Slate is a versatile stone that is available in a number of different finishes including riven, honed, antiqued and tumbled to name a few. Although often a little more expensive than alternative flooring, it’s considered to be a worthwhile investment thanks to its exceptionally robust properties.
There is something beautiful and unique about slate flooring that other types of flooring simply cannot compare to. Available in a wide range of different colours, sizes and finishes, slate has become a staple in many homes and businesses across the UK thanks to its flexibility and versatility.
A lot of home and business owners choose slate because it’s durable and requires little maintenance – but this doesn’t mean that you can completely ignore it! To keep your slate floor looking bright and fresh, you do need to keep on top of maintenance, so we have put together an article looking at how to maintain and prolong your natural slate flooring for the long-term.
The most obvious way to keep your floor clean would be to not get it too dirty in the first place. However, we know that this isn’t always possible, so it’s essential that you take the right steps to protect it as much as possible and this is where sealing becomes extremely important!
Slate and all natural stone must be sealed with an impregnator in order to prevent staining. Although naturally very impermeable and smooth, on a microscopic level slate still has a grainy texture which will otherwise allow liquids to be absorbed. There are a variety of sealants available which can alter the appearance of your flooring, some intensifying the colours, others producing a glossy sheen.
Whilst slate floors are low-maintenance, if you’re looking to keep them in the best condition you can for the foreseeable future, we would recommend implementing a weekly care routine for your new flooring.
As a general rule of thumb, you should always try to sweep your slate flooring at least twice a week, especially in the months following installation. This is mainly down to a process that can occur called ‘spalling’ which essentially means that small pieces of the material may flake off the surface; it’s worth noting this is completely normal and will usually stop around 6 months to a year after installation.
Mopping your slate tile floor is a must on a weekly basis, and we would recommend doing so with a gentle cleanser where possible. You should always use a cleaning product that is specifically made to wash natural stone, rinse with water and then let it air-dry.
The importance of regular cleaning of your slate floor cannot be understated. When it comes to cleaning we’d recommend Lithofin Easy Care Cleaner as this is designed to work in partnership with the sealants in order to prolong their lifespan. For more stubborn dirt and stains, a stronger cleaner may be required such as Lithofin Power Clean or Wexa Multi Purpose Remover.
Where possible, you should also avoid using tough scrubbing brushes that may scratch and damage the flooring and sealant. If cared for correctly, slate flooring should last you an entire lifetime!
The team here at Slate UK have put their heads together to come up with a quickfire do’s and don’ts list for slate flooring, so always do:
And don’t:
If you would like to speak to us about the range of floor slates that we have available, please don’t hesitate to contact us. You can give us a call on 015395 59289 and we will be more than happy to help you out.
At UK Slate we understand the numerous advantages of opting for the versatile and aesthetically pleasing material. Thanks to its natural ability to seamlessly fit in with any existing style, it’s suitable for anyone looking for striking natural aesthetics in their bathroom, whilst also offering the ideal properties to be one of the most reliable roofing materials available on the market. It really is fair to say that slate is the perfect material for any number of applications.
While slate delivers many advantages applied in a domestic setting, it is the commercial setting which can potentially reap the most benefits. UK Slate had the pleasure and honour of providing the stunning bespoke slate for the Gail’s Artisan Bakery renovation in London.
This project involved no less than 1,878 bespoke Ravendale Riven tiles being cut into triangles by our specialist slate experts, providing Gail’s Artisan Bakery with the finishing touches to their excellent new look bakery. Slate is a fantastic material for applications all over the home, but what is it that makes slate so perfect for a commercial setting?
Firstly, there’s no denying that slate does stand out in a crowd; the overall appearance of slate is absolutely stunning. The natural aesthetics of our vast range of slate is an ideal addition to any customer facing areas of your business, with it’s eye-catching purple hues, you can be absolutely sure that it’s sure to draw in a few customers!
Slate’s ability to enhance the design of just about any premises perhaps lies in its sleek appearance. However, it also has the ability to highlight the cleanliness of a building, even making a building appear that bit more homely and organic – this makes it a whole lot more appealing for all customers.
Going hand-in-hand with cleanliness is slate’s ability to resist stains. Drips and stains are commonplace throughout many businesses, which is why slate is an excellent choice for dealing with the mess that these can potentially leave behind. Not only that, slate doesn’t involve an awkward or extensive cleaning procedure, meaning your premises can remain looking clean and enticing with absolute ease.
