Slate Floors...what do you think???

[sajetto]

My fiance and I are looking at a home that used to belong to an exec. for Lowes so the decor is different that an everyday home. We saw these floors and told the realtor that if we were to buy the home we would cover over them as they are almost impossible to remove. When we said this the woman looked like she was going to pass out and said "do you have any idea how much slate is worth!!!" Actually, no we don't, but the response was rude and thank God she's not OUR realtor.

Honestly, what do you guys think of these floors and would you cover over them?

 

[Hixski]

I like slate floors but I don't like those in the picture. I was thinking of 12in squares or something. I don't find the ones in the picture attractive at all. They look like they belong on a patio with that pattern.

 

[I Love Pluto]

I agree with Hixski - they would be great on a patio. Sorry.

 

[Diabolicdesire]

The floors would look cool in a more contemporary decor. I would cover then too, or update the wood work to match em.

 

[dg39]

We have slate floors in our pool house. They aren't like the ones in the pictures. Ours are 12x12 square tiles. I love ours, but don't really care for the ones in the pictures.

 

[Laura]

I like slate floors but I don't like those in the picture. I was thinking of 12in squares or something. I don't find the ones in the picture attractive at all. They look like they belong on a patio with that pattern.

I agree, they look like outdoor flooring. It also looks much too dark.

We have slate in our bathroom, 16x16 tiles. It looks awesome, not dark like those huge chunks. It's multicolored, too.

Nice slate pics here: http://www.universalslate.com/slate.html

 

[auntpolly]

I don't think they are ugly but we were told they are not very practical for a home - if you drop stuff on them you can kiss the thing you dropped goodbye!

 

[oxfordcircus]

I can't see the picture. I just would ask is that "gauged" slate? If not, it makes for a difficult surface to walk on, vacuum and mop. I once had a slate floor. It's nice and interesting, but it's a flaky, natural and "dirty" material.

 

[MOMTOMOOTOO]

I do not like them.

 

[marlasmom]

We had something like that but varied colors, in our mud room. THe mud room also had a park bench and many hanging plants. It was SUPPOSED to look like it was outside. It was really very attractive. The slate was varying shades of red and green.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

Your link doesn't work.

 

[golfgal]

We have slate in the porch of our summer home (aka the house we are trying to sell). They look more like stone then what is in that house and are totally appropriate for the porch. I would NOT like them in a living area of my house, in a bathroom would be good though. We had to seal our slate every couple years, basically mop on the sealer and let it dry.

Slate is VERY expensive so I can see why the realtor had a fit but I would cover them or try to remove this particular floor.

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

That varying sizes and shapes of stones is definitely a matter of personal opinion. No matter how expensive slate is (and yes, it is), I think the current homeowner is going to have a problem reselling because that is not going to appeal to everyone the way a simple 12x12 square does.

If you were to purchase the house, what would you cover them with? If carpet, I would do some research with installers on costs. There might be additional prep work regarding tack strips and padding for the slate; I know there is when installing over concrete.

 

[sajetto]

Thanks everyone! We think its pretty ugly too.

Obi-Wan they've already had a problem selling it. The home is massive and has been on the market 190 days. The owners are desperate because the economy is really pitiful now that Lowe's has moved their corperate hedquarters out of the area. In its glory days it was one of the finest homes in the area and has a huge brick wall as the fence around the back yard. It is really an usual old house, but the slate flooring is in 4 different rooms and has brick flooring in another. Around these parts people just don't have the money to buy that kind of house or to sink the money into updates.

 

[Laura]

I can't see the picture. I just would ask is that "gauged" slate? If not, it makes for a difficult surface to walk on, vacuum and mop. I once had a slate floor. It's nice and interesting, but it's a flaky, natural and "dirty" material.

Was it sealed? Our tiles were dirty and flaky when we installed them in our bathroom, but after sealing they're nice and smooth and clean.

 

[Tinks]

I didn't answer your poll (I don't love them or hate them) but here's my answer: I like slate floors but not really for a family room. I picture slate in an entry hall. You could cover the room with some large rugs??

I'd probably take them out. Get the estimate. It's not as much as you think to take them out. We had mud laid tile taken out of our entry.

 

[helenabear]

I normally really like slate flooring! That pic you had wasn't good at all though. The wood in there looked like it would be beautiful, but something with that style of tile and something with the area around the fireplace made me feel like that room looked tacky. I only like that type of slate on outdoors or in a mudroom/laundry room or the like. I think those chunks of slate are far too large too. Just doesn't look like it fits at all. And the color seems to detract from the wood, instead of enhancing it.

I'd rip those up as well... then again that room totally turns me off period.

 

[DaisyD]

Those are ugly! We have them in our foyer but they aren't that color. They are much lighter in greens, greys, and rust. I don't like ours either and we are replacing them with hardwood.

 

[sajetto]

I normally really like slate flooring! That pic you had wasn't good at all though. The wood in there looked like it would be beautiful, but something with that style of tile and something with the area around the fireplace made me feel like that room looked tacky. I only like that type of slate on outdoors or in a mudroom/laundry room or the like. I think those chunks of slate are far too large too. Just doesn't look like it fits at all. And the color seems to detract from the wood, instead of enhancing it.

I'd rip those up as well... then again that room totally turns me off period.

Could you give me more of your opinion? This room is a den and all of that wood work is solid Mahogony. The home is 5,000 square feet not including the basement and has a study, library, florida room, den, living room, dining room, and 5 bedrooms. The whole house has the dark wood on the lower half of the wall. Does all of the dark wood turn you off, regardless of whether or not we removed the wallpaper on the upper half of the wall and painted it with a light color? (My view of this house is screwy because I grew up in one with wall to wall dark woods, it was a really large home like this one, and since I'm used to it, it doesn't bother me like it might some other people)

I'm asking because I really want to know if this house could be made into something others would like or if its beyond help. I don't want us to make a huge mistake. Thanks!

 

[bananiem]

I vote to cover it up or rip it out. I like some slate in 12x12 tiles but that is ugly. I'm sorry!