An Introduction to American Slate and Using Slate Products in Remodeling

In this Complete Home Remodeling Guide we will talk about Slate and its many uses in, around and on your home. We will also introduce you to American Slate who is arguably one of the leaders in the manufacturing and application of slate products.

An Introduction to American Slate

Having over thirty-two years’ experience and working with some of the finest quarries in the world, American Slate has become one of the largest and most reputable sources of slate around. They have a product selection with over sixty natural colors and textures with every piece different and handcrafted.

American Slate has a history of innovative mining and processing along with stringent inspection requirements ensuring premium quality of their natural products.

American Slate uses premium handcrafted slate to create tiles, slabs, veneers and mosaics that are ideal for floors, patios, walls, fireplaces, countertops, showers and more.

Slate is a metamorphic rock formed by heat and pressure upon shale. It is very compact and fine grained and because it can be split into thin layers along natural lines it can be used in many applications in home building and remodeling. Slate ranges in color from black to gray or greenish to red, which would depend on the mineral make up in the shale it comes from.

Metamorphic rock is used in many applications around the home. Marble is a metamorphic rock used to make tiles, counter tops and many more applications and Quartzite is used as a source of silica along with other forms of metamorphic rocks which are useful as counter tops, and facings.

So let’s look at some pros and cons of that Slate Roof you have your eye on.

The Pros are easy as slate roofing has a very long history of use. It is one of the highest quality products you can put on your roof with a life expectation of over 100 years. Each roof is unique as the tiles are all natural and each has its own look. Rock doesn’t burn so you get fire protection which would be great in a wooded area and it’s good for the environment since you’re not tearing off an old roof every 20 years.

So it will outlast you, look great for over 100 years, won’t burn, it’s good for the environment and is the longest lasting material on the market. It really is a wondrful product.

But there are some things you will need to consider, like the high cost of material, tough installation requirements, fragile tiles, and difficulty replacing any damaged tiles. Also, many contractors know very little about slate roofs so be sure to ask up front about experience and always get references. Contact our contractors for more information. You will also need to consider the weight of the slate. You are putting rock on your home so make sure it will take the weight? Now consider having to replace a tile which is not easy. The different colors can make it almost impossible to replace tiles that really match. Maybe a few extra put away for a later date would be a good idea since they would match.

When you do consider the cost which can be up to five times as much as a conventional roof you must remember the slate roof should last at least five times longer. I guess the real question is how long do you want to look at the same roof? Will the slate save your home from a fire? Is it what you really want?

Other slate products to consider; slate tiles for patios, building stairs, covering walls, flooring, slate backsplash, landscaping options, slate patio furniture and the list goes on and on.

Don’t forget to contact one of our professional contractors for your free information on how to get started on your next project.