Slate floors. They’re dark, cold, hard, difficult to clean, need maintenance, and, not to put too fine a point on it, ugly as sin.
Slate floors put off buyers, so they are effectively decreasing your resale value.
So what can you do about them?
Let’s start with what you can’t do. You can’t just lay a floating floor over the top. I know it’s tempting, but although it might be out of sight, it won’t be out of mind. You’ll end up with a slightly raised, sub-standard floating floor, a hole in your bank account, and a nagging sense of disappointment.
The best way to deal with slate is to remove it. You were hoping for another option? Sorry! While not being the cheapest home reno, it certainly isn’t the most expensive either. You’ll definitely make the money back when it comes time to sell. Your quality of life will improve too – softer and warmer underfoot, increased light in the space, and ease of cleaning.
There are a bunch of DIY websites which talk about how you can tackle the removal by yourself. This is not for the faint-hearted! It’s a serious amount of work, and if you don’t have the right tools, or the skills to use them, it could take you days…and then you have to grind the subfloor, so that it’s completely flat and free of glue ready for your chosen finish. At what point will you start to question whether paying the professionals to do it might have been a better idea? The pros do it in a day, including the grinding, and getting all the slate out of the space.
Recently, I managed the removal of a slate floor, and the installation of a new floating floor in Sydney’s northwest. The couple who own the house had lived with the slate for more than 20 years, and felt overwhelmed with the idea of replacing it. It was actually damaging the joints in their knees and feet, and had to be covered with rugs at all times. This is where I stepped in. I helped them choose a budget-friendly floating floor, and oversaw the entire process, from concept to completion. Hearing that they had a holiday coming up, we decided that it would be the perfect time to get it done. Just like the home makeover shows, they had a big reveal when they arrived home!
Were they happy? Of course they were! Check out the before and after pictures below. Notice the difference in the amount of light in the room. It’s roughly the same time of the afternoon, but the before photos have the lights on as well, despite it being a sunny day.
BEFORE AND AFTER SLATE REMOVAL
Do you have a slate floor you want to banish?
Is there a house you love and want to buy, but the slate is a deal-breaker?
Are you thinking of selling, and want to maximise the sale price?
Contact + Positive Space Design! I’d love to help you with your slate! Start dreaming of the floor you actually want, and maybe consider sneaking away for a few days of pampering, to create your own makeover reveal.