How Much Does Slate Flooring Cost? [2025 Data]
For an 800-square-foot space, slate flooring costs an average of $10,400. Most people spend $8,000 to $12,800, and a pro can estimate the project based on the type of slate and labor costs.
The square footage of your project and whether you use slate tiles or slabs impact the cost of your materials and labor.
If you’re replacing a floor, anticipate the cost for removal, which varies with the type of floor.
To install slate in your yard, ask your pro whether you’ll need lawn regrading, excavation, tree removal, or landscaping.
On average, installing slate flooring costs $10,400 for an 800-square-foot space. However, it’s common for total costs to range from $8,000 to $12,800, depending on the type of slate, the amount of prep work required, and other factors. For most projects, this comes out to $10 to $16 per square foot, including materials and labor.
While building your budget, consider the major cost factors associated with a new slate floor.
Slate Flooring Cost Factors
Knowing the size of your space will let you narrow down your costs for the new floor material and other considerations.
Cost by Size of Space
As you might expect, larger flooring installations will require more materials and labor and bump up your project costs. Based on the amount of space that needs flooring, here’s how much you can expect to spend on slate tiles or slabs.
| Square Footage | Average Installation Cost (Materials and Labor) |
|---|---|
| 25 | $225–$1,000 |
| 50 | $450–$2,000 |
| 100 | $900–$4,000 |
| 200 | $1,800–$8,000 |
| 300 | $2,700–$12,000 |
| 400 | $3,600–$16,000 |
| 500 | $4,500–$20,000 |
Cost by Type of Slate Flooring
Slate flooring is available in tiles and slabs. Slate tile costs anywhere from $9 to $40 per square foot (including installation), depending on its size, thickness, and quality. On average, though, you’ll pay between $10 and $16 per square foot of slate tile. Larger, thicker slate tile costs more per square foot because it’s heavier, trickier to work with, and pricier to transport.
Slate slabs, on the other hand, range from $15 to $40 per square foot (for labor and materials). They’re thicker than tile and are often used for outdoor projects (like patios and walkways).
| Slate Type | Average Cost per Square Foot |
|---|---|
| Tile | $10–$16 |
| Slab | $15–$40 |
Labor
A tile flooring specialist charges $8 to $12 per square foot for labor. The higher costs reflect the extra time and care required to install a slate floor. This flooring is heavier and more brittle than other materials, and your pro might have to level individual tiles with mortar. Costs also vary with location, with labor costing more in areas with a higher cost of living.
Your tile contractor will clean the area, cut and lay out the tile, level the floor, fill in the gaps with thin-set or grout, seal the floor, and clean up. They will charge more for intricate patterns, complex layouts, and challenging-to-access areas.
Additional Cost Factors to Consider
In addition to the above cost factors, you may encounter some other expenses when installing slate flooring.
Flooring Removal
Before you can install new slate tiles, you may need to remove your old flooring. Removal costs will depend on the kind of flooring since certain types require more time and labor to remove than others. Your installation estimate should include flooring removal costs, but you should always double-check with your contractor.
| Flooring Type | Average Removal Cost per Square Foot |
|---|---|
| Tile | $2–$7 |
| Carpet | $1–$5 |
| Laminate | $2–$3 |
Underlayment Preparation
Your slate flooring will sit on top of the underlayment, which is made from poured concrete or backer board. If you need to add underlayment, it will cost between $2 and $6 per square foot.
Subfloor Preparation and Repairs
Your contractor will check whether or not your subfloor is sturdy enough to support the weight of slate tiles. If it’s damaged or in bad shape, you’ll need to account for the price of subfloor repair or replacement, which adds $3 to $10 per square foot to your total project cost.
Outdoor Prep Work
If you plan to use slate flooring for an outdoor patio, you may need to complete some extra prep work. Depending on the condition of your yard, you might have to budget for the following expenses:
| Project | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Lawn regrading | $980–$2,960 |
| Land excavation | $50–$200 per cubic yard |
| Tree removal | $750 |
| Landscaping | $1,250–$6,050 |
Slate Flooring Replacement vs. Repair
Are you unsure whether to replace or repair slate flooring in your home? There are a few factors to consider, including the exact issue, the extent of the damage, and your budget.
For example, let’s say you added slate flooring to your bathroom five years ago, but now, it has a handful of broken tiles. Rather than spending thousands on a new floor, you can use epoxy to fix them yourself for less than $50. Otherwise, hiring a pro to fix cracked bathroom tile costs $130 to $500.
However, if your slate flooring is decades old and most of the tiles are damaged or stained, it’s most likely not worth pulling up and replacing every individual tile. Instead, you might consider replacing the whole floor. For an average-sized bathroom of 40 square feet, you’re looking at a cost of $360 to $1,600, depending on the quality of the materials.
DIY Slate Flooring Installation vs. Hiring a Pro
By tackling this job yourself instead of hiring a pro, you could save $8 to $12 per square foot in labor. This means you’d spend $400 to $1,000 to install slate flooring in a 100-square-foot room rather than the $1,200 to $2,200 you’d pay a pro to do it.
However, slate flooring installation involves numerous complicated steps, including measuring your space, ordering the correct amount of tile and tiling materials, cutting and setting tile, and applying grout. If you make a mistake DIYing, it will be expensive to correct, but a pro is much less likely to make costly errors thanks to their experience. Plus, you’ll need a fairly extensive list of tiling tools and supplies, such as a wet saw, notched trowel, rubber mallet, and grout float.
If that sounds like more work than you want to take on, contact a local tile floor installer to handle the job for you.
How to Save Money on Slate Flooring Installation
Slate can be pricey to install, but fortunately, there are ways to save on the price of slate flooring installation. Here are a few cost-cutting strategies to try:
Remove old flooring yourself: To save time and reduce your labor expenses, consider pulling up old flooring before your installer arrives. For example, removing a tile floor on your own can save you $2 to $7 per square foot—or $200 to $700 for a 100-square-foot space.
Compare prices: Before hiring a slate flooring installer, shop around and request pricing from multiple contractors. Once you have at least three quotes, compare them to make sure you’re getting a competitive price.
Buy in bulk: When you’ve figured out how much slate you need, you may be able to save money by purchasing a case of slate tile that covers 10 square feet of flooring. Many home improvement stores have these cases for around $30 each.
Tile, and especially older tile, can be very strongly adhered and may not come off easily. Consider hiring a pro for the job because they have specialized tools to make the process easier.
Does Installing Slate Flooring Increase Home Value?
Yes, replacing old or damaged floors with new slate flooring can boost your home’s resale value. In fact, if you upgrade slate flooring as part of a kitchen or bathroom renovation, you could see a fairly lucrative return on investment (ROI). On average, small kitchen remodels deliver a 72% ROI, while minor bathroom remodels have a 60% ROI.
How Angi Gets Its Cost Data
Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We extensively research project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We rely on reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
Want to help us improve our cost data? Send us a recent project quote to [email protected]. Quotes and personal information will not be shared publicly.
Slate floors don’t need much maintenance, but they should be sealed once per year. Otherwise, they can absorb liquids and moisture, which may weaken them and lead to stains. It’s also best to sweep slate floors daily, mop with a pH-neutral floor cleaner weekly, clean up any spills as quickly as possible, and use rugs or mats in high-traffic areas.
Slate is pricier than many other flooring materials, but it’s not the most expensive option on the market. For example, at $10 to $16 per square foot, slate flooring costs more than vinyl ($2 to $14 per square foot) and porcelain ($3 to $10 per square foot). However, it’s not quite as expensive as high-end marble flooring, which can cost up to $60 per square foot.
