Flooring, Carpets and Rugs

Natural slate flooring is one of the most beautiful surfaces you can install in your home and with proper treatment it is suitable for all areas. Although it is a hard surface usually connected to kitchens, hallways and bathrooms it could make a fantastic living room floor too if softened with a beautiful area rug or two.

Although slate is a hard surface it does absorb water but this is not a problem wherever you install it as long as it is properly sealed with resin. Most slate flooring tiles will be pre-treated but if not a resin seal can be applied after the tiles are fitted.

A slate floor can be quite tricky to install so do not do the installation yourself unless you are used to laying tiles and fitting floors. The problem is that the natural stone can easily crack when heavy things are placed on it if the right type of adhesive has not been used. This is more important the larger the tile that is used as a crack would be very obvious. Once properly installed however your slate floor will look beautiful for many years with very little maintenance.

Many people think of slate as a gray color but you can buy slate tile flooring in many different natural shades. You will find slate tiles in all shades of brown, green, sea green and purple as well as gray. The beauty of slate however is that every tile will have a natural variation in it in both texture and color.

This natural variation is often further enhanced by the shape of the slate floor tiles. Most tiles are square however you can get slate floors made up of mosaic tiles which look exceptionally beautiful. These are great for bathrooms and small kitchens whereas larger rooms are better with a larger tile. The most common sizes for square tiles are 12, 16, 24 inches but other sizes and shapes are usually available although more expensive.

Because the slate tiles are naturally textured slate makes a great non-slip surface. That’s probably why it is most often used for bathroom and kitchen flooring but that is a great feature for entrances and the conservatory too where the floor may also get wet.

Although cold underfoot (a definite advantage during a hot summer) a radiant or underfloor heating system can be installed which will make the floor feel wonderful in winter.

All in all there’s not much to say against slate flooring other than the expense of buying and installing it. Some people get the look of slate by installing slate laminate flooring but there is actually nothing like the real thing for sheer beauty. A better option may be to save up and then look for any discount slate flooring options around. You can buy slate tiles online these days and you can get some good discounts and often free shipping too. If you don’t know where to start take a look at slate on Amazon where you’ll find a selection of slate tiles at a discount.