Character from the Tiles

Slate tiles are actually one of the most popular choices for flooring. It is a good material in resurfacing concrete floors in houses or decks. Though, there is a little difference in the surface texture of those used outdoors and indoors, these tiles are still very easy to install. This is mostly seen on kitchen floors for some as well as open decks and patios for other houses and structures. This kind of tiles offers a very natural yet polished finish to any structure. The texture and choice of colour offer uniqueness and never fails to break the monotony of the designs.

Here is a quick guide in stalling slate tiles to your place:

Make sure that the floor is clean and free of dusts by sweeping the floor and wiping it with a wet mop. This ensures that the thin set has a good contact to the floor. (Natural slate is made using the mixture of cement and silica sand. This can is also referred as thin set. When mixed with water, thin set gives out a consistency like that of the cake, this is used as the base for the slate tiles during installation.) Some professions also put crack-isolation fabric between the slate and the floor to avoid cracks on the slate tiles that may be brought about by humidity changes.

After making sure that the floor is already clean, you can now lay out the pattern of the slate tiles. Usually, there is almost half an inch or less of space between the joints. It is very important that you maintain consistency in spacing the slate tiles to make sure that the pattern will interlock well. Using chalk to mark the position of the tiles will also help lessen any problems during the installation.

Starting parallel with the most visible wall in the room, you can now lay out the tile. This is because it is where people would most likely start looking when they get inside the room. Also, in case you might need to cut the tiles on the other side of the room, it is less noticeable.

Apply the thin set and let it dry or cure for at least 24 hours. If you are not in a hurry, curing it for around 48 hours is better.

Grout the slate tiles to make better contact between them during installation. This makes the tiles less prone to breakage and dislodge when you walk through them. You can always use a grout-release liquid on them. Once you are done with grouting, you now affix the tiles to the floor. Let it settle for 2-3 days to make sure that is already dry before stepping on it.

Now that you already know how to install this kind of tiles. You can now go to your favourite hardware and get all the supplies that you need. Take note of the colour of your walls as well as the motif of the room before picking up the colour of the slate tiles that you would use. These tiles will definitely give more character and life to the room.

Tom Cavangh is author of this article on Slate Tiles. Find more information about Slate Floor Tiles here.