Tips please laying slate tiles

[mikedavey]

Hi

Got a job coming up laying slate tiles in a kitchen. I've never laid these type of tiles & would really appreciate any tips or advice please..

Many thanks

 

[DHTiling]

hi mike.......

You will need to grade he slate from thickest to thinnest pieces...lay the thick ones first and working the thin ones in areas that won't get as much foot traffic..
If you do end up with slight lipping this can be sorted by just chipping the high points off, assuming it is rustic slate and not honed and polished stuff....
I clean the tiles as i lay them and then again once dried to get them clean before you seal them and grout....I use lithofin slate seal but there are other brands as well....
make sure you seal though before grouting or you will have a hard job cleaning up...
A nice deep notch trowel usually does the job and the odd bit of back buttering as well.....BAL PTB is good for slate work.......

 

[mikedavey]

Cheers Dave. How do you go about cutting them?...wet cutter?

Do you treat them the same as natural stone tiles by sealing them before laying them?

 

[DHTiling]

Yes mike...wet cutter only.......you can seal it first or after laying which ever you find easiest...just make sure you work clean and wipe any adhesive off as you lay them.....but i will say make sure they are clean before sealing.....

good luck mike...maybe a few pics eh.?...

 

[Ric]

Also if its uncalibrated make sure you leave a nice wide grout joint, makes the job look a lot better.

 

[eyebeetiling]

I have a slate job which I am just about to price up.
They want UFL as well. Is there anything special I need to take into account for the heating or just treat as if using ceramic tiles.

Any assistance would be fandabbydozie.

Ian

 

[R Montgomery]

And they can be really out of square so use chalk lines not spacers.Some might need shaving.