Slate Floor - DIY Chatroom

mruggeri001 · 01-29-2007, 08:28 PM

The foyer of the house we just bought has a slate floor. The floor is very dirt from years of traffic and missing some grout.

What is the best way to clean a slate floor? They previous owners must have had a mat on it as there is residue from a mat that needs to be removed. What cleaners do you recommend?

As for the missing grout, I can fill in the little sections but that will probably leave difference in the color between the old grout and new grout. Any tips for getting them to match or should I try to get all the old grout out (doesn't look easy as most is in pretty good shape)>

Thanks in advance for replies.

Mike

shawnplr · 02-01-2007, 01:59 PM

Counter top cleaners generally work well on porous stone. If not there are acids on the market which should only be handled by pros. In order to get the grout to match you will likely have to do the entire surface. A grout saw works well for removal. Use a good sealer usually found in counter top area of your home center.

leftoverjoe · 02-01-2007, 06:12 PM

We are finishing off the install of a new slate tile floor in our master bathroom. I've heard that Aqua Mix products are pretty good. They have sealers, cleaners, and other products all for stone, slate, tiles, etc. Slate looks great, but it definitely needs maintenance in those high-traffic areas. I am going to be putting three coats of sealer/enhancer down first, then grouting, then adding at least one coat of grout sealer.

Bud Cline · 02-04-2007, 03:29 PM

A-h-h-h-h- THE OLD ACID TRICK.

Acids are so misunderstood and in some cases dangerous to use and yet people continue to suggest acids without knowing a damned thing about them.

Acids that would be used to address issues with masonry products WILL NOT HAVE ANY EFFECT ON DIRT. That's not how acids work.

Use any houshold cleaner to clean the tiles. I would suggest Spic-N-Span.

Then the grout is another issue. If grout is cracking in areas then there is a problem with either loose tiles or structural movement. In either case simply regrouting WILL NOT resolve the issue for very long. The grout will crack again.

Should you decide to regrout and live with the expectation of doing it again down the road then remove all the grout and start over. Using a modified grout will help expand the life of the grout to a small degree.

Aqua-Mix products are top-o-the-line products.

Once the tile is cleaned and the new grout is in place then seal everything abundantly with a stone sealer such as Aqua-Mix.

The thing to do is to get to the bottom of what is really destroying the grout.

Are there loose tiles also? Is this a wood or concrete floor under the tile?