Slate Care & Maintenance
A few tips from the team at Ardosia Slate. Find questions that we are often asked and answers providing you with help on your long term slate maintenance .
How do you clean slate?
Slate is relatively easy to clean. For everyday cleaning, wash down your slate with soapy water, avoid using any abrasive cleaning products. When you have removed all dirt and grease, wash the slate off with clean water and a clean cloth, this will remove any soap residues. When the slate dry you can use an LTP branded sealer on the face of the slate to restore it. Make sure that you follow the instructions on the bottle & buff the sealer to remove any excess product. If any scratches remain polish them with a fine wire wool, followed by the sealer to restore a perfect finish.
Does slate need to be sealed?
Slate doesn’t need to be sealed but in many cases it is advisable to use a sealer when it is used for flooring or high usage areas internally to help retain the natural finish. Slate has been used as traditional flagstone flooring for centuries where the wear and tear of usage just adds to the natural beauty of the floor. Once the slate is sealed it makes it easier to keep clean.
What is the best sealer for slate tiles?
We have a strong relationship with LTP and are always happy to recommend their products.
LTP Mattstone & LTP Stone Oil are the preferred sealers for natural slate.
Established in 1984 LTP are the leading UK manufactured brand for cleaning, sealing & maintenance products in the stone & tile market. Their products are suitable for domestic & commercial settings. For information on some of their best selling products see our ancillary page.
How often should you seal slate floors?
It is often the case that a sealer would only need to be applied once a year to retain a protective layer over the flooring. The number of times that a sealant is used depends a lot on the wear and tear on the floor. If there are areas on your floor such as to the sides and walls where there is little wear, you may only need to seal once. High footfall areas may need to be sealed more regularly but once a year for slate sealing is a good guide.
Do you need to grout slate flooring?
Grouting is an important stage of installing a slate floor. Grout stops water & dirt from getting into the joins. It also makes is easier to maintain.
How do you grout a slate floor?
When you grout a slate floor, work in one area at a time, do not aim to grout the floor in one go. It is a lot easier to clean grout off before it starts to go off so work in a small area at a time, usually around a metre square of floor or wall. We recommend a flexible grout for slate floors. Clean off any excess grout on the slate as soon as possible using clean water and a large, clean sponge. You can purchase grout tools for specific edges and tricky corners.
For more information on the recommended products see our ancillary page.