Slate is a foliated natural sedimentary rock characterised by its hardness and range of colours and textures. Slate makes wonderful, characterful floors with metallic colouring and natural undulations. It is very hardwearing and, because of its darker colouring, is less demanding in terms of maintenance than many stones.Depending on the finish, slate can be used for fireplace hearths, indoor or outdoor flooring, wall cladding, roofing or as a countertop.

All slate starts of naturally riven, with a textured surface, which is naturally beautiful to some people. When the slate comes from the quarry it’s split into slabs. When the slate slabs split, the “split” follows the natural layer in the slate and separates giving its natural riven surface.

However, through a process of grinding and polishing we can take the natural surface down to give a smooth honed finish, which some customers prefer. Although this process gives a very smooth and clean surface, this makes the surface more susceptible to noticeable surface scratches from general wear and tear, compared with the natural riven surface.