How to seal balcony slate tiles?

lindaw25

hi there, I purchased a bottle pf something from Bunnings (after seeking advice from paint person and garden person who worked together to explain pros and cons of my options to me - amazing service Bunnings Brunswick) so I have done that to remove any residue and get it ready for paint or sealer or both. (There was no change to the tiles at all -  my neighbour told me the tiles didn’t get a finishing treatment prior to moving in so that people could choose their own finish)

That was a few weeks ago & I had not decided what i wanted so I have only done step 1.
(Half bottle left so I can do it again just before i proceed to step 2 if thats recommended)

My question is I would like to paint it very dark grey (with no white lines between the tiles) its a quite  small balcony and Im preparing it to be a dark cool space to sit on hot summer days,  with a blind that blocks out any direct sun and many plants which thrive in the space. Its a very low traffic area, one resident, no direct weather to contend with. I know paint manufacturers wont recommend their product because they cant guarantee a good result or longevity.  I am quite happy to take that risk. Given that, can you advise :

1. which paint is best (if not perfect) for slate tiles?
2. Is there a sealer that has a bit of colour to darken it up without going to paint?

New tiles, no finish. I just wrote a long post explaining everything and a list of questions and it got deleted so instead of doing that bc all again….

Is there a bunnings near carlton that has someone knowledgeable about finish for slate tiles, 

JacobZ

Hi @lindaw25,

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it is wonderful to have you with us.

I managed to find the text you wrote out and have added it above. In future, if for whatever reason your posts are deleted, there's a good chance they will be saved as a draft on your profile page.

For paint, you can use the Dulux Concrete & Paving Range, as long as you clean the surface with the Sealed Surface Cleaner and prime it with the Sealed Surface Primer. Once primed, you can apply your topcoat from the Concrete and Paving range, such as this Dulux Medium Tint Satin Concrete And Paving Coloured Sealer, which can be tinted to a wide variety of colours depending on your preferences.

If you didn't want to use paint, most slate sealers will naturally darken the stone a little bit, but the grout will still be visible. There is this Crommelin 3.5L Tint Base Satin DiamondCoat Sealer, which can be mixed with Crommelin 1L DiamondCoat Charcoal Tint, although it mentions that it is not recommended on low porosity natural stone like slate. It would be a bit of a risk as you say, but it might be an option worth considering.

Let me know what you think and if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Jacob