Thanks to their natural ability to be completely mould and fire resistant, along with boasting a low water absorption rate, slate is extremely easy to maintain and requires little intervention from the property owner throughout its lifespan.
It’s also worth mentioning that due to its low water absorption rate, slate is very resistant to frost damage and breakage due to freezing, which makes it an attractive option for year-round use both in and outdoors.
The waterproof nature of slate is equally as alluring and beneficial to a business owner. Not only does it have implications on the ease of maintenance, but also on the longevity of a slate design for your business; you and your customers can enjoy the beauty of slate for years to come! This is an essential quality for any material that you are looking to install in your business premises, as cost-effectiveness does come into question when choosing the right things to use within your property.
The overall properties of slate are what makes the longevity and durability of this material a possibility. Suitable for anything from a busy kitchen to an area with heavy footfall, slate is the ultimate heavy-duty material and therefore perfect for busy business environments. While so many attractive surface choices require a degree of acting delicately, slate can withstand a great deal of impact throughout its lifetime, so you can be absolutely sure it’s capable of withstanding whatever you or your customers throw at it.
One of the main attractions of slate for many business owners is the fact that the material is extremely versatile and can be used in a number of different ways. There’s no denying that versatility is highly sought after by business owners in all aspects of their business, so slate really fits that mould!
Whether you’re looking for an effective and robust new roof tiled with slate tiles, or simply looking to create a stunning outdoor area by using slate, the material is ideal for a multitude of applications. We often see slate used as a cost-effective and aesthetically pleasing way to create outdoor spaces that businesses can be proud of, thanks to the contrast in colour slate offers the user.
From its durability, stain-resistance and waterproof nature, right through to its overall gorgeous aesthetics, slate is a material that keeps on giving. To discuss how our bespoke slate services can provide an extremely attractive and cost-effective tiling solution for your business, you need only contact us on 015395 59289 or use our simple online enquiry form.
The fact that slate has the ability to offer its beauty and hard-wearing nature for years to come – reducing the need for replacements or even subsequent maintenance – slate is the perfect material for use across innumerable commercial settings, from hotels to restaurants to supermarkets.
As we have now, hopefully, seen the last of the winter weather, we can get back in the garden and start making it look as beautiful as the summer days. To do so we can use slate to add a natural beauty to our gardens. Slate is a popular choice due to its flexibility, texture, and the affect it can have on your garden’s aesthetic.
You can easily create an eye-catching space with some simple use of slate, and it is much more versatile and inexpensive that you may think. From a simple yet stylish pathway to a strong slate feature, we have compiled how you can amp up your gardens character with a little help from slate.
There are a number of benefits to using slate within your garden, here’s just a few of them:
Versatility – Slate is extremely versatile and can be used in a whole host of places within your garden. Not only is it versatile, it also comes in a variety of colours, textures and shapes, enabling you to create a completely unique outdoor space.
Environmentally Friendly – All slate chippings are made from recycled materials, so it’s a great alternative to quarried stones if you’re conscious about the environment.
Durable and Hardwearing – Thanks to slate’s robust properties, it’s rarely affected by adverse weather conditions.
Aesthetically Pleasing All Year Round – Unlike other materials commonly used in gardens, slate looks perfect both in the sun and rain, as it takes on a lighter shade of purple in dry patches, whilst going a much darker shade when wet.
Easy To Lay – Slate couldn’t be easier to lay, slate chippings have grown in popularity in recent years thanks to their ease of use.
A slate wall can not only be a stunning feature in your garden for summer, but is much more practical and visually pleasing than a standard wooden or brick wall. Having a wall constructed by slate can give a contemporary style to the garden. Slate can also make a great barbeque space and is a much more appealing look than a concrete block or manufactured BBQ. Being simple and inexpensive, a slate wall is a must-have feature to transform your garden into summer bliss. Slate for landscaping is often overlooked by many homeowners, but we can’t stress enough just how useful it can be!
One of the most common uses of slate in the garden is to form a border around some of the key features your garden boasts. Whether that be a rockery, a pond or water feature, slate offers a perfect contrast in colour and texture to make your garden features stand out that little bit more. You can even use slate alongside your driveway to give it a distinctive border – the options really are endless.
