Slate floor cleaning services

Slate is an incredibly popular choice for tiling that can be used in floors as well as other surfaces throughout the home. While being very resilient, it still requires maintenance to keep it looking its best. If you feel your slate floor could benefit from a restoration, why not reach out to the Tile & Stone Medic team today to find out how we can help?

Common issues

Compared to other types of natural stone, Slate is very resistent to both scratches and the absorbtion of water. These are the main reasons why it doesn’t normally suffer from the same marking on it’s surface as other types of floor tile. Due to the manner of it’s creation where tiles are made by splitting along the grain, it can be vulnerable to chipping and flaking. If you’ve noticed small chips on your slate this may not be a major issue. Especially after recently being installed, this is entirely normal and contributes to its unique look, no two slate floors will look identical. If however the flaking seems excessive and the slate floor has become uncomfortable underfoot it is probably the case that restoration is needed.

Some slate floors can appear to become dull as time progresses. Where once the gleaming tiles may have brightened a room, this reflective surface inevitably becomes diminished. This dulling is caused when sealant, especially ‘wet look’ sealer, wears away. What was once a smooth, shiny, mirror of a surface becomes roughers through the abrasions of normal use. Dust and dirt create tiny scratches, when trodden on which eventually wear away the sealant, and then the rock beneath.

As well as the tiles themselves, the grout should also be considered. This material, which holds tiles together is much more porous. As grout is not as water resistant and because it is generally a little recessed from the top surface of the tile, it becomes a trap for dirt and grime. While this is a slow process, over time grout that was once white will become dark and discoloured. As well as this visual sign of wear, the grout can also lose its ability to hold tiles in place, meaning that tiles become cracked.

How we maintain slate floor tile flooring

When restoring slate the most common job is simply topping up or completely reapplying the sealant. Particularly when a wet look sealant has been used, a top up can restore an amazing amount of shine back into a once dull slate floor. A professional job can leave it looking as good as, if not better than, new. We have a range of sealant products available so if a shiny finish isn’t what you’re looking for there are many other suitable options. Removing any built up dirt from the surface of the slate is necessary before any sealant can be applied. For this we would use one of our many specialist cleaning liquids depending on the condition of the slate.

In cases where tiling has chipped excessively or shattered, replacement slate is needed for a full restoration. We can help source replacements where necessary. If wear to the grouting has caused the slate to become damaged we have a range of high quality grouting options to ensure you get the longest lasting and most resilient fitting for your floor.

Will repairing my slate floor tiles cause disruption?

Slate is so hardwearing that, unless large amount of tiles need to be replaced, restoration is generally simple and not at all disruptive. No loud and bulky machinery is necessary and any chemicals deemed necessary will be perfectly safe for use in the home. We always work to the highest possible standards of health and safety.

If you think your slate floor may be in need of repair and restoration why not get in touch with us at Tile & Stone Medic? We offer a great value service and have the experience we need to deliver you stunning results, every time.

Examples of our work

FAQs: Slate Cleaning

Yes, of course. Because slate is less porous than most natural stone it is not uncommon to see it used in bathrooms and even wetrooms. Such use places high demands on the slate, with the material being frequently exposed to water, as well as cleaning products, which can leave undesirable marks such as efflorescence. Not only can we carry out thorough cleaning and restoration work in these situations, we can apply the most appropriate sealants to help protect your investment too.

Slate can come in many types of shapes and sizes as well as different textures. In all cases, we can work with you to find the best solution for your slate. We can clean and restore slate that is riven, or semi riven, where the tile has been made by splitting the naturally occurring rock down a seam. We also work with other types of slate, such as those that have been honed or polished to a smoother finish. Regardless, get in touch to discuss how we can find the best cleaning and restoration solution for your needs.

While slate is relatively good at resisting water (why it’s often used in roofing), it is still somewhat vulnerable to liquids, especially the acids found in food and drink. We would strongly suggest that a sealant is periodically applied to your slate floor. This will also help protect against scratches, to which slate is much more vulnerable. We’d suggest that you regularly and carefully sweep and vacuum to remove any dirt or grit that accumulates on the floor as this can leave scratches when trodden on. A sealant can create a protective layer, meaning that this barrier gets worn down by such erosion, rather than the stone itself. We can consult with you to find the best sealant for your slate floor.

