Slate Flooring
By Gary Ng
Slate is a great option for both home and business, giving designers a unique and flexible material to use in their home. Slate has many advantages, including its affordability and resilience. A slate floor is made out of extremely fine material, giving it a resistance to moisture. Spills should be very easy to clean up, as slate will not absorb the water. Slate is also very resistant to stains and dirt. Simple maintenance should keep a slate floor clean, without too much trouble. Due to the wide range of sources for slate in the natural world, it can be found in a variety of shades and colors. Slate can be purchased in anything from dark charcoal shades, to vibrant reds or greens. Consumers also have a wide range of patterns to choose from when it comes to slate flooring, giving each floor a unique appearance. The cleft texture of slate makes it very durable, resisting scratches as well as general wear and tear. The slate texture also provides a great anti-slip surface, making it a wonderful choice for in the kitchen or work areas. The combination of good stain resistance and anti-slip properties make slate one of the best all around kitchen appropriate

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flooring materials available. In addition to its affordability, slate benefits from a wide range of unique patterns to choose from. Glosses can also be applied to slate flooring, adding another dynamic to its appearance. Installation of slate can be done without professional help, but it requires a good deal of time as well as tools. A diamond bladed saw will be required to cut the tiles. Thinset must also be purchased along with the tile, which is used to secure the tile to the underlayment. With a smooth concrete surface, no underlayment may be required. With hardwood subfloors, or cracked concrete, an underlayment of concrete will be needed to begin the installation properly. It is important that the right thinset be used with particular tile sets. The thinset bonds the tile to the underlayment, and if done improperly the floor can eventually start shifting. Be sure to have a large bucket and something to clean up mortar that spreads across tile surfaces. Before installing slate flooring, check out the packaging of the slate. Tiles can frequently end up broken after arriving at the store. If any are broken, be sure that replacements match the original tile.
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