Flooring Tile - Slate floor: clean & seal?
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05-31-01, 11:34 AM
I bought a house with slate floors in a corridor
and in a utility room. Unfortunately the previous
owner was sloppy with the grout application and never got around to sealing the stone. Foot traffic has added a layer of grundge on top of the smudges of dried grout. How do I go about cleaning the slate before I apply a sealer?
and in a utility room. Unfortunately the previous
owner was sloppy with the grout application and never got around to sealing the stone. Foot traffic has added a layer of grundge on top of the smudges of dried grout. How do I go about cleaning the slate before I apply a sealer?
John Bridge
05-31-01, 07:28 PM
Hi Albert,
A picture speaks a thousand words, as they say, and I wish you could post one.
Slate, you know, comes in layers (strata), and it's possible to flake the uppermost layers off. This, though, is something that should be done by someone who is familiar with the stone, because it's very easily ruined.
There are cleaners, but unless I know the severety of the problem, I'd be hesitant to recommend one.
Can you tell us a bit more about the general appearance of the surface?
John
http://www.johnbridge.com
A picture speaks a thousand words, as they say, and I wish you could post one.
Slate, you know, comes in layers (strata), and it's possible to flake the uppermost layers off. This, though, is something that should be done by someone who is familiar with the stone, because it's very easily ruined.
There are cleaners, but unless I know the severety of the problem, I'd be hesitant to recommend one.
Can you tell us a bit more about the general appearance of the surface?
John
http://www.johnbridge.com
05-31-01, 09:25 PM
Hey John,
Sorry, don't have access to a digital camera at the moment, so I will try to describe the condition the best that I can.
The floor looks to be a blend of different slate colors: dark grey, light green, dark green, light burgundy, and a few terra cotta. All pieces are either rectangular or square, probably no more than 1/2" to 3/8" in thickness,
laid out in a random pattern of 6 x 6, 6 x 9, 6 x 12,
and 9 x 12 inch pieces. Some natural irregularities in
the surface, but not heavily cleft or anything. Joints are anywhere from 1/4" to 3/8" wide with a grey grout.
Most of the grout joints are actually okay except for
being very filthy with ground in dirt, almost brown in places. But in certain areas it looks like grout was smeared across the face of the tile and allowed to dry. I tried picking at it, but it seems pretty stuck on.
Should I just get after the dirt with a stiff brush and soapy water? Or is there a better way? Can I remove the grout with a sander or wire brush? I want to get it really
clean and good looking before I apply the sealer.
Sorry, don't have access to a digital camera at the moment, so I will try to describe the condition the best that I can.
The floor looks to be a blend of different slate colors: dark grey, light green, dark green, light burgundy, and a few terra cotta. All pieces are either rectangular or square, probably no more than 1/2" to 3/8" in thickness,
laid out in a random pattern of 6 x 6, 6 x 9, 6 x 12,
and 9 x 12 inch pieces. Some natural irregularities in
the surface, but not heavily cleft or anything. Joints are anywhere from 1/4" to 3/8" wide with a grey grout.
Most of the grout joints are actually okay except for
being very filthy with ground in dirt, almost brown in places. But in certain areas it looks like grout was smeared across the face of the tile and allowed to dry. I tried picking at it, but it seems pretty stuck on.
Should I just get after the dirt with a stiff brush and soapy water? Or is there a better way? Can I remove the grout with a sander or wire brush? I want to get it really
clean and good looking before I apply the sealer.
John Bridge
06-01-01, 06:34 PM
Albert,
I wouldn't try the sanding or grinding. I don't think you'll be able to replicate nature -- it'll show.
Get some sulfamic acid crystals from a tile supplier. The the acid solution in an out of the way place. Sounds like the grout is really built up, so you'll have to scrub with a stiff brush. Wear goggles, and open the window. Read the label.
John
http://www.johnbridge.com
I wouldn't try the sanding or grinding. I don't think you'll be able to replicate nature -- it'll show.
Get some sulfamic acid crystals from a tile supplier. The the acid solution in an out of the way place. Sounds like the grout is really built up, so you'll have to scrub with a stiff brush. Wear goggles, and open the window. Read the label.
John
http://www.johnbridge.com