A natural cleft slate is one of the grippiest floors you can buy, which is why it suits entries and porches. Honed or polished slate is a different matter and belongs indoors.
Does slate need sealing?+
Yes. A penetrating sealer deepens the colour and stops the layers from shedding. Expect to refresh it every year or two in a busy entry.
Why do some slate tiles flake?+
Softer slates shed thin surface layers when new. It usually settles after cleaning and sealing. Buying a dense, gauged slate avoids most of it.
Can slate go outdoors?+
In mild climates, yes, on a properly drained base. In hard freeze and thaw regions choose a dense slate rated for exteriors, or switch to porcelain with a slate look.
Slate Floor Tile
Slate in its natural cleft and gauged forms, in charcoal, rust, gold and multicolour tones. Most of the range is 12x12 and 16x16, with 6x12 and 12x24 planks for a more linear floor.
The cleft face is the point of slate: a rippled, layered surface with real grip, which is why it lands in entries, mudrooms and covered porches. Gauged slate is machined flat on the back so it sets evenly over a substrate.
Slate is dense and forgiving. It handles wet boots and dropped pans, and it hides dirt better than any pale stone. Seal it to deepen the colour and to stop the surface flaking over time.
