Natural slate can be used in almost every aspect of the home. You can have slate floors, walls; a whole room can be lined with this versatile material. You can also have furniture; bars, tables, and countertops all manufactured with natural slate. Even home dcor products such as slate wall clocks, coasters, trivets, and chess boards are available. However, why would someone want to feature natural slate in their homes? COST Many natural stones are expensive due to difficult quarrying processes and import fees. However slate is one of the most economical building materials on the market. Even imported slate can usually be purchased for less then compatible orders of quartzite or marble. Competitive or cheaper VARIETY This low cost has made a wide variety of slates from around the world readily available. You can find it in almost any color, size, and shape you could want. It is also available in a variety of finishes including a rough clefted surface, a smooth polished look, or a soft honed finish. You will generally have a better selection if you are searching for tiles, although there are slate slabs accessible in many different colors. MAINTENANCE Slate is a very durable and resistant natural stone. Caring for it is generally easy, requiring different levels of treatment depending on its use. Slate flooring will get the most physical abuse, as it will be exposed to foot traffic all day long. However the natural properties of this material make it highly resistant to the pressures of even the busiest of locations. Initial treatment at this extreme level can be as simple as applying one to three coats of chemical penetrating sealer after installation, and then an optional chemical finish which should seal its pores. Maintenance is optional and soap and watercan consist of another application of the sealer every few years. Slate countertops should get a similar treatment, with extra care given to facilities which are used more often. Walls and backsplashes require even less care, and home furnishings dont need any at all, although some chemical treatments may be applied to bring out the natural colors in the stone. Highly durable, slate can be used in basements, kitchens, walkways, indoors, outdoors, and almost anywhere without much physical harm coming to it. While it can be chipped or cracked, it is a tough material that can stand against most abuse. As long as it is installed properly with the necessary chemical treatments, there is no reason for you to ever have to replace it. NATURAL BEAUTY Slate forms within the earth in giant veins which run dimensionally through the ground. It is extracted in the form of enormous slabs, which contain random colors tones and hues whose properties depend on the various chemicals which were present during its formation. These markings create an enormous natural landscape within the stone. Once extracted the slate slab is sliced down into smaller pieces, each one containing its own unique portion of the original natural picture. These pieces are grouped together in lots which come from roughly the same area and have roughly the same appearance. When natural stone is used, each one of a kind piece is a portrait, which can be its own focus, or a component in a larger creation consisting of its unique brother stones. These natural properties are combined with the fact that there are slates available in almost any color range, and slates can be found imported from countries around the world. Further the nature of any lot of slate is seasonal, bearing a distinct look which makes it slightly different from the stones quarried at any other time. This means that this natural stone is unique across a variety of characteristics, making your application completely custom to you. |
