Slate:Get to Know Your Flooring

Slate can transform any room in your home into a dynamic and natural space in ways that few other materials can. Slate is a beautiful, highly durable rock material that, applied properly, can also raise the value of your home. Here are a few important details to consider when using slate stone tiles for your next flooring project.

Slate is best known for its natural beauty, low maintenance and extreme durability. When compared to other types of flooring such as wood or linoleum, slate flooring is far more versatile as it can be used both indoors and out without any trouble. Its natural strength guarantees a good-looking floor for far longer in almost any condition with very little upkeep. Additionally, high quality slate is slip and stain resistant and offers added protection as it is impermeable to both fire and water, making it an excellent investment. Of course, like most natural building products, slate comes at varying degrees of quality. Choosing the right slate tile will depend on the nature of your project and how you wish slate to work for you.

High quality slate comes from beneath the ground, making it the most durable and making the cost of extraction much higher. Though high quality slate is pricier, it is well worth the investment as the stone is virtually unyielding and requires minimal care. This is ideal for outdoor projects in nearly any weather as well as high-traffic indoor spaces such as bathrooms and kitchens.

Low quality slate on the other hand comes from the ground’s surface, which means it’s exposed to the elements for up to hundreds of years, making it porous and much less durable than slate mined underground. If surface slate is not regularly and properly polished or sealed, it’s extremely vulnerable to liquids and staining. With lower grade slate, your floors will require greater care and maintenance throughout the life of your home.

Though high quality can be costly, remember that it adds great value to your home and ultimately can save you from spending thousands on maintenance costs. Be sure to consider your options in order to see what works with your budget and determine what’s right for your project.

This post was written by Thais Sousa. Follow Thais on Google.