Remember with slate (as with all stone) you must seal it. And you must continue with the sealing routine (the stone/tile center will help you with the timing) for the rest of it's life. This is normally done every few years (some can go as far as 5 years...other sealants need it every two years...some every 3 months). The amount of work you wish to put into a "wet" slate floor is going to be the deciding factor.

You will have to assume that slate on the walls/floor of a shower will require more effort than a floor that is installed in an entranceway in a home. More water = more sealant = more often.

Ask the tile/stone supplier what the IDEAL amount of sealant is required and HOW LONG it takes the sealant to cure EACH TIME. You may not want to "loose" your bathroom shower for 3-5 days every two years. Or you may have NO PROBLEM with following this type of up keep.

Slate is beautiful. It is natural. It is porous. It requires sealing. Sealing requires money and time.

Just a little FYI.

I would not put it on the shower floor, but use a porcelain tile in a coordinating color to the slate. If the sample in your photo is what you are considering, the orange tones are from deposits of iron ore within the stone. That might be a factor when it comes to the proper sealing methods available as well.

Give it a good sealer and you should be good.

I would be afraid of using it on the floor or shower floor. Some slate spalls and could cut your feet. If you pull one of the darker tones of the slate and find a porcelain tile to coordinate you could use the slate on the walls.

That will work! Like getting a foot massage every time...

Slate is beautiful, but is used more outdoors than inside probably because it's so soft, and crumbles and breaks. River rock would be a better choice for those reasons.

If you take the time you can use tile that looks slate.

hi Nancy. I was trying to write you direct but couldnt find a way here. You said above orange tones are iron which is a factor. I have that problem with Primrose Slate floors i bought and I want a wet look but all sealers have been useless so far and wont cover the iron ore as it oxidizes the sealer. Any ideas how to fix this?

I love the look of the slate.

All of the above is valuable information. It really comes down to how much do you love the look balanced against how much upkeep do you want to take on. I have one client who loves slate: flooring throughout the entire house and in her guest bath as pictured. It's a dramatic look, but as noted, hard underfoot. I like your idea of river rock for the flooring.

Around here slate is used a lot indoors (only certain slates can be used outdoors as most of it is not frost resistant). I've done lots of bathrooms with slate including on the walls and floor of a shower. It gets 2 coats of sealer before grouting and then another 2 coats after grout. Looks great as long as the homeowners are not filthy.

Yes, the slate MUST be sealed before grout, or else the grout sticks to the face of the tile. I would ask your local tile dealer about the best sealant to use. I believe I used polyurethane when I did it 40 (OMG!) years ago.