Slate, unlike Spanish tile, is a lot more dense and porous throughout the stone. Slate is used interior and exterior, and both require a different type of sealer. I’m not a chemist, and I cant tell you how and where and why slate is what it is. I can only tell you what works to seal it correctly, maintain it correctly, and prolong the life of your floors, walls, bathrooms, showers, counters, and every other possible variation and combination of irregular and square slate tiles.
Stripping and cleaning Slate tiles
You can’t truly clean embedded dirt in slate tiles until you strip and remove all the existing sealer. This reveals the raw stone which can then be deep cleaned by hand and resealed.
Slate tiles have those pores that can collect grease, oil, dirt, and grime that can deteriorate the sealer over time . They will turn ashy after truly cleaning the raw tiles
after cleaning 
after sealing
Sealing Indoor Slate Tile Floors
For interior slate, we encourage you to seal your tiles with a penetrating sealer that will keep them water proof and liquids will bead up on the tile for easy clean up instead of soaking into the tile and destroying the integrity of the stone.
On the same level is a Color Enhancing Sealer that will do the same thing as the penetrating sealer, and additionally will add depth and color to most types of slate tiles.
We also recommend a topical coating sealer that sits on top of the slate tiles, either a high gloss shine or a low luster sealer After the sealer we apply the high gloss liquid floor polish or, a low luster liquid floor polish. The reason we use these types of sealing and polishing techniques is because you want to be actually walking on the sealer aand floor polish, not the actual slate itself. this method gives ultimate protection against staining from oil, water, harsh chemicals, and high traffic areas.
Exterior Outdoor Slate Tiles Should Be sealed with either an enhancer or a penetrating sealer
WARNING: Do not put lacquer or topical coatings on exterior slate, as the elements such as rain and sun bleaching will quickly deteriorate the sealer and reveal white efflorescence!
Who else wants protected Slate tiles and a smile gleaming on their face
These floors are protected so well, that they can be completely neglected, and in ten years we can come back, Strip all of the existing coatings which would remove all the old sealer, old floor polish, and all the dirt that has embedded itself in the finish and the grout.
But.. you want to deep clean your slate every three years, and re-apply 2 to 3 coats of floor polish, so that you don’t ever HAVE to strip off the sealer. Just the floor polish, which will get off all scratches and surface dirt stuck in the finish.
Refinish and Restore your slate tiles Today!
Call (707) 384 – 1172
or Email Fritz Wittmann at
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