The Advantages and Disadvantages of Slate Flooring

Slate flooring is definitely one of the most popular types of flooring out there, but it has its disadvantages as well as its advantages. Slate is a fine-grained metamorphic rock, and its main constituents are quartz, chlorite, mica, and calcite. It is formed when ocean or riverbed sediments are compressed and heated by the earth's crust.

Slate is a very durable type of flooring and usually works well in any room in the home. Typically the back of slate tiles have been machined to either a flat or a grooved finish, depending on the factory of origin, and this flooring is most popular in bathrooms, kitchens, and basements.

Advantages

There are many advantages to slate flooring, including that it is a tough type of stone that can definitely take a beating, and that it is able to resist water very well, which is why it is so commonly used in the bathrooms and kitchens of homes. It is also very easy to install and maintain, so you do not have to worry about constantly cleaning it to retain its new appearance.

Slate flooring is available in a variety of beautiful hues that can be used to enhance the look of any home, and this is surprising to many people who mistakenly think that slate flooring is only available in dull gray and brown colors.

Disadvantages

There are also certain disadvantages to slate flooring however, including the fact that it is rather expensive when compared to other types of flooring, so you will have to shell out a bit more money if you are interested in getting slate floors in your home. As well it can be very cold on the feet so you will not want to put it in a room that you want extra warmth in, such as a bedroom or living room.

Slate can also get to be very slippery if it is not polished properly and regularly, so you will need to make sure that you keep up with this especially if you have it in the bathroom where the floor tends to get wet on a regular basis.

Deciding between slate and other types of flooring is a process that you should really put some serious thought into, especially since at the end of it all putting in new flooring can end up costing quite a bit, and you definitely do not want to choose the wrong type of flooring and then have to go back and do it all over again.