Slate Floor Installation & Care
Slate floors provide an elegant, durable flooring surface. Slate is a natural product and comes in many colors. A little more costly than many floor choices, slate is nonetheless a practical and stylish flooring choice. Does this Spark an idea?
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Installation
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Slate installation is much like ceramic floor jobs. Considered a nonresilient floor tile, slate can crack if the subfloor beneath shifts or moves. Thus, slate must be installed on a concrete floor or mortar bed. A special wet diamond saw or a regular hacksaw is used to break pieces, which are then laid out just like ceramic tiles. A mortar adhesion and grout to finish completes the floor.
Maintenance
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Slate floors are polished smooth or sport a rustic, rough finish. Although slate is stain-resistant to a large extent, a synthetic sealer will help protect it further and give slate a "wet" look. Waxes degrade the look and finish. Already waxed slate floors should be treated with a wax stripper and a neutral pH cleaner and allowed to dry several days before sealing. Maintenance consists of simply sweeping regularly and mopping with a mild detergent.
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Considerations
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Slate flooring will abrade if scoured and become pitted if acids are spilled on it. Also, avoid wax or crystalline cleansers such as trisodium phosphate, as it can cause chipping of the surface. Be aware that dropping heavy objects may also damage your slate floors.
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References
- Photo Credit Flowers and Slate image by Lil Bro from Fotolia.com
