When we had our new extension done, about three years ago now, it included a slate floor. This was, and is, beautiful, and we really love it. The Maggots complain that it is not as soft as Nanny's carpet, but that's the kids of today for you, way too soft and don't know they're born.
One of the "features" of real stone flooring is that, from time to time, you need to re-seal it. That time appears to be now.
The art of re-sealing can be learnt on the internet, since it is not particularly complicated. You need the right treatments, and the right tools, of course, but mostly you just need to apply some back-breaking elbow grease*.
Step one is to fully and thoroughly clean it. For this, I am using LTP Grimex. This is a strong-smelling ammonia-based fluid, that you dilute down (the dirtier the floor, the more concentrated the mix) and apply with a scrubbing pad, leave for five minutes or so, agitate once more, then mop it off, before then using a wet 'n' dry hoover jobbie, ours is called George, to fully remove all trace of the Grimex.
You then leave it to dry for at least half a day, before you apply the sealer, which is step two.
This time we are going for a gloss finish, which is not the finish of choice for the majority, if the stocking level of our local supplier are any sign. This gloss finish looks like diluted milk** that you sponge on, remove any excess bits so that you have applied a nice, even and thin layer of the sealant, and then you wait for about an hour before repeating the operation, for a total of three layers.
You can buy long handles with velcro pads on the bottom, to which you can attach the large brillo-like pads, but that seemed awfully expensive, and I was a bit concerned that being that far from the floor, you would not see what you had missed. And so it is that I have done all this on my knees. My back has been better, but no pain no gain, so onward and upward.
I am splitting the floor in to sections, and was up at 4.30am today to finish the study, utility and downstairs toilet area. This is now done and looking fantastic.
Next phase is more tricky, since it is the main kitchen and living area. We have David and Samantha over Saturday evening so I will leave things until Sunday at the earliest, but whatever I do, and whenever I do it, there will be inconvenience for the family. I suspect this will mean doing it is a number of sections, so that the not-being-done sections can be used to store the table and sofa, and to give the Maggots and other wild beasts space to roam freely.
We also have a weekend of sport. Tomorrow we have a football tournament, and on Sunday a cricket match. The weather is looking fair to middling, so hopefully it will be as fun to watch as it is to play.
I hope you have a great weekend, speak next week.
========================================
* Never has a metaphor been more mangled
** Some people call this skimmed milk (and that is from a skimmed milk lover)
No comments:
Post a Comment