By stacking your slate in a different way completely, you can fit the pieces together to form a unique water feature, or a simple ornament. A slate pyramid can add a simple accent of beauty to a corner or even the centre of your garden – just add water and you have an effective and inexpensive water feature. This is certain to add the extra wow factor to your summer paradise.
Not only can you create some beautiful additions to your garden with slate, but you can combine them with flowers and plants, and it doubles the feeling of paradise. Bring out the natural beauty of slate with all the beauty of summer plantings. Many flowers are in their prime in this warmer weather, but if you want the flowers or plants to last all year round, then why not opt for fake.
A slate rock garden is a wonderful way to display plants and flowers. Using slate is a contemporary and stylish alternative to more conventional materials and is also beneficial to plants and their habitats. Your plants will love being nestled in a sun- facing slate rock garden. As a feature piece a rock garden can be a small asset at first, but you can always expand. Either way they are a great summer addition to your outdoor haven.
By making a slate walkway you can create a practical and beautiful area. Everyone needs a path in their garden, but the subtle yet elegant colourings of slate gives that extra touch to a garden design. You can easily create a natural border between the grass and your path by a subtle amount of slate or create an entire path. Either way, slate flooring can create a great focal point and make the ultimate addition to your summer paradise.
Slate requires little maintenance and always looks fantastic against any garden furniture, ornaments or flowers. It can create a subtle arrangement or give a real contrast against your garden. And even though the sun is becoming more apparent, you won’t mind when a bit of rain touches your slate, as it really brings out the true colours and textures of the material.
If you would like more information about how slate can complement or transform your garden, ready for the summer, we would love to help. Feel free to browse our website, or if you require more information, get in touch with our expert team directly.
Have you ever found yourself wondering just how slate makes its way from a quarry to your home? There are actually five distinct steps that are taken during the process, and each of them is vital to ensuring that you end up with a robust material to adorn your roof, house or garden.
In this article, we will take a closer look at each of the steps taken to prepare slate for your home, whilst also delving deeper into the background of slate as a material.
Before we get into the five steps taken to get slate from the quarry to your home, we thought we would give you some background on the material.
A metamorphic rock, slate is derived from the process of metamorphism from clay or volcanic ash. It is the finest grained form of metamorphic rock. Although the majority of slate in Europe comes from Spain, there are actually many UK quarries, with Wales, Cornwall, and Cumbria forming the main source of the material on our shores.
Slate is not only perfect for use in roofing tiles, it’s also an ideal material for flooring too. This is mainly down to its characteristics as a naturally slip-resistant floor, making it ideal for wet areas of the home such as the bathroom or outdoor areas.
Firstly, the slate needs to be extracted from the quarry. This involves finding a vein of stone suitable for a particular use before harvesting the slate.
Once the quarry is discovered by a team of experts, they strategically extract the slate by using a variety of methods. This could be by blasting, wire cutting or circular saw cutting the material. Slate must be quarried with precision, as the extraction process can affect the integrity and yield of the slate. The blocks that are extracted on site are left in the largest possible size for transportation; this is done in order to prevent material loss during transport. After evaluating the stone, experts will then cut the slate into more manageable pieces before moving onto the next step.
Radial saws will cut the slate into appropriate shapes and sizes in two stages. First to the correct width and then to the desired length.
The blades used to cut the slate are diamond tipped for precision. Diamond is the hardest material known to man, meaning there’s little on the planet that it is not capable of cutting. It’s fair to say that each of these blades is extremely costly but essential to producing accurately cut pieces of slate for sale.
Splitting is considered to be one of the most specialised skills within slate production. Each piece which was cut during the last stage is split by hand from the blocks created. The expert will split the block into separate pieces, halving the thickness until they reach the final product. Due to the delicacy of the material and this process, a lot of the slate is damaged, with 85% of the slate being unusable or spoiled.
Once the slate is split, the rives (the split slate with sawn edges) will go for dressing.
This step is also where any other aesthetic details will be carried out, such as shaping into Schuppen slates for more decorative laying.
Roofing slates are often pre-holed at the quarry for the slater’s convenience. They are usually drilled in small groups or even one by one. All slate should be holed from the bed of the material (the underside) using a punch or boring method. This is a particularly delicate stage of the process, and if care is not taken then damage can be caused to the slate.
