From rustic cabins, to modern lofts, slate tiles make a durable, easy to maintain natural stone building material. Understanding the various types of slate tiles on the market, as well as how to proper clean and care for them, will help homeowners make the right choice for them.
What is Slate?
Slate is a fine grained, metamorphic rock, which was formed from volcanic clay an ash, which settled into layers, hardening as they cooled. Slate is easily cut and cleft on these layers, making them an easily formed tile material, suitable for roofs, floors, fireplace surrounds and even showers.
Types of Slate Tile Available
There are multiple types and styles of slate tiles on the market. The most commonly thought of, and easily installed material is Vermont slate tiles. Vermont slate tiles are fairly uniform in color, size and thickness. Steel gray to medium green in tone, Vermont slate is typically gauged meaning that each piece is a uniform thickness and fairly easy to install.
Chinese slate, and Indian slate tiles are more varied. These tiles are often less expensive than domestic slate, but with a trade off of being harder and more expensive to install. Chinese and Indian slate tiles are often extremely variable in color and texture. Colors can range from piece to piece and within one piece, creating a varied, kaleidoscope effect wherever they are installed.
These multi-colored and textured tiles are usually sold ungauged. This means that they will have a natural, cleft surface, and the thickness of each tile will vary from as much as 1/8” to 1/2" from tile to tile, and within one tile. This makes slate installation more difficult than other tiles, as this thickness will need to be evened out by back buttering, or applying additional setting material to the back of each tile.
Ungauged slate tiles are also prone to spalling. This means that small pieces will break off, and the tiles will be very dusty for up to 3 months following installation. This is just the slate settling in to its new home, and is in no way a defect.
Brazilian slate tiles can encompass nearly all of these traits. From honed slate tiles to natural faced tiles, and from black or green slate tiles, to multi-colored, Brazilian slate tiles are available to fit nearly any installation needs.
Uses of Slate Tiles
Use slate tiles anywhere that tile would be installed. Multi-colored slate tiles, with shifting colors and textures work particularly well in mudrooms and entry ways, as they can help hide wear and tear, as well as dirt, with their wide color pallet and clefting. Black slate tiles, with a smooth, honed finish can be used in modern installations to give just a hint of variation and texture, in a uniform appearance.
Thick, Vermont slate tiles can be used outdoors as pavers for gardens, walkways and patios, or indoors as an entryway or landing, for a rustic look. Use slate tiles in patterns, and mixed with glass and ceramic in showers and backsplashes for a rich, deep look.
Slate Sealing and Cleaning
All slate tiles, just like any other natural stone tiles, should be sealed during installation, prior to grouting. Use an impregnating sealer, with a silicon base, to help impede staining, and maintain the beauty of the stone.
For multi-colored stones, a color enhancing sealer can be applied as a second step, after the installation is finished, to deepen and bring out all the various tones. To determine if this step is desired, wet the tiles down with plain water. This will deepen the colors, and give an approximation of what the color enhanced tiles will look like.
Clean slate tiles with a stone cleaner, or a mild detergent. Slate does a very good job of hiding dirt, as well as etching and damage to the stone, but care should still be taken to ensure that the tiles continue to look as good as they did the day they were installed.
Slate tiles can give a lot of movement, color and life to any area or room of the home. Be sure to ask for the particulars of the slate being purchased, as not all slates are equal. Ungauged slate will need an experienced installer to ensure that the tiles are level when the installation is complete. Gauged slate with a cleft face is available, but may cost more than the ungauged material will.
Honed slate tiles will usually have a smooth face, and a gauged finish, but depending on the stone, may be subject to small pits in the surface that can catch dirt if not filled with grout. Be sure to purchase not just the material that is visually appealing, but that will fit the job as well.
Use slate tiles anywhere inside or outside the home to give a natural feel, lots of color and movement, and a whole new life to any installation.
Sarabeth Asaff - Sarabeth Asaff is a freelance writer and artist with a passion for cooking and good food. Growing up in the kitchen of her Lebanese ...
