Care of slate flooring

Slate flooring is a wonderful choice for both home and business, giving decorators a unique and flexible material to use in their home.  Slate has many benefits, including its affordability and resilience.  Slate flooring has a very fine molecular structure, giving it a resistance to moisture. Spills should be very simple to clean up, as slate will not absorb the water. Slate is also exceptionally resistant to stains and dirt. Care of slate flooring is very important. Simple maintenance should keep a slate floor clean with a minimum of effort.

Because of the wide spectrum of sources for slate in the natural world, it can be found in a range of shades and colors.  Slate flooring can be purchased in everything from dark charcoal shades, to bright reds or greens.  Consumers enjoy a very broad selection of patterns to select from when it comes to slate flooring, giving each floor a unique appearance. The cleft texture of slate flooring makes it incredibly durable; resisting scratches as well as general wear and tear.  The slate texture also provides a safe surface that won’t become slippery, making it a great choice for in the kitchen or work areas.  

The combination of good stain resistance and anti-slip properties make slate one of the greatest all around kitchen appropriate flooring materials available. In addition to its affordability, slate flooring has the advantage of several unique patterns to select from. Glosses can also be added to slate flooring, giving another dynamic to its appearance. Installation of slate flooring can be accomplished without professional, but it requires a significant investment of time and a set of tools. A diamond bladed saw will be required to cut the tiles.  Thin set must also be used in the installation, which is used to fasten the tile to the underlayment.

With a smooth concrete surface, no underlayment may be required. With hardwood sub-floors, or broken up concrete, an underlayment of concrete will be required to begin the installation properly.  It is important that the correct thin set be used with tile sets.  The thin set bonds the tile to the underlayment, and if done badly the floor can eventually begin shifting. Be sure to have a big bucket and something to clean up mortar that spreads across tile surfaces.

Before installing slate flooring, make sure that the slate tiles are unbroken. Tiles can frequently end up shattered after arriving at the store.  If any are broken, be sure that replacements match the original tile.