Occasionally you will find a slate un-holed, or with just one hole in the material; this can happen when a group of slates are particularly thick, and the drill piece is not long enough to reach the entire way through the pile.
The final stage before your slate is ready for shipping is packing, which sees every pallet from the factory being packed by hand in order to ensure minimal breakages or damage to the product. The slates are packed tightly on end so that the slate doesn’t move and shatter during transportation. Slate can break relatively easily, so it’s absolutely essential that care is taken during the packing stage, as any issues can cause the product to break. During this process, the wooden crates that are used to transport the slate are also treated with heat, and formally Methyl Bromide up until 2010, to kill any insects or parasites in the wood to prevent the spread of diseases and introduction of foreign species.
UK Slate stock a range of roofing slates which are sourced from only the finest quarries around the world. From our years of experience, we know that our slates exceed the expectations. If you would like to know any more information about our superb slate, simply get in touch with us today. You can call us directly on 01539 559289 or email our team on info@slate.uk.com and we will be more than happy to assist you further.
Hardscaping your garden with slate helps to create a trouble-free landscape where you can sit back and relax any time of year. In this blog, we’ll look at what hardscaping means, and how slate can improve your garden.
Hardscaping is a type of landscaping using manmade materials. A good example of hardscaping is a pavement, patio or esplanade, but you can also use more unusual features using hard materials like slate and stone to create a clean, zen atmosphere.
Creating a maintenance-free garden is surprisingly easy and there are a variety of available materials to ensure a cohesive and attractive landscape. Slate is a versatile choice for garden hardscaping and has a natural appearance that combines well with plants and water features.
Coloured slate aggregate adds a decorative appeal to garden beds and borders, while slate paving adds a distinguished appearance to any patio or courtyard. Matching coloured slate with similarly coloured plants gives the image of a carefully crafted garden, perfect for relaxing in.
If you plan to incorporate architectural features into the garden, building a slate wall adds height and depth to the landscape, while ensuring that distinct areas of the garden are clearly separated.
Walling slates are available in different colours and varied hues, and may be cut into more regular blocks, or have a more random look to give a rustic appearance. You can use slates to build your own wall or clad an existing wall to create a more decorative and appealing feature in the garden.
If you’re looking to keep your lawn, slate stepping-stones in the same colour can complement a slate wall very well.
If you don’t like spending your free time gardening, incorporating more slate into the landscape cuts out the need for garden maintenance and provides an ideal choice for creating areas for relaxation and leisure. Mowing the grass every week can become a chore, so getting rid of the lawn and replacing it with coloured slate aggregate makes great sense. Slate aggregates are available in a variety of colours and sizes. Why not contrast a traditional green slate from the Lake District with purple slate from Wales to create a more artistic look, while cutting out the need for regular weeding.
Planters and pots can be arranged around these areas to give colour and architectural balance and will only need regular watering to keep looking great throughout the year. Ideally, choose garden plants that work well in pots, and limit the variety, as this will reduce workload even more. If you plan to retain garden borders and beds, reduce the number of plants in the beds and use rocks and decorative slate aggregate to create a weed-free mulch that defies any weeds to grow and thrive.
If you feel that removing the majority of plants will make your garden feel a bit too static, then you might want to consider implementing some water features. The sound of water is also proven to help people to relax, so it is the perfect complement to a slate hardscaped garden.
Ideally, opt for only a handful of plants to work in combination in a low-maintenance garden, this will ensure any regular workload is cut. Plants to potentially avoid include delphiniums, which need regular staking; hostas, as they are continually eaten by garden pests; and climbers, as they require regular maintenance to keep climbing high up your trellis.
Easy to grow shrubs are an ideal choice; daphne, euonymus, lavender or holly. Seasonal colour can be added at different times of the year by incorporating ready planted containers and pots in strategic locations.
UK Slate provides a large variety of garden landscaping slate for projects, as well as slate roofing, interior floor tiles in slate and bespoke slate-ware for the home. Contact us or visit our website for more information.
Along with other industries in the UK, the Industrial Revolution of the late 18th century saw the slate trade boom. However, it’s worth noting that this wasn’t the birth of slate being used nationwide. Instead, there are signs that slate had been quarried for use across the UK from as early as the 3rd century.
