Most people don't know it but slate flooring is an excellent choice for interiors and exteriors. Slate has several advantages that make it conducive for the flooring.

• It is a natural stone.

• It is extremely durable.

• Slate has a wide variety of shapes, colors and textures.

• Slate is resistant to staining because its fine texture makes it difficult for liquids to penetrate.

• Slate is extremely smooth, looking almost like plastic laminate.

• The surface of slate is somewhat rough, which makes slate flooring slip resistant.

Natural slate comes in different colors and tones. There are rusty reds, dark blacks, grays, greens and mottled mixes of colors. This makes it easy for you to mix and match slate flooring with the rest of the décor. With slate, you can play around with a mosaic design too. You can mix and match different pieces to make up a striking mosaic design.

Another advantage of slate flooring is that slate tiles are available in different thicknesses. The quarter inch thickness is the most popular variety. In case you need to lay down slate flooring for the fireplace, hearth or the stairs, you can easily get large slabs of slate too.

Even though slate flooring is largely stain resistant, some liquids may cause staining. Penetrating sealants can give slate flooring a wet and polished look while protecting the stone from stains. It must be remembered that slate flooring does not require waxing or polishing. Applying wax will only rob the stone of its natural beauty.

When creating slate flooring, the slate will be fixed to the floor using cement based thin-set. Once the flooring is in place, you need have no fear of slate cracking if you have set it with cement based thin-set. Slate flooring can also be installed on a wooden sub-floor too. However, you would have to fix plywood over the sub-floor before the slate tiles come on.

One of the most important factors in the aesthetics of slate flooring is the way in which the tiles have been set. To an untrained eye, slate flooring may look like a hodgepodge of random tiles. In reality though, different sized pieces are laid down carefully to interlock into an intricate pattern. The patterns are generally available when you buy a carton of slate tiles. Re-create the pattern accurately. Once the slate flooring has been installed, it is important to allow it to set for a minimum of 48 hours. Apply sealant to the surface. Then, it is time to begin grouting.

Creating Slate Flooring for your home is not a very difficult task. You can do it yourself if you so wish. However, if you're a newbie, it is better to start off with a small area before you move on to more ambitious projects.