Slate tiles are made of natural stone, which makes them much stronger and more durable than ceramic tiles. Because slate is a fine-grained metamorphic rock, it lasts longer than other tile flooring, but is installed the same way. Breaking up slate tiles to remove them from the floor may require a bit more effort, but with the help of a few tools you can have the floor clear in an afternoon.
To remove slate tiles, start by positioning a cold chisel against the tile adjacent to the one you want to remove, advice Stone Depot US. Then, strike the chisel with a sledgehammer to loosen and remove the tile. For smaller areas, you can continue removing each slate tile by hand. For larger areas, remove enough tile by hand to fit the blade of an electric tile stripper against the subfloor, next to the slate tile.
When using an electric tile stripper, make sure the blade is pointing in the right direction for your subfloor material. For example, if you have a cement subfloor, the blade should be pointing toward the ceiling.