What is a Real Slate Shower Tray?

Using Natural Stone in your Home

If you are looking to add value to your home, improve your property price or want to improve the aesthetic of your home, a wow factor is needed. This could come in many forms from the latest in technological gadgets to incorporating natural materials that appeal to many. Having natural products such as slate, stone and wood in your home has always been a popular choice but did you know that you can now buy real slate shower trays for your bathroom.

The slate effect shower tray has long been seen as the popular alternative to a standard white ceramic shower tray, it is slightly higher in cost and offers a different colour and effect. The issue is, these slate effect shower trays are not really slate, they just look a bit like slate. As with all things that are made to look like something natural but are really a man made material, you can always tell the difference!

made to measure real slate shower tray

Why Choose a Real Slate Shower Tray?

Slate has been used for centuries in homes around the world, think of roof tiles and you have clay or slate. Slate is a completely natural material and is the finest grained foliated metamorphic rock, this means that it is made up of highly compressed layers that bond together to make a rock that is very waterproof. The natural process of the formation of slate also means that it is easy to split, with the right machinery, you can now also transform slate into a wide variety of products.

Slate is therefore a perfect natural stone to utilise in any area of the home where there is contact with water. It is only recently however that the tools have become available to transform slate into new products and one of these is the real alternative to a slate effect shower tray.

custom cut and designed real slate shower tray

The Difference Between Real and Effect

There are several differences between a real natural product and the effect of a natural product that is man made. Primarily, the aesthetic, the look and feel of a natural product is the first and foremost difference. All real slate shower trays are completely unique, slate actually has its own graining, like wood. When a flat sheet of thick slate is cut and polished down, you are left with the natural graining pattern and each shower tray will have its own unique pattern.

The feel of the product is also different, you can tell from the touch of a slate shower tray that it is natural, it is not coated and feels natural, especially with the effect of water on the surface as slate will warm more rapidly than a slate effect material making it perfect for a shower tray. This is enhanced by the true graining becoming more prominent when wet, it really shows through.

If you are looking for something that offers a wow factor, why not have a look at the range of custom made slate shower trays available from Ardosia. These can be custom cut to any size and are also available in standard shower tray sizes such as the 1200mm x 900mm range. These are custom cut from one single piece of slate and are available with various patterns including the positioning of the waste. This can be complimented by a range of flagstones and tiles cut to suit the flooring of the shower, wet room or bath room to enhance the overall look.