Slate tile is a very popular choice for tiling. The reason for this is the low cost and ease of installing the tiles. Not to mention how beautiful the natural stone tiles look in any room of the house. There are some basic tips to keep in mind when installing slate tiles. If you feel that you do not have the ability to do this type of work yourself then you should call a professional to install them for you. Many will be able to do this installation on their own.

The first thing to keep in mind is that a slate tile is made of stone and is not manufactured. This means that each tile will have its own look. Even if you purchase a certain color of slate, the variations in grain will be different and each tile will have its own color even though they will all basically match. Do not be surprised by this fact and call the supplier. This is perfectly natural and what makes a slate tile floor unique.

When you place your order for your tiles, always purchase a few more square feet than you will need. Any order that is shipped will settle and there may be damage to the corners of some of the tiles. This is normal but it is best to have too many tiles than too little. You can always use the damaged tiles in areas where you need to cut the tile down to fit.

You always want to lay out the tiles on the floor before you put the mortar down. This way you will have a pattern and you will not allow the mortar to set before you get your tiles down. Once you have your pattern set in, remove the tiles in an order you will remember so that you do not have to do any searching later. You can use a chalk line to keep the tiles straight.

You should prepare the area where the tiles are to be laid before you put down the mortar and install the tiles. Make sure the area is level. If it is not, you can use mortar to shore up the areas that are lower. Once you have made sure everything is level you can move on to the next step.

Only use the mortar and lay the tiles in small sections. Again, you do not want the mortar to set before you get your tiles in place. You will need to put a small amount of pressure on the tiles to set them. Do not apply too much pressure or you will crack the tile.

You will also want to make sure that you have cut all every slate tile that needs to be resized before you start the laying process. Once all the tiles are down, allow time for the mortar to set before caulking them. After the caulk has cured, you should then seal the tiles to protect them.