Repairing your slate floor can add new life to older tiles and bring back the stone s natural colour and beauty.
How to fix a slate floor.
There s no one single type of slate as this stone is sourced from regions as disperse as india the united states africa spain.
Even the sturdiest floors sometimes require maintenance and repair and slate is no exception.
Here s how to remove and replace a damaged slate floor tile by yourself.
Apply a thin coat of mineral oil to the entire slate floor at once to deepen its color hide the scratch and scuff marks and protect it against new ones.
Dip a foam paintbrush into the mineral oil and paint the oil onto the slate in slightly overlapping strokes.
Pay close attention to clefts chips and voids in the stone to ensure even coverage.
Careful attention however must be placed on the removal part.
To beak the slate tile into pieces chip the damaged tile on its center using a chisel and a hammer.
Any slate flakes will need to be removed.
May take a few attempts depending how dirty.
Although real slate tile is a durable flooring material it is possible for individual tiles to become chipped cracked or otherwise damaged beyond repair.
This type of repair can also be done without the help of a professional.
With ordinary foot traffic slate can loosen or lift and hard impacts can break the stone.
Once clean and dry then give it a coat of sealer.
This natural stone product generally comes in tile form and features a wide variety of colors.
The damaged slab should not be forced off the floor so as not to damage nearby tiles.
Overall homeowners who choose slate will be happy to know that this high style flooring material is relatively low maintenance though the dark and textured surface won.
However before you seal the slate you will need to wash it and wash it just mop and bucket of water until the water is clear.
Step 1 purchase replacement.
When a slate floor tile gets cracked or damaged it is wise to replace the damaged slab rather than just repair the cracked part with epoxy sealer or grout.
This will brighten the floor considerably.
Sealing doesn t glue them back.
Posted on 2018 11 30 if your slate is looking forlorn don t give up on it.