The Roman fort of Segontium in northern Wales shows signs of slate having been used at the time. It was this same area which saw massive growth as a result of the impending Industrial Revolution.
The Industrial Revolution, which lasted from around 1760 to 1840, saw tremendous growth in a number of British industries, notably iron processing and chemical manufacture. This great change was brought about through adopting new mechanical engineering techniques, and Britain soon grew its trade worldwide. A direct result of this was more jobs and more money for the working classes.
In turn, more people moved to Britain, and more came to be able to afford better living conditions. This had a resulting knock-on effect on the slate industry, which was suddenly needed to supply roofing for new houses across the country.
The most notable of quarries that were used to support this demand for slate was the Great New Quarry, situated in Dinorwig, again in northern Wales. The quarry was opened in 1787 and grew rapidly in size. By the late 1800s, reports show that over 3,000 men were employed by the quarry to keep up with the continued demand for slate.
This was not the only quarry to supply the growing need for slate, however, although Wales did come to represent around 80% of the total slate output of the time. The county that housed the Great New Quarry, Caernarfonshire, was by far the biggest producer within Wales.
Slate can be a fairly brittle stone in certain circumstances, and mechanising the process used for splitting slabs of slate into tiles suitable for roofing and other such proved to be a fairly difficult task. Talented stone masons were heavily relied upon right into the nineteenth century for their ability to shape the slate to the needs of the British public.
In truth, there is a lot of waste slate that is created when quarrying for saleable slate. One website recorded that even in the post-millennium days, slate working creates 6 million tonnes worth of waste slates every year.
The end of the Industrial Revolution didn’t mark the end of the booming slate industry in Britain. Instead, growth actually continued way up until the end of the 18th century. Reports from 1898 show that Wales produced an astonishing 485,000 tonnes of slate. This marked the highest year of output for Welsh slate and this monumental feat came as a result of 17,000 employed workers.
Today, the production of slate in Wales is much less, and instead, some of the old quarries have been turned into tourist attractions. However, Welsh slate is still available and highly regarded as one of the most prestigious slate variations in the world, supplying materials to many of the worlds greatest architectural projects and stockists.
Whilst Welsh slate is heralded worldwide for its quality and colours, slate is a fairly common stone worldwide. In America, it was first mined in Pennsylvania. In Europe, Spain was the largest provider of slate for many years. In Britain, Welsh slate was heavily relied upon, but quarries in the Lake District are not uncommon. The inactive quarry in the Old Man Complex of Coniston is part of the popular hiking route in this area, and thus is regularly visited and photographed.
These slate quarries are often quite an impressive spectacle, but the mining usually continues below the surface as many quarries turned to seeking their slates underground during the industrial revolution. In Hodge Close quarry, these tunnels have become flooded and are now a popular destination for divers.
In this way, the requirements for slate in the industrial revolution have provided our country with more than roofing materials; these quarries have become a part of our history, a place to travel to for a day out with friends and family.
For more info on Welsh slate and our other top quality slate range (for fireplaces or flooring, for example) check out our about slate page and view our selection of natural roofing slates. If you’re not sure what you’re looking for and need some assistance, feel free to contact us today.
When you think of slate, what springs to mind? Roof slates? A slate garden feature? A slate path? Or maybe a fireplace hearth? Even though these are the general uses for slate, in a modern world, we are beginning to make use of the wonderful resource of slate to produce creative and innovative products.
It’s no surprise that this attractive and durable material is a popular choice by homeowners, builders and suppliers, but what else can slate be used for?
When John Thurston began to feel frustrated with the warping and deterioration of wooden pool and snooker tables, he sought after a new type of material. Slate was the material that met the criteria of being smooth and inexpensive while not succumbing to warping from moisture or absorption.
Slate is ideal for snooker tables because it naturally splits into level, wider pieces and can also be ground and polished to a smooth flat surface. Due to its durability, many manufacturers will provide a lifetime guarantee.
In a quality product, the slate is usually larger than the playing surface and extended beneath the rails, adding extra resilience to the surface. It is usually inside a wooden flame so that the baize can be stretched over and stapled.
In the felt used for sheds and other buildings, there is a coating which can be used to waterproof and protect the material. Well, believe it or not, within this liquid there are small mineral fibres which have elastic properties. This fluid becomes a layer or coat on the roof for protection. One of the ingredients is mineral slate!
