Mini-Mosaic Slate Enhancing and Sealing Issues

[amycolorado]

Hello everyone-
I am a frustrated remodeler who spent a fortune on natural stone in my master bathroom. I used mini-mosaic Chinese Slate to wrap my tub deck, shower walls and floor. My installer's company policy is to seal all natural stone pre-grout. So they sealed the slate, then attempted to enhance with what they think a water-based enhancer. Supposedly they have attempted to enhance twice. Our slate looks as dry and mossy as it did coming out of the box. So they sent another guy out to attempt another Enhancer...he used Miracle Enhancer...(the one without a sealer.) Guess what...no change. I took the extra tile left over mosaic tile and enhanced the raw material and what do you know...it has the depth and color we planned on.

Is there anything I could do at this point. I understand the concept that they used the following layers: 1) Sealer 2-3) Water-based Enhancer & 4) Solvent-based Enhancer.

This was a very expensive project and I am desperate to get it right. Please help!!!!

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[Trask]

Amy? I hope that's your first name...In any case welcome. :D

This is a tough one.. I have had similar issues with clients wanting no enhancer and then changing their mind later only to find it can be very difficult to reverse the process.

I believe there are chemicals that may help to strip some impregnator sealers..but off the top of my head I can only think of Mira-Strip from Miracle. I've used it to remove a bad Mirra matte job(Miracles' enhancer)..

If you know what type of impregnator was used as a grout release someone may have some direction on how to strip it. But be prepared I have had jobs where the only "feasible" remedy was to sand the stone..which in the case of a finished backsplash in a finished house meant tear it out...

There do exist some pretty nasty chemicals that could work so we'll keep our fingers crossed.