Slate Floor Tile
As slate floor tile becomes more and more popular, there are lots of questions and some good and not so good answers about this product. Its uses, installations, waxes, sealers and porcelain look alike’s.
Slate is a natural product from countries and continents such as Brazil, India, USA, and Africa. Each has its own unique characteristics and will perform differently in each application. Things to consider for your application are gauged or unguaged, heavy clefted or honed, patterns, grout joint size, ability to be used in wet areas, outdoors-covered or uncovered (bad idea).
I have yet to see an outdoor slate installation that has lasted more than 3-5 years before it cracks, delaminates from the substrate or efflorescence (white minerals brought to the surface between tiles by moisture) or iron deposits creating rust streaks on the tile.
The Alternates to natural slate flooring or walls outdoors are now plentiful and beautiful. Stonepeak’ s Raja slate flooring tile and is a digital reproduction that looks identical to the real slate, but has none of the issues of expansion and contraction to extremes in the sun and cold like real slate. Efflorescence still can be an issue, but can me mediated. No rust streaks and a more durable product are two reasons to use porcelain outdoors. Glazed is best covered outdoors and unglazed, or color thru-body is best outdoors in uncovered areas. Vertical areas and areas around pools are great for slate floor tile usage.
Installation with a premium thinset mortar is recommended as is sealing the stone with either a natural appearance or enhanced is also widely used. Waxing is popular but tends to yellow over time and is a maintenance nightmare. Seal the slate before grouting to make grouting easier and the slate easier to clean, then seal the grout 2-4 weeks after installation (to cure) along with the slate again and then maintain the sealer every year to two years.
Slate flooring for interior projects has a few less issues, just follow TCNA installation guidelines for the proper substrate recommendations, use premium thinset mortar and pre seal the slate, then seal the grout and slate again 2-4 weeks later (for curing) and you will have a slate floor tiled that looks fantastic and will last a very long time when properly installed. Showers look beautiful and dramatic when slate tiles are used, whether natural or porcelain, either will give you the look you want. Try using combinations of sizes, like 6x6, 2x2, and 6x12. They make great patterns for floors and walls.
So choose your products wisely, as slate floor tiles come natural or man made. Each have their place and we can recommend which ones we have had success with and which ones to stay away from. We want your installation to last as long as you want to enjoy it!
Traditions In Tile has been providing slate floor tile in Georgia for over
75 years. Being a Georgia based company we pride ourselves on providing a
remarkable experience for each of our clients. We have ceramic tile
showrooms in Nine (8) Georgia cities including Marietta, Alpharetta,
Buford, Buckhead, Macon, Newnan, Athens and Augusta. In addition to
Georgia, we have locations in Tennessee, and North Carolina. Georgia
Builders, Architects, Designers and Remodelers depend on us to provide
first class Tile, Stone, Glass and related products to them as industry
professionals. |