Tile That Looks Like Slate

Is there any tile that looks like slate?

If you want to get down to brass tacks, not really.  In terms of texture, slate is a highly unique substance.  No doubt you have seen slate up close before and witnessed its multi-layered effect.

As a sedimentary rock, layer upon layer of slate are compacted together to form one cohesive material.

It’s hard to duplicate that layering in ceramic tile.  Even highly textured ceramic or porcelain tile tends to fairly smooth and rounded–rather than sharp and angular like real slate.

So, the best you can hope for is, literally, a tile that looks like slate. Rather than a tile that feels like slate.

DalTile and American Olean are two of the biggest tile companies around.  They also happen to be sister companies, both owned by Mohawk Industries.

DalTile has a line called Continental Slate Colorbody Porcelain.  These are tiles that look relatively close to slate.  Of the eight Continental Slate tiles, one of them looks the most like slate:  Asian Black, CS53.  That’s the product pictured here.

These tiles come in four sizes:  6″x6″, 12″x12″, 12″x18″, and 18″x18″.

Not perfect, but as close to slate as you will get in a ceramic tile version.