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Slate
floor - Boldly Beautiful
Slate
is a fine-grained metamorphic rock which is made up of quartz,
chlorite, mica & calcite. This rock is formed when ocean or
riverbed sediments are compressed and heated by the earth's crust.
Priced about the same as any other normal tile this rock is the
ideal one to jazz up and entry foyer or mudroom floor. This hard,
dense, and fine-grained rock on getting wet is durable, stain-resistant,
and slip-resistant. It can thus sustain these types of abuses
that might otherwise damage wood flooring or carpeting. This type
of flooring aside from damp mopping and an occasional application
of a sealer, little or no maintenance are required. Although slate
now days are available in many colors, sizes, and thicknesses,
it typically comes boxed in mixed sizes and often in mixed colors.
The installation procedure is about the same as for tile and is
well within a self doing capability.
Laying
a slate floor
If one is well equipped with all the instruments and necessary
materials such as Pry bar, Hammer, utility knife etc then laying
a slate floor is not at all a big task. The laying process involves
the following steps mentioned in a sequential order:
•
Preparing the floor – Try removing any type of
carpeting, tackless strips along the edges and baseboard trim.
Make the necessary repairs to the flooring such as renailing any
loose board. Properly clean the floor.
•
Install underlayment – For avoiding the slate and
grout from cracking the floor must be strong and stable. The best
way for this is to install a tile underlayment such as Dens shield
or Hardiebacker or a cement backer unit. Then one has to use the
fasteners, adhesive/mortar and nailing schedule which is recommended
by the manufacturer.
•
Undercut doorways – A piece of slate first is to
be placed on the floor next to the doorjamb. Then with the help
of a cross cut the bottom portion of the doorjamb must be cut
out so that when the slate gets installed it will sleep under
the jamb.
•
Cut the slate – The best instrument to cut a slate
is the diamond wet saw while in many cases hacksaw set up with
a Carborundum (abrasive) wire blade is also used.
•
Lay the slate – The best results while laying the
slate can be obtained by using latex-Portland cement ("thinset")
mortar mixed with acrylic additive instead of water.
•
Seal the floor – To best protect the slate from
staining the grout must be allowed to sure for a few days and
then apply a low-sheen, water-base sealer over the entire floor.
Hence
seeing the above steps it can be easily concluded that laying
a slate floor is within the capability of any normal human being.
There
are many more flooring articles in our flooring
section. There is more specific information in the links at
the beginning of this article. They can guide you where you need
to go.
Hardwood
vs Laminate
The difference is more than you think, or maybe not!
Good
Carpet is best!
There is nothing like walking barefoot on great carpet
Caring
for Hardwood is easier than you think.
Just vacuum and you are done.
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