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For rugged and rustic charm, there’s simply nothing quite like slate. Whether as an accent wall in a cozy den or sophisticated patio deck, slate adds depth, texture and timeless elegance to any space inside or outside the home. Slate can be an economical choice if you’re looking for beauty on a budget. But to get the most from slate, it’s helpful to learn more about this unique and complex stone.
What Is Slate?
Slate is a beautiful, layered stone made of densely compacted strata of volcanic ash or clay. It’s a finer-grained foliated metamorphic rock, and its layered appearance offers rich texture and depth of color. Slate can give off a pearly luminescence that’s undeniable and irresistible. Slate may be honed, resulting in a smooth matte finish, or leathered, creating a textured matte sheen. It’s also budget friendly, often costing less per square foot than marble and granite.
Accents, Floors and Walkways
Inside the home, slate creates an elegant, decorative look as an accent wall, fireplace surround or backsplash. It’s also perfect as rich, natural flooring. Outdoors, slate adds an enticing organic element to patios, walkways and gardens.
Cleaning and Care
Slate requires simple maintenance — soap and water can be enough to clean it. But MARBLELIFE® Tile & Grout Cleaner provides a better means of efficiently lifting oils without depositing waxes or other build-up worthy ingredients common in other cleaners. While it’s fairly easy to clean, it’s important to remember that slate is a more delicate stone. The features and jagged, flakey textures that create the striking look of traditional slate also have some downsides: they can chip and crack easily, and they create crevices to trap dirt.
MARBLELIFE® offers the following slate care services:
- Deep cleaning to restore a beautiful surface.
- Stripping and removing old coatings, then refinishing.
- Color deepening or enhancement to enrich the existing color with a matte, satin or gloss sheen.
- Repairs and restoration of damaged surfaces.
- Ultimate Flat Slate Floor for unparralleled radiance, unique appearance and beauty with easy cleaning and maintenance.
MARBLELIFE® can help restore older slate and treat installed flooring to increase the gentle stone’s durability without losing its rustic appeal. The slate can also be leveled and polished to create a floor without the traditional uneven slate appearance. This process is uncommon because it requires a master craftsman to perform without shattering the stone. That craftsman must understand the strengths and weaknesses of the stone and how to patiently work the surface to achieve this unique appearance. Below you can see an example with the BEFORE close-up surface shown for reference as well. This floor has been ground to create a single plane between tile surface and grout lines, making it exceptionally easy to dust, mop and maintain. This Ultimate Flat Floor is a unique way to convert a 1970 rough slate surface into a modern one of a kind floor.
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Keep Your Slate Looking Its Best
A gorgeous look for any home, slate needs to be handled with care— and it also needs expertise to keep it looking its rustic, radiant best. Your local MARBLELIFE® pro can evaluate your slate surfaces and provide a specialized care plan to clean, protect and preserve it. Call to schedule a free in-home consultation.
