Sealing a new slate hearth

[twinky]

After building a new hearth in our living room for a woodburning stove we have had it tiled with slate tiles. The stove man says we should seal the slate to prevent it becoming marked. I've bought stuff from the tile shop but am unsure how to proceed. The hearth is currently dusty from all the work. Is it ok to clean with some hot water and washing up liquid prior to sealing or will this mark/damage the tiles. What would you suggest?

Hi Twinky

Before you dust the hearth - vacuum it first - just in case there are large scratchy particles that will scratch the slate.

I have a slate hearth - I just wash it with warm soapy water and dry with a clean cloth then apply slate oil. It shines like glass afterwards.

Please be careful with slate oil though - the cloth you use must be stored in an airtight jar between uses as it can spontaneously combust!

Thankyou so much lamplighter. That's very useful.

I use WD40 to clean my slate hearth - twas what the supplier recommended. Might be safer than slate oil?

We have just installed a log burner with a slate hearth. DH washed the slate several times to get it clean (there had also been a lot of sanding going on in the room) and then used a sealer we had which was technically for travertine tiles but did the trick (and doesn't self-combust).