How To Clean And Care For Slate Flooring

Slate flooring is a cool and classy way to add something special to your home. But what exactly is it, and how can you best take care of it? Slate flooring is, like the name suggests, made from slate rock. According to Floor Coverings International, slate is a metamorphic rock, which means it's an aggregate material formed by being compressed over long periods of time. It gets sourced from mountains across the world, and then it is cut into slabs for things like roofs or floor tiles.

Slate floorings come in many different colors, such as black or gray, blue or green tones, or even reddish-brown and dark purple. Slate also comes both "gauged," and "ungauged." Ungauged slate is the stone's more natural state, so it's rougher, more uneven, and usually used outdoors. Gauged slate is easier to install indoors and has even surfaces. Once you decide what kind of slate flooring you will install, here is a handy guide on how to clean and maintain them.

As previously mentioned, one of the downsides of a slate floor is that it's a bit of an investment. The costs of slate floors vary depending on the quality and specifics, but the slate itself can run on the pricier side. That number increases when you have it professionally installed. However, having it professionally installed is recommended by many flooring experts and outlets, like Claude Brown's. If you don't have the right tools, cutting, resizing, and laying down slate can be difficult and time-consuming. Slate is also a brittle stone, so it can crack if you aren't careful.

Additionally, slate floors require regular upkeep to keep them looking spiffy. If it's not maintained well, it can easily get worn down or scratched, and because it's a porous stone, stains can settle into the stone if it isn't sealed well. This makes removing stains particularly tough. Slate is also unique, so each stone might be different. This can be a good thing if you want to add something special to your home, but it makes it difficult to replace any damaged tiles, as it may give a mismatched appearance if you can't find a good match.

Can you DIY slate floors? Do-It-Yourself, or DIY, is now a popular philosophy for all things home design. It can be a great way to save money by finding ways to do things yourself, from upholstering couches to screening patios. Sometimes, though, it may be better to splurge on professional assistance. Slate floors are one of those things that can be hard to DIY, so if you don't have a lot of home-building experience, it may be better to sit this one out, as per Claude Brown's. If you are going to do it, Bob Vila recommends being well-stocked with carpenter tools and "specialty tools." These are things like cement board clippers, diamond blades, and wet tile saws.

Additionally, the substrate needs to be "rock-solid." How solid is rock-solid? At least five layers of substrate, it turns out. You also need grout to install tile, and when it comes to slate floors, you should apply some type of sealant before grouting, otherwise that porous stone can soak some of it up.

The best, and easiest, way to maintain a good-looking slate floor is by dust-mopping regularly. according to The Spruce, a dust mop is a simple but effective tool for clearing up dust and other small things like pet hair or dirt. The dust mop, which is also called a dry mop, is never meant to be wet, so don't go dipping it into any buckets! It's more like a giant duster for the floor, and is great for keeping high-traffic areas nice and shiny. By removing these little particles, you're reducing the likelihood that they get dragged along the slate, therefore making little scratches. It may seem easy to overlook, but these small particles and the scratches they make accumulate over time and give that worn-down appearance to tiles over time.

To dust-mop properly, just remove any furniture or mats out of the way and work the mop from end-to-end of the room in long, straight-lines. Keep dust and other debris in front of the mop and be sure to get corners cleaned out, too. Then, you can take the mop outside and shake it out. If the dust-mop is especially dirty, swap out the head for a clean one. Some mop heads are washing-machine safe as well.

As mentioned before, there are two main types of sealants: below-surface sealer (also known as impregnator or porous sealer) and surface sealer (also called barrier sealer). When picking a sealer, the main concern is whether it's going to change the appearance of your slate floors or not. Some people prefer the natural stone look, while others might want the modern look of a glossy floor. The below-surface sealer is best for keeping the natural look, according to MSI Surfaces. It doesn't change anything about the color or texture, and MSI recommends a water-based sealer that will get absorbed deep into the stone. You won't even know it's there!

Some surface sealers are considered "enhancing," in that it changes the way the floors look, either by making them glossy or brighter in color. But they not only change the appearance of stone — it also might protect it better. Solvent-based sealers are more durable, so that's something to remember if you want a topical glossy sealer to give your slate floors that shiny, polished look. StonesProtect recommends the Tuff Duck sealer, as well as other brands like Miracle Sealants, Granite Gold, Aqua Mix, and Tenax. Every few years, a sealant will accumulate discoloration or normal wear and tear, so it should be stripped and reapplied.

Before you strip anything from your slate floors, you should know what's on top of it. According to Stone World, that can either be a sealant, wax, acrylic, or epoxy. You can perform different tests to see what will strip the floor and determine what is on it, and if you know what's on it, you can go to a product page to learn how best to strip it. A water-based coating is easily stripped with any commercial stripper you might find at the store. However, other slate finishers, like a urethane-based coating, are going to be much more difficult to remove. At that point, you may want to get professional help.

An alkaline stripper can easily remove an acrylic-based finish, but you will need a professional floor buffer for the process. If you want to avoid a film, mix some neutral cleaner with water and rinse the floor after stripping. To strip the floor of a urethane finish, be sure to ventilate the area, as strippers that are meant for urethanes have chemicals that can be dangerous. Be sure to read and follow all product instructions.

For the day-to-day care of your slate floors, dust-mopping is once again the star of the show. It's easy to forget about, but it's simply the best way to ensure that your floors will last a long time and look as good as new. If you have new floors, MSI Surfaces explains that sweeping every day is especially necessary. New slate floors go through a process called "spalling." This is when little chips come off the surface of the slate tiles. It may seem like the slate is flaking, but this is a normal process for newly-installed slate, and will stop once the slate "settles in."

Other things you can do to reduce day-to-day wear on the floors are using mats or rugs in high-traffic areas. Something as simple as a walk-in mat can drastically reduce the amount of debris tracked into the home, which will help keep your floors much cleaner over time. You can't have too many, really — mats both inside the house and outside will keep the dirt off the floor. Stone World recommends cleaning mats daily, if you have the time, and sweeping under them when cleaning.

There are definitely some things to keep in mind when cleaning and maintaining slate flooring as well so that you don't accidentally damage it in any way. According to MSI Surfaces, abrasive cleaners that contain vinegar, bleach, or lemon should be avoided. Additionally, any cleaning tools like brooms or vacuums should be adjusted for the flooring. A broom with a stiff bristle, for example, might wear on the stone, so a gentler-bristled broom is a better idea.

A vacuum cleaner set to a carpet setting, or a vacuum cleaner that has a beater bar on it, could similarly damage slate flooring. Don't try to polish, wipe down, or buff the tiles without dusting first, as you may inadvertently grind dust or dirt particles into the stone, which will act like sandpaper and scratch the tiles. As long as you keep these things in mind while maintaining your floors, you should be set to enjoy your beautiful slate floors!