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The Beauty and Ease of Slate Flooring
By Arthur Sneddon

Slate flooring is flooring which is made from rock. This rock gives an alternative to the usual hardwood floors that are generally used to give that natural look to your house. However, just like the hardwood, slate flooring is natural and comes in many styles and colours to suit your home needs.

Cleaning Slate Flooring

As these types of flooring are made of rock, they can absorb water and be a nuisance as they seem to fade rather quickly. You will need to use a waterproof resin on your floors to protect them from fading and absorbing water. By sealing the slate, it should be much easier to maintain and keep its natural appearance. If you are unsure of which product to use for this process, simply head to the nearest hardware store and they should be able to give you some good advice on which product will best suit your floor.

Installing Slate Flooring

You will need to make sure that you are careful about which adhesive you use to install your slate flooring. It needs to securely hold your boards to the ground to ensure that any heavy objects that you may place over them will not crack the slate tiles you have used. Again, your hardware store is the best place to go to ask about the type of adhesive to use. You can also check with the store where you originally purchased your flooring from. Normally your slate flooring will come in patterns, so be careful that you follow the pictures when you are installing them so that you pattern comes out the way you are expecting.

Advantages of Slate Flooring

Slate flooring is naturally slip-proof, because of the rocky surface which it is constructed from. It is also stain-resistant if it is cared for properly. Once it is sealed, your floor will also be water-resistant which makes cleaning and maintenance easy and quick. Unlike some wood options, slate can be used in rooms where there is a lot of moisture, like bathrooms and kitchens.

Disadvantages of Slate Flooring

As is the nature of rock and stone, the patterns can be irregular which will make it difficult to create one uniform design on your floor. Some of the less expensive slates can crack easily, and stains can be absorbed quickly if they are not sealed and treated properly. Rock can be a rather cold surface, particularly if you live in a climate where it winters are of the frigid kind. Unlike a carpet which tends to absorb sound, a rock surface will actually be a noisier alternative, especially if you have a lot of people living in the house. Slate can be a little more expensive than other flooring options, but will measure up well in value and durability when compared with other types of surfaces.

Author Details:
Arthur Sneddon, writes for a selection of web sites about home improvement, and related subjects such as flooring.

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