Enjoy the Natural Look of Slate

Mined from the earth slate is durable to various climates with resiliency to varieties of weather conditions while providing a homeowner a completed project that is long lasting and low maintenance. Slate is fine grained, derived from original shale-type dense rock composed of clay or volcanic ash by metamorphism. Slate can be found in colors gray, green and blue enhancing coloring in outdoor spaces and complementing home colors. You may find slate to be most functional in driveways, sidewalks, walkways, patios, and around water structures.

Types of slate:

• Chinese and Indian Slate should be used in hardscapes with low traffic as they tend to be softer and more porous than other slate choices. 
• Slate from New York, England, Portugal and Wales are known to last a lifetime if cared for and maintained properly. Slate from these areas are not only the most durable, but very high quality.
• Vermont Slate is recognized by having a smooth texture, less color variety, and can be considered the more uniform choice. Vermont slate offers endurance Chinese and Indian slate cannot compare to, offering a lifetime of beautiful features to hardscape applications.
• African Slate known for extravagant color variations with rich shades of varying colors. If you’re looking for a pop that won’t stop, you will enjoy what African slate will offer your architecture.
• Brazilian Slate is included in the selection of slate choices that offer a lifetime of durability. In worldly shades of black and grey with additional splashing of other color variations you will find no lack of intensity in choosing Brazilian slate.

Finding the right finish:

• Honed Slate has been lightly sanded to provide a natural and dull finish. You will find honed slate in all types of hardscapes. Honed slate is known to have a great slip resistance bringing a functional application to pool areas, exterior entry areas that may become slippery in the winter months, and patios.
• Cleft Slate is essentially natural to what was produce from the quarry. Cleft slate is rough, uneven and bumpy providing great traction, but can be uncomfortable to walk on.
• Polished Slate is a less common selection as slate is generally not known to have a glossy finish. You may find slate with a polish more in indoor applications.