Without this fantastic rock, not only would not have great roofs on our houses, but we wouldn’t be able to have stable and fully protected roofs on our sheds. Because of its durability and being able to be split into smaller parts, it makes it the perfect protection fibre.
Slate windowsills are popular due to their beautiful visual appearance and their longevity. It’s a fantastic material for the windowsills of older properties, but a straight cut slate windowsill would fit just as well in a modern home, creating a wonderfully rustic aesthetic. They can be used both indoors and outdoors, and the slate can have drip grooves cut into the underside to guide any run-off water.
Slate is such a flexible and varied material that not only can we create a roof, snooker tables, roof coating and windowsills, but it can even go as far as desktop items. Look around you, do you see anything slate on your desk?
Slate can create stunning lamp bases, clocks, candle holders and many more accessories. Everything down to your pen could potentially be created from slate. Slate desktop products can add a touch of class, sophistication, and style to your desk, as well as being useful, practical and durable. Slate can keep your documents in order with a letter rack, keep your cup of tea cosy on a slate coaster and keep you on time for meetings with a slate clock!
Slate can be crafted into practically any shape and used to create a stunning range of decorative elements for your home and garden. Whether it’s a slate birdbath, slate labels for your plants, slate signs for doors or even just shapes like hearts made from slate that can be hung up around the house; slate can be used to transform your interior or garden into a rustic dream.
In your kitchen, even though your worktop could be made from slate, many other aspects could be made from slate, and many homes will indulge in the odd slate kitchen accessory. Objects ranging from a cheese board to an egg rack, or even your salt and pepper shakers and rolling pin could be made from slate. You could set your table with slate place mats, or even serve food on them.
‘Serving food on a slate slab?’ you may ask, but as a matter of fact, slate harbours less bacteria than the average ceramic plate, just as slate whiskey stones hold fewer impurities than opting for ice in your beverage. True whiskey drinkers will use the much-loved slate whiskey stones, as they chill your drink without any diluting and will keep it for longer.
You may have seen many restaurants using slate instead of the conventional plate. This could be why!
This is just a few of the many marvellous uses of slate. Here at UK Slate, we believe that slate is one of the most useful and dynamic materials, and these products are evidence for this. It can be used and adapted in ways in which you may have never thought of before. If you would like to know any more information regarding our slate products, or the materials we can provide for your slate project, simply get in touch, and a member of our friendly team will be more than happy to help.
Natural slate is considered one of the UK’s oldest roofing materials, having been quarried here for centuries. Natural Welsh, English and Scottish slate sits firmly on top all kinds of historic British buildings and houses, still in pristine condition today due to its outstanding durability.
Here at UK Slate, we are proud to stock many durable yet stylish slates that are quarried right here in the UK. Here’s a look at some of the UK produced slates that we can provide for an array of exterior and interior design applications.
Welsh Slate is generally regarded as the finest slate in the world, with many exports falling short of its stunning appearance and long-lasting performance.
Incorporate the history of Wales into your home with this stunning Welsh Dark Blue Grey Slate.
This slate is quarried from the Cwt-y-Bugail quarry which dates production back to 1840. This doesn’t seem old for Wales considering the origin of its slate industry dates back to early Roman times!
This slate is available in a wide range of size and thickness options to suit all types of roof design. The thicker grades are progressively more rugged and suit projects where character and definition of the edge detail are desired.
If you’re inspired by the natural beauty and history of Welsh slate, then Welsh Heather Blue Slate is a great option.
Sourced from Penrhyn Quarry in North Wales, which dates back to the thirteenth century, this slate is very rare due to its unique heather blue, or purple colour. This fantastic slate has therefore been used by architects and designers globally to make beautiful and unique roofs.
Penrhyn Quarry has been in major operation for over 400 years, exporting to the known world since shipping began.
Sadly, slate quarrying in Scotland ceased in 1955, after the final closure of Ballachulish slate quarries. Yet, with over 200 Scottish quarries producing a vast range of slate colours and forms from the 18th century until the early 20th century, quarrying remains a big part of Scottish history. Many of these quarries have now become tourist attraction sites.
Scottish slate was renowned for its beauty and traditional look, and so many European quarries now produce look-alike alternative slates.
