Can slate be polished like marble?

No, slate does not polish very well. The only way to put any kind of shine on slate is to apply a coating.

There are several brands of acrylic coatings designed for slate and other stone. Check with your local janitorial supply or one of the stone equipment suppliers in the resource directory of this book.

There are basically two types of acrylic coatings, water based and solvent based. For easier stripping I would recommend using a water based acrylic only.

CAUTION Slate can experience “powdering” when coatings are overused. Apply only enough of the coating too produce the desired effect.