QUESTION

Sealing a Slate to have sheen - I have slate tile on my front and back entries to the house. They have a semi-gloss sealer applied but would like to make them have more sheen. What can I do to improve the shine/appearance? Thank you.

ANSWER

ANSWER - Slate is not a stone product that is polished or normally has a sheen due to the nature of the material.  There are enhancer sealers that will highlight the stone to bring out the colors and might give a slight sheen.  There are some sealers that give more of a sheen than others, but it is never recommended to apply a surface non-breathable sealer to the stone, which are the ones that give more of a sheen.  Stones should be allowed to breath and not trap in moisture that can lead to various types of problems.

You could apply a wax of some sort and buff the floor to get a higher sheen, but that is a non-breathable surface and requires a lot of ongoing maintenance to keep it up.  There are non-breathable nylon epoxy sealers that give high sheens but they are difficult to work with and difficult to maintain.