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What has been experiences with natural slate for flooring in high traffic areas? I have heard there is frequent maintenance, sealing, and higher install costs. The new
ceramic tiles are very texture, color similar to slate but still have that “uniformity”, or not-quite-natural look and cost about the same. This new construction home will have about 200 sq. ft. arq.of this flooring.
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I've put a few slate floors in, two of which were in my house. I found they hold up just fine. I had no issue with the installation being any more difficult that ceramic.
*My in-laws have a slate entry. It's beautiful, and the maintenance isn't a big deal. Nothing more than other floors. Clean, spread on a sealer once a year. I've seen the tiles you are talking about, though. They are beautiful, and an untrained eye probably couldn't tell the difference.
*I've got slate in my foyer as well...with no maintenance issues whatsoever. I'll agree with Messi in that they both require the same effort when installing. Grouting the slate (depending on the severity of the surface texture) may require a bit more care than the ceramic, but nothing that should substantially drive the up the installation cost.Put a piece of slate and a piece of ceramic side-by-side and make your decision. Whatever cost differential there is will be miniscule compared to the pleasure you'll get from having slate.
*Do you want pergo or real hardwood..enough saiddavid
*A word of warning on Slate...some of the cheaper imports ( Indian for example ) are not very tough...I've seen womens stilettos punch throught the first couple of layers.
*I guess its time to give thanks to the builder who laid about 1,000 sf of this in my house 30 years ago. Still flawless to this day, so I'll speak well of the now archaic practice of dropping ply between the rafters, pouring a concrete bed a and then laying the slate. Not a crack.But, a little yellowing of the original sealer. Any thoughts on what to use to strip this unknown sealer and then what do I reseal with?
*Mongo-Good point on the grouting. The only other difference I might add would be some additional wear on your float.I've always been one for the look of slate. I made some slate tops for some built in furniture to match the flooring.BTW- you wouldn't be the same Mongo I saw posting on a different board... regarding a new truck... would you?
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Thanks for all the comments. I think we'll go with the natural slate, providing the wife and I can agree on the color mix (there seems to be a lot of variation within a color lot).
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Good choice. I think you will be happier with a natural material.
*Messi,As to posting on a different board? T'aint not I. I post here at Taunton, and occasionally get pulled over to JLC. I do get requests to visit and offer advice at other forums, but I'll go, read, and leave. I'd say I do 95% of my posts here, 5% at JLC.Another Mongo? May be time for me to retire...
*Gary, first, thanks for posting the followup. Second, I'm glad you chose the slate. Congrads!
*Good choice on the natural material. About the sealing, however. Once a year may be excessive unless you are the Felix Unger type. My current customer has Vermont Green slate floors which have not been re sealed since installation. The stone looks great! Worn smoother, to be sure, but with a character sort of like old leather. Plus, scratches disappear within a couple of moppings. Low maintainence indeed!
*Now, Mongo. Don't be worrying none about that other Mongo. We know he could never fill your shoes. So let's just cut that talk of retiring!Rich Beckman
*"We know he could never fill your shoes. "Rich, that's only because I wear a size 14!
*If your curious, the Pseudo Mongo was found posting on a site called 'ford-diesel.com' It's a site w/ forum about the ford power stroke
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What has been experiences with natural slate for flooring in high traffic areas? I have heard there is frequent maintenance, sealing, and higher install costs. The new
ceramic tiles are very texture, color similar to slate but still have that "uniformity", or not-quite-natural look and cost about the same. This new construction home will have about 200 sq. ft. arq.of this flooring.
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Messi, et al;
A very timely thread for me. I am probably about 2 mos away from tearing up my white ceramic foyer and putting down large random slate pieces. I will be on subfloor and have to be sensitive to elevation changes. Any recomendations based on your experiences in regard to bedding and subfloor prep would be appreciated.
- Will