Learn About Slate Tile Flooring

Are you looking for a unique type of flooring that will add value and beauty to your home? A floor that stands out from the ordinary and is not difficult to maintain? Slate flooring may be the perfect solution for you. Slate is available in a wide variety of colors, textures, thickness and sizes. Slate is also ideal for kitchens, living room, dining areas, corridors and outdoor patios.

How are Slate Tiles Made?

Unlike Ceramic tiles, slate floors are a natural stone product and are free from any chemical or toxic agents. Slate is made from clay and silt particles that are bonded together at extremely high temperatures. This results in a strong, long lasting flooring product. The natural color hues and characteristics from clay and silt create uniquely stunning colors and designs.

Installing Slate Tile Floors

You can choose slate floor tiles or slabs for the floor. The flooring can be installed professionally by experts. If however you are an experienced do-it-yourselfer, you could try it install the slate flooring yourself. But before you begin, it is important to cut the tiles to the right size using a special saw. Grouting the slate tiles requires effort and diligence. This is a crucial step that has to be done with care and precision. Like any other stone flooring, sealants have to be chosen with care. These could either be ones with high shine or low shine depending on your taste. Remember that a high sheen floor makes dust particles more visible.

Benefits of Slate Tile Flooring

• Natural Beauty – Slate Flooring is amazingly beautiful. It can be installed as slate tiles or slabs. It is available in a wide variety of textures, shapes, sizes and colors. You can choose from dark tones of maroons, reds, greens, orange and offset them against lighter grays and blues. Let your floor be your canvas and let your imagination run wild. Create interesting patterns using tiles of different shapes and colors.
• Durability – Slate flooring, like other stone flooring is durable. The tiles have a long life span, and once installed you can comfortably enjoy the floor for decades. Due to the special manufacturing process, Slate flooring does not crack easily. Slate Flooring is tough, and can even outlast some types of hardwood flooring.
• Blends in – Slate Flooring is available in a wide variety of colors, shapes and sizes. Whatever your furniture type- modern or ethnic, Slate flooring can be chosen to match with your current décor. You can play with colors and patterns so that the flooring blends in perfectly with your home.
• Easy maintenance – Install your new Slate floor tiles and relax! No running around with mops, no screaming at your naughty little ones. Slate flooring is perfect if you have a 24*7 schedule with hardly any time for elaborate polishing or a difficult floor-care regimen. All it requires is regular sweeping followed by a damp mop. You don’t have to worry about the mop being too wet or accidental spillage. Thanks to the way Slate flooring tiles are manufactured, they are impermeable and do not tend to soak in water unlike carpets. You do not have to buy expensive cleaners or polishes. A bucket of warm water with a little mild detergent is about all you need to keep your slate flooring at its natural best. Applying heavy waxes or floor finishes can ruin the natural charm of slate giving it an artificial sheen.

Occasionally, sealants may need to be used. These help the floor stay beautiful for many years. It is also important to keep the grout chip free.

If you are looking for a natural, healthy flooring option that requires little care and lasts a long time, Slate Flooring is a great floor to consider. It is economical, suits different decors and is perfect for kitchens, living rooms, dining areas and hallways.

Visit our Los Angeles Flooring showrooms for more information about Flooring.