Topical film forming sealer will be used. Topical sealers can only be applied to Rough and Semi Riven Slate Tiles as it won't stick on polished slate tiles and leaves a tacky finish. Textured slate however looks brilliant with topical sealers. We use awater based acrylic topical sealer - it forms a durable film on top of the surface, enhances tile appearance and produces a sheen. Topical sealers are not recommended to be used outside or in wet areas. Normally slate tiles take 2 - 4 coats of the topical sealer. The conditions for sealing have to be perfect and the floor needs to be hoovered as everything will be trapped under the sealer. Topical sealer is our favoured choice for riven slate, it will help with everyday maintenance as it's very easy to clean it once sealed. You can clean off dirt from a topical sealed floor much easier as dirt won't be straight on rough stone surface. Right cleaning products are essential for everyday maintenance though. 

With us you can be sure your floor will be sealed with the right sealer suited for your needs. We will talk you through all the pros and cons of each sealer type. Also small sealer testers can be completed for visual decision making.

Sealers break down after 2-3 years (depending on usage) and will need to be re-applied. For not repeating the whole cleaning process after every 2-3 years, the topical sealer needs to be topped up yearly.  Our cleaning specialist can do that for you. If you take our maintenance plan then your topical sealed floor will be polished over once a year with very 3000 grit pad to remove scratches and then another coat or two of the topical sealer will be applied. This way your beautiful floor stays in a good condition.

To keep the shine on your polished slate tiles, you need to buff the floor with the last 3000 grit pad after every 3-6 months, depending on a wear. 

This process will improve surface tension (which is not to be confused with the amount of sealer residing in the stone), thereby tightening the pores in the stone to improve the overall appearance and finish of the floor. 

For everyday cleaning of Slate or any other Natural Stone tiles, a pH Neutral cleaners are recommended. The pH scale ranges from 1 to 14 and is a measure of a solution’s acidity or alkalinity. A pH of 7 is neutral; a pH less than 7 is acidic; and a pH greater than 7 is alkaline. By using pH neutral cleaners you won't be damaging the sealer as pH neutral cleaners are much weaker and safer enviromentally.

If you have any questions about the cleaning or maintenance of your slate tiles then let us know and we will be happy to help.