04 August 2010

Flooring Slate; A Great Choice




What is flooring slate actually? For many years, homeowners have understood how useful stone can be as a constructing and decorating substance. From granite table tops and window sills to countertops as well as hearthstones, they add granite, slate or marble characteristics into their homes. All are gorgeous, yet even more important, they are long lasting. Slate and granite are often applied as roofing materials too, following the example of some slate roofs that have survived for centuries. And another trend in recent years has been the growing use of flooring slate.

Slate is made under extreme pressure, to ensure the molecules of the stone develop in parallel lines. This implies both slate floor tile and roofing slate tile products are easy to make since the rock splits easily into flat chunks. Some slate fades not much, while others have a higher portion of iron and calcium, and will thus weather and turn slightly brown as time passes. Unlike the wide variety of granite colors, slate is normally limited to black, and shades of brown, red and green. However, that's not truly an issue for slate flooring, because homeowners do not want their floors drawing all of the attention, and therefore are not likely to want elaborate colors.

The natural flat split of slate can be processed and formed, so flooring slate may appear in different ways depending on the context. If slate chunks are left unpolished and somewhat rough, they can be applied as flagstones in the garden or yard. A slate tile wall, used for instance in a bathroom, may use tiles cut evenly, with sharp edges to develop tight joints and the surface honed flat and smooth. In the same way, slate flooring tiles might be cut and installed evenly, or they might remain in diverse shapes and fitted together to form a pattern.

A good thing about flooring slate In these times is its environmentally friendly nature. As a natural stone product, it does not require either frequent repair or renewal. Slate flooring and roofing tiles both have a high life expectancy if maintained to a certain minimum standard. This fire-resistant stone can certainly help make the home safer, increasing the value of the house and potentially reducing insurance expenses. As a clean, long-lasting and naturally awesome material, slate can be an environmentally friendly alternative during renovations or in home building.



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