How To Polish Slate Floor Tiles

Maintain & Prolong Your Natural Slate Flooring

If you want to create a stunning-looking floor tile, you’ve probably heard the term ‘polishing’ thrown around quite often. However, what does it mean exactly? And how do you go about using it? In this article, we’ll walk through the steps required to polish slate floor tiles, from preparing the surface to removing the dust.

Polishing involves applying fine-grit sandpaper over the surface top layer. It helps remove scratches, marks, and other imperfections on the slate tiles. Unlike a grinder or a hammer, polishing allows for an even application across the surface. While this technique may sound complicated, it’s relatively easy to do.

With the correct method, your floor tiles won’t get damaged during future cleaning.

Read below our brief guide from a trusted Apache Junction natural stone cleaning company. 

How To Clean The Slate

Cleaning is one of the most important parts of slate floor maintenance. Follow these steps to get rid of dirt and debris:

• If the slate floor is covered in a layer of cracking wax, strip it away before cleaning. Choose a commercial floor stripper to do this job without damaging the floor. Mop the solution over the floor and let it dry, then follow the steps according to the label. Do not forget to use goggles and rubber gloves.
• Sweep the floor with a soft broom to get rid of dirt and debris. You can use a vacuum machine, but only with a soft brush attachment.
• If your slate floor tiles look dirty, clean them with soapy water before polishing. Warm water with plenty of soap should be enough to remove the dirt. 
• Rinse thoroughly to remove soap residues and let the floor dry. 

How To Buff The Surface

Once your slate floor tiles are clean, you can continue with the buffing stage.

• Wet the slate floor to avoid scratches while buffing.
• Use a 200-grit diamond pad or wet & dry sandpaper to buff. Wet the abrasive, and rub it gently over scratched areas.
• Our trusted Gilbert natural stone cleaning company recommends rinsing off the slate to ensure there’s no dust remaining. It also prevents further scratches. 
• Repeat the buffing process, but now with a 400-grit abrasive. Remember to wet the slate and the abrasive before buffing. Rub the pad over a wider area this time to get a uniform finish. 
• Once again, rinse thoroughly to remove dust. 
• Finally, finish the process with a 600-grit abrasive. Wet the slate and the grit abrasive before buffing. Then, buff the entire slate surface. Repeat the process until the scratches are not visible, and rinse with warm water when finished. 

How To Create A Glossy Finish

Your slate floor tiles should be already looking good at this point, but now it’s time to move on to the final touch. Follow these steps to create the characteristic glossy surface of these floors:

• You can use a small amount of linseed oil to create a dark shine without causing damage. However, this oil attracts dirt, so it can make the slate tiles harder to clean over time. That’s why many experts don’t recommend oil for floors or outdoor areas.
• Stone sealer may be the best, but it can make the surface slippery. It’s best to leave a Chandler natural stone cleaning company to do this job so you don’t have trouble with the results. Besides, sealers are not always easy to use because they need a special condition to dry.
• If you decide to use the sealer without professional experts, remember to find the right one first. It should be a penetrating sealer for long-lasting protection.
• Apply a thin layer of sealer with a paintbrush and let dry for a few hours or as the label suggests. 
• You can reapply the sealer as many times as you need, but remember that you must wait at least 24 hours before walking over the treated surface.

Getting Help From A Phoenix Natural Stone Cleaning Company

Maintaining a slate floor is easy with conventional methods like vacuuming and mopping. Nevertheless, things can be a bit more complicated when it’s time to polish the floor thoroughly, or when restoring the finish.

Since we know it may be not easy for you to try on these methods, feel free to contact the experts at Arizona Stone Care. We have the necessary equipment and workmanship to clean, polish, and restore your slate floor to make it look shiny and new again. Contact us now!