About Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, homogeneous, metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low grade regional metamorphism. Slate is mainly composed of quartz and muscovite or illite, often along with biotite, chlorite, hematite, and pyrite along with, less frequently, apatite, graphite, kaolin, magnetite, tourmaline, or zircon.
Sealing Slate
Slate is quite dense, but it is still highly porous - a tablespoon of water left on the slate for about 30 minutes will leave a deep mark. Slate should be sealed to keep it looking good for a long period of time.
Topical sealers (glossy plastic coating over the top of the slate) are still used on slate, but these older style sealers can trap moisture in the stone and make the surface very slippery when wet.Plus, when a topical sealerwears in higher traffic areas, the entire surface has to be stripped and re-sealed,
To provide premium protection from oil and water-based stains,maintain the look and slip resistance of the slate and prevent damaging moisture from being trapped within the stone, it is important to seal slate with a high quality, invisible, fully breathe-able impregnating sealer.
Which is the correct Dry-Treat sealerfor my slate?
STAIN-PROOF Permanent, invisible, fully breathable impregnating sealer for water and salt, PLUS premium oil stain protection.15 year warranty when sealing is performed by an Accredited Applicator. Click here for more details.
ENHANCE-PLUS For colour enrichment PLUS water based stain protection.5 year warranty when sealing is performed by an Accredited Applicator.
Plus: STAIN-PROOF (1 coat) for additional oil protection at least 24 hours after ENHANCE-PLUS.
Pre-sealing Preparation
Before sealing slate, or any porous surface, the slate should beclean and looking just as you want it to,because once the slate is sealed it may be impossible to remove stains.
Dry-Treat's X-DUTY Cleaner is an excellent,heavy duty cleaner which is safe to use on most types of porous surface, including slate. Click here for more details.
Hint: Bleach diluted with water (1 part bleach, one part water) may also be used for stubborn stains. Apply the diluted bleach to the stained area, let it sit for 1-2 minutes, agitate with brush or cloth and then rinse well with clean water.
PLEASE NOTE:
1) Always test any cleaning chemical or sealer on a small, inconspicuous area of the surface 24 hours before doing the project, to check that it will produce the desired result.
2) Always ensure the surface is completely dry before proceeding with sealing.
