hi there, yes you can cover slate floors depending on the finish of the floor in question. Slate floors vary depending on the finish and the quality of the slate. The majority of slate floors I have dealt with have come with two major factors to consider: A high quality natural slate floor hand laid will have variations in the floor surface. the only way to properly cover them is to grind them down to an even layer - very very messy. There are a number of high quality materials that are economic that you can use to cover them. The range of new vinyl flooring which looks exact;ly like timber is superb for this type of flooring. I recommend FORMFIT which is a vinyl floor plank that has an inbuilt rubber underlay for sound proofing but is inflexible in nature so that it will not lose its shape and is perfect for existing tiled floors with large grout lines ( you will not see the grout lines with compression) once it is laid. It is also sun-proof and water resistant and can be laid in wet areas (laundries, guest toilets and even bathrooms - so long as there is a hob for the shower recess. The installers will generally do a site visit to guarantee the material is APPROPRIATE for the surface area. So I recommend that you always get a product and installation GUARANTEE. This is the warranty that will ensure the correct material has been installed for the existing surface area. Some slate floors will still require a self leveling concrete after grind down - but again it depends on the variations in the floor. Some Slate floors are perfectly okay to have this material laid straight over it and require no real preparation. Again I always ask for my manufacturer and installer guarantee for every job. The installers will also advise you whether your doors ( if you are using the material in rooms) will need to be skimmed as each plank is approximately 5 - 6mm in thickness. I can highly recommend the new vinyl planks - do not be deterred by the material - the quality that has been developed for this material has surpassed its previous namesake and it is superb underfoot. The thickness of the plank and the engineering of this manufactured product is designed for hard use and wear and tear and is very difficult to scratch - they were originally manufactured for retail flooring surfaces. I have completed over 50 renovations in the last couple of years using this product and can thoroughly recommend it. If you are after a good supplier I am happy to recommend my supplier and installer ( if you are Perth based). Ive had several private emails asking me to further elaborate on this topic so I hope this is clear! Please advise if you need any further information! Happy to Help! Cheers Lorena

Hi bagpu55, thanks for your comment, you will find that the level of scratches that come through on the sealer will depend on the type of gloss sealer used. Polyurethane or solvent based sealers last a lot longer and are much more durable, even with animals present. Having said this, the negatives are that solvent based products take some time for the strong smell to escape in a confined environment and are not the most eco-friendly of products. And eventually the scratches will come through particularly in high traffic areas. As for the dust, the gloss will show it a bit more. Based on the fact that you do have a number of animals in your home, you probably will not regret going with the matt finish. The concrete won’t have the ‘wet’ shinny look, but you also won’t be sitting on your couch possibly looking at a lot of scratches on the floor when the light hits it just so. A possible compromise is a satin finish sealer. It will provide some shine and enhancement to the floor without showing as many scratches. I hope this helps you out a bit. Good luck with your choice and post some pics of what your finished floor looks like. Always great to see the finished product!

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I will be the loan naysayer and go: Vinyl Plank timber pattern tiles. I did these in my kitchen and they helped make the room. Used Karndean, but any European brand should be fine (avoid American and assume they are using American or worse if they don't say the country of origin). http://www.karndean.com/en-au/floors/landing-pages/new-looselay-longboard?gclid=CjwKCAjwspHaBRBFEiwA0eM3kQ7eEFPH5FlK2IwV3o7ZsbbmJ19srG0OM_tWK5dhPMNyDdwxGPUr4BoCoYcQAvD_BwE Caveats: Ground must be FLAT. 100% flat, ruler FLAT. If not you will have to level. If flat, you can lay them yourself. Our floor had to be levelled and it was tough. still got a few high patches and gaps because of that. However I have done it on a concrete surface myself since and it's beautiful. Benefits: Nice and soft on the foot. (less ankle pain) single tile replacement. Looks fantastic. No PVC glue fume issues and fairly resilient. Do be wary though of metal chair legs scraping the floor. Waterproof! when installed right with no gaps! (why I would choose them in a kitchen over timber or Eeek carpet!.... Yes previous owner installed shagpile carpet in the kitchen).