Everything You Need To Know About Slate Floor Tiles

 

Slate is a natural stone which is known for its hardness, durability, and unique color options. What else? We will cover everything – almost everything – about slate stone floors under the following subsections and pointers.

Price -

Cost-wise, Slate is among the cheapest natural stones. However, some of the varieties of Slate such as Premium Black could be a highly expensive material for creating floors and walls.

When it comes to price, there are two grades of Slate. The first one is Gauged or A-Grade Quality Slate, which costs around $3 to $8 per square feet. The second one is Ungauged or Off-Grade Quality Slate, price of which ranges between $1 and $6 per sq. ft.

The cost of the stone could be higher in some states due to shipping cost and likelihoods of damage during shipping.

Installation Process –

You don’t need to have special skills to install slate flooring, if you know how to install tiles. However, slate is a heavy stone, which needs to be handled with care to avoid accidents, damages, and above all injuries.

The cost of installation is high (to be specific, three times the cost of the material). So, a large number of homeowners consider (DIY) installing the stone on their own.

Surface Finishes –

The aforementioned terms, gauged and ungauged are surface finishes or treatment in which the stone is made available by brands and quarries.

Gauged Slate stone tiles have a flattened back, and allow for better gripping and longer durability of your project.

Ungauged Slate tiles are more suitable for low and medium traffic outdoor areas. They are installed on soil, not on concrete or plywood subfloor.

Honed Slate Tiles have their surface honed. They have a smooth and low shine surface, which makes them ideal for different indoor projects, including flooring in living area, bathroom, entryway, and kitchen.

Color Options –

Slate is slaty or slate gray – that’s how the stone gets its name. But the stone can be available in various other colors. Green, gray, black-gray, blue, purple, gold, and red are the colors slate stone tiles are available in.

You can also find slate in multi colors.

Sizes –

Slate floor tiles can be found in almost any popular tile size. Some of the sizes are – 12 inches X 12 inches, 12 inches X 18 inches, 18 inches X 18 inches, 18 inches X 24 inches, and 24 inches X 24 inches.

Maintenance –

Slate is a hard and durable surface. It is a dense and less porous stone. With that said, it does not require extensive maintenance like other natural stones.

Though, it requires care which include – not using chemicals and alkaline based cleansers, not letting dust stay on the floor for long, and not allowing water or other fluids to dry naturally.

Looking to buy slate stone tiles? Visit WallAndTile.com, one of the largest tile shops in US.