Slate floors in the kitchen

[NonVinaigretteRien]

When they put slate tiles down, do you put some sort of coating on them?

I've had some samples through the post, which are really nice, but they scratch easily.

Or do slate floors just scratch a lot?

I like the honed shiny ones, but they're not going to be practical, are they?

I have reclaimed slate tiles, and there is a coating on them but it's not permanent like a varnish, I think you're supposed to re-apply yearly (ours was last done 2years ago!)

Not sure what honed slate is like, but I can tell you that ours is a nightmare to clean because of the irregular surface.
A quick mop just doesn't get into all the nooks and crannies, and puddles of dirty water tend to gather which probably should be blotted up with a towel but in our house tend to get left.

It looks lovely but just don't look too closely!

Honed just means it's been polished until it's smooth, as opposed to the stuff with the nooks and crannies.

I'm googling away and getting the impression slate isn't for us if it scratches easily.

I think the coating is by Lithofin but whoever is selling it should be able to advise.

I like your name

Thanks - back at you

I had a slate floor in my last kitchen. It looked great, craggy style with a sealant. Mopped up easy and just scrubbed it with a deck brush occasionally (when my mother was about to visit!)