The process we carry out will depend on your specific floor and the use that it gets. There will be variations for different materials and the finish that you wish to achieve. The process will also be impacted by the full scale of work that we carry out, for example which types of cleaning and restoration are being performed. It is not unusual to apply several layers of sealant if this is necessary and appropriate.

Firstly, a floor should always be sealed when it is first laid. Get in touch with us straight away if this hasn’t been carried out already. It will also need periodic sealing in order to protect the floor on an ongoing basis. How often sealing is required depends on a number of factors such as the specific material used for your flooring and the kind of use it has to survive. For example, a bathroom with natural tiles that is frequently exposed to water may require sealing more often than porcelain tiles in a kitchen. Frequent maintenance, such as sweeping and hoovering up the dust and grit that erodes floors when trodden on can help. Once the sealant is worn away, not only will scratches be more likely, the risk of staining or permanent damage from liquids is drastically increased as there is no protective layer to prevent absorption. If in doubt get in touch with our team of friendly technicians who can discuss your needs.

We have a range of high quality Faber products which will help protect your floors from damage. As every type of floor is different and has myriad uses, we will consult with you to work out the best way to protect your investment. We can apply topical sealants which form a protective layer on top of the floor, or if needed an impregnating sealant, which will be partially absorbed into the stone or tiles. There are many variations of these sealants and as each floor type has unique characteristics and vulnerabilities we can work with you to find and apply the the best kind of protection.

Absolutely. If this was not carried out by those who fitted the floor get in touch immediately to ensure that the appropriate protection can be applied as promptly as possible. We would recommend that this is carried out once the flooring is in place as this means the grout, which is generally more porous, will also be protected.

We apply a sealer to a floor in order to protect it. Different types of floor, both manmade and natural stone, are vulnerable to different sorts of damage. They can all be harmed by chemicals to a certain degree, even by the acid in food and drink spillages, as they will be very slightly porous. As well as this, they can be worn away by physical damage. Even foot traffic can have a big impact if dust or grit has built up on the floor, since it increases abrasions. A sealant will reduce the chance of a spill becoming a stain by reducing the floor’s ability to absorb liquids. It can also help protect the appearance of the floor by forming a protective barrier. A sealant won’t prevent all damage and it will still wear away over time, but it will help your floors last longer, helping protect your investment. Sealants will even help protect your floor from UV radiation which can lead to fading over the lifespan of a high value stone or tiled floor. We can consult with you to find the best sealant for your floor and the type of use it gets to make sure it receives the best form of protection.

Yes, we have a range of fillers we can use to repair chipped or dented stone.

Whilst we may use specialist chemicals in the course of our work, we can assure you that by the time we leave all residues will be gone and your tile or stone flooring will be perfectly safe for everyone to use. We work to extremely high standards of health and safety, conducting proper risk assessments where appropriate and never putting you or anyone else in danger.

We always work in the most considerate way possible. Work will be tailored to your needs and will fit around your schedule where possible. We avoid bringing loud or bulky machinery into your home and when a job is complete we thoroughly clean up after ourselves to leave your space looking as tidy as it did when we arrived.

Yes, ideally if you want the job done to the best of our ability, then all furniture, kick plates in kitchens etc should be removed. However, don’t worry we will help you manage this.
Absolutely! we are always happy to show you our insurance certificates or down load them to you if so required.
Once we have spoken to you in more detail we will be able to give you an idea of the time allocation required to restore your floors to a high level.
Because all floors require their own individual needs, perhaps different cleaning solutions, strippers and sealers it is impossible to give an average cost. Some areas of floor are very large and again this will have an impact on the costings as they may take longer to restore. Tile & Stone Medic will either arrrange an onsite visit to assess the floor in question, or, if we do not have local cover in that area, we will talk to you in more detail over the phone and perhaps request that you down load some pictures of the floor to us.