Here are a number of slates we stock to help you emulate that classic Scottish slate.
Named after the Ballachulish slate quarries of Scotland, Balach Grey is a medium textured dark blue grey slate.
Producers of this slate, from the Valdeorras region of North West Spain, quarry Balach Grey slate specifically for Scotland, where the general preference is for a thicker and more rugged tiles.
The most significant slate-producing areas of England are that of Cornwall and Devon where the Delabole Quarry is thought to be the biggest quarry on the island. Many English quarries are no longer in operation, and quarrying in Cornwall is known to have been carried out from the late mediaeval period; there was considerable export trade from quarries near the coast in the 19th century.
Cumbria is also known for its slate, and during the last 500 years, much slate extraction has taken place in the Lake District at surface quarries and underground mines.
Westmoreland Green slate has been quarried for over 400 years to create stunning, weathertight roof coverings. This slate provides an exquisite finish to any property; it’s a quintessentially British slate known for its high quality and performance.
The distinctive green colour was created from the metamorphosed volcanic ash of the Borrowdale Volcanic group of mountains found in the heart of the Lake District. The chloride in the deposits gives this slate its beautiful colour.
Burlington Blue Grey slate has been quarried in the Lake District for more than 300 years from slate deposits that were formed over 330 million years ago. The quarry is still owned and run by the original Cavendish family that established the company in 1843. At UK Slate, we are incredibly proud to stock this high-quality slate from our UK distribution depots.
Slate is a highly versatile stone that can elevate any construction or renovation project to the next level. Whether tiling a roof, fitting a floor or adding a bespoke piece to a room, slate combines durability and effortless elegance with truly stunning results.
Despite this, certain misconceptions about slate continue to circulate which prevents homeowners, architects and business owners alike from enjoying the many advantages this material can provide. Here we aim to help address any doubts or questions you may have by debunking the most common myths about slate.
Perhaps the most common misconception about slate is that all of them are the same. While all slates are formed through similar processes over millions of years, the result of this process yields huge variation, most visibly in terms of colour: the striking green of Elterdale Grey Green couldn’t be further from the purple hue of our Welsh Heather Blue. This variation is visible even within a single slate: the greens and purples of our Vermont Mottled result from the fusion of two separate colour ‘veins’ within a single quarry.
In addition to this, the huge number of finishes available in our flooring range, from smooth Honed through to the more natural texture of Riven, it’s clear that, on the contrary, no two slates are ever the same. Their extensive variation make them perfect for a wide range of applications; there is a slate for every style and aesthetic.
A homeowner’s most common gut-reaction when it comes to using slate is thinking that this stone is too expensive for their budget. On the contrary, slate can be affordable, with a range of options available to meet most budget requirements.
With the recent entry of Chinese and Spanish slates into the British market, it is often possible to achieve the desired aesthetic at a fraction of the price; only a trained eye could discern between Burlington Blue Grey, and Spanish Kentdale Ultra. Cost-effective alternatives mean that everyone can enjoy this beautiful stone without breaking the bank!
Additionally, because slate often proves to be more durable than other materials, this cost is often justified by greater longevity, and thus greater intervals between replacement.
Like any material, it is important that slate is treated and installed correctly. After all, the stone is sourced in its raw state and needs to undergo the proper treatments in order to be made usable for construction. If the right underlayment is used, it is highly unlikely that slate flooring will crack. Even under the extreme weight of heavy items such as vehicles.
As a natural stone, there is a degree of maintenance required to keep your slate looking its best. When treated with the proper finishing and sealed correctly, it will not deteriorate over time. We stock a range of sealants and cleaning products and will happily offer advice to help you take care of your slate.
Aside from its longevity, slate is easy to clean. Just use some mild soap, warm water, and a non-abrasive cloth to do the job, hardly high maintenance! Check out our previous blog post about maintaining your slate floor for more information.
Sure, when winter arrives, slate, like any stone, can be quite chilly because of its natural thermal conductivity. This very quality, however, means that the material works both ways.
Slates can be easily warmed through either under-floor heating or natural heat, as well as insulation. All of this means that you’re able to enjoy your beautiful slate floor, while also staying cosy during those harsh winter nights, even in a room like the bathroom. Check out our blog specifically about how to keep slate warm in winter if you’re still not convinced.
