Posts Tagged ‘Slat Tile’
How to Install Slate Flooring
Friday, November 13th, 2009Slate flooring is a excellent choice for both home and business, giving decorators a unique and flexible material to employ in their home. Slate has many advantages, including its affordability and durability. A slate tile floor is made out of extremely fine material, giving it a resistance to spills. Spills should be very easy to clean up, as slate will not absorb the moisture. Slate is also very resistant to stains and dirt. Simple care should keep a slate floor clean without too much trouble.
Because of the wide range of origins for slate in the natural world, it can be found in a spectrum of shades and colors. Slate flooring can be purchased in everything from dark charcoal shades, to bright reds or greens. Consumers enjoy a very broad selection of patterns to choose from when it comes to slate flooring, giving each floor a personalized look. The cleft texture of slate flooring makes it incredibly tough, resisting scratches as well as general wear and tear. The slate texture also provides a safe surface that won’t become slippery, making it a excellent choice for in the kitchen or work areas.
The combination of good stain resistance and anti-slip properties make slate one of the greatest all around kitchen appropriate flooring materials available. As well as to its affordability, slate flooring benefits from a wide range of unique patterns to choose from. Glosses can also be added to slate flooring, bringing another dynamic to its appearance. Laying out slate flooring can be done without professional help, but it requires a significant investment of time and a set of tools. A diamond bladed saw provides the sharpness to cut through slate. Thinset must also be purchased along with the tile, which is used to fasten the tile to the underlayment.
With a smooth concrete surface, no underlayment may be needed. With hardwood subfloors, or cracked concrete, an underlayment of concrete will be needed to begin the installation the right way. It is important that the correct thinset be used with certain tile sets. The thinset bonds the tile to the underlayment, and if done badly the floor can gradually start shifting. Be sure to have a big bucket and something to clean up mortar that spreads across tile surfaces.
Before installing slate flooring, make sure that the slate tiles are unbroken. Tiles can frequently end up broken after arriving at the store. If any are broken, be sure that replacements match the original tile.
