I’m on a data seeking mission.
Have a client who is going full tilt on a kitchen remodel and wants a natural slate floor for starters.
So I thought to run it by you alls for the various possibilities that she has before her.
She just says she wants natural and not any fake stuff.
I say Ok.
It’s a first floor 10×12 kitchen over 2×8 joists 16 on center, basement reveals diagonal 1×6 t&g then I imagine a layer of 3/4 plywood making up the other 3/4 inch and a layer of 1/4inch luan for the present rolled vinyl floor.
She has 3/4 inch thick slate on a fireplace surround flooring on a raised hearth that she is eyeballing to get thoughts on the kitchen floor.
Nope, doesn’t want ceramic tile. Looks as if slate in some fashion is the order of the day.
Main entry to a 12×16 living/whatever room then the kitchen, then the livingroom, with all floors leveling equal to the kitchen.
I’m thinking maybe some slate squares on a backer board that won’t raise the floor surface too awful much but that’s why I’m seeking opinion here.
Any estimate on the costs of slate with something like this?
Or other ideas?
Thanks
Replies
We do slate all the time, Lowes and HD both stock it in 12" x 12' x 3/8" tiles at $3.00 / sf range. http://www.stonelocator.com has some good deals and a good website though you may need to contact them to set up an account to get a password and access to pricing. Watch the freight cost. Slate is no harder to install than tile in my opinion and I've installed a lot of both.
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"You cannot work hard enough to make up for a sloppy estimate."
Disclaimer--not a tile pro but done a lot of tiling for myself and for clients.
She just says she wants natural and not any fake stuff. I like that.
I say Ok. Yep. But also, make sure that she is aware that a slate floor is more rustic, will not come out so flat and might be harder to clean. That said I have slate on my second kitch floor and we really like the look and feel of natural stone. This current one also has warmwire radiant and it's great to come down in the am and have the floor @ 80degrees in the am.
It's a first floor 10x12 kitchen over 2x8 joists 16 on center, basement reveals diagonal 1x6 t&g then I imagine a layer of 3/4 plywood making up the other 3/4 inch and a layer of 1/4inch luan for the present rolled vinyl floor. Natural stone tiles require less deflection in the floor. There are calculators for this--check the johnbridge site. What is the span? They go the whole 10 or 12 feet? That might matter. I would think that with 2x8's on 16" ctrs. the 1x then the 3/4 ply you are good. I would rip out the luan and use 1/4" hardi over that, then set my tiles. If you want to eliminate the hardi, with that much substrate you could probably go with an uncoupling layer--ditra--and drop down a bit more. Plenty here will say no problem to go right on the ply with latex mod thinset, but I like backer board.
She has 3/4 inch thick slate on a fireplace surround flooring on a raised hearth that she is eyeballing to get thoughts on the kitchen floor.
Nope, doesn't want ceramic tile. Looks as if slate in some fashion is the order of the day.
Main entry to a 12x16 living/whatever room then the kitchen, then the livingroom, with all floors leveling equal to the kitchen.
I'm thinking maybe some slate squares on a backer board that won't raise the floor surface too awful much but that's why I'm seeking opinion here.
Any estimate on the costs of slate with something like this? You can have slates from the big boxes for as little as 2$ a tile but be very wary of them. They often don't have consistent color/texture, are not flat, not square or not the same size. You can correct that with your tile saw, but more labor and you have to pay attn.
A quality tile supplier will have more uniform and sized material for more like 5 or 6$ a 12x12 tile and it can be worth it. Any tiles you get should be 'gauged' meaning surfaced on the underside to help with flatness. You can buy them surfaced both sides, and polished too, if you want a flatter, more sano floor.
Or other ideas? If you're curious about warming the floor with electric radiant, I've done 6 or 8 suntouch warmwire and mat installations. I like that stuff.
Press on!
thanks
I second eric on the grouting too. I lay the floor, then use 2 coats basic sealer as release before grouting.
Let it set up an hour or so and then the real work starts. I keep a small nylon bristle brush along with me as I sponge and use it to scrub the grout out of the natural clefts and cracks int he surface of your slate.
After that part is done, go around with damp, clean, terry cloth towels, and elbow grease off the haze.
Rez,
I would be fairly comfortable doing that install over the two layers of 3/4 that you have scoped out. The 1x diagonal and the other 3/4" ply underlayment. I would make sure that the ply is well attached and sound.
Couldn't hurt to do a layer of 1/4 Hardie I suppose, but I'm no fan of it. I would Ditra before Hardie anyday.
Be aware that grouting slate can be challenging. We've heard all the horror stories here..........I use grout release when I do slate or stone. Grout smaller sections; ones you can complete inside of an hour, and put your helper to work rinsing and squeezing sponges for you while you do the wiping. LOTS of clean water changes. You can't clean the stone rubbing mucky water over it.
Eric
[email protected]
http://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/deflecto.pl
That will take ya to the Deflecto calculator.
The specs for natural stone are very particular it's worth checking.
My bath 12x11 2x8 sixteen on center didn't cut it for my stone.
Just a "heads up" - every time somebody has told me that they want "real slate", I buy 'em a box of real slate and once they see the color variations in natural slate, they change their minds. I think lots of folks see slate-type tile and they assume it's real slate. You might wanna have the HO look at a box (rather than just one sample tile) to be sure before you go too far down that road.
Mike Hennessy
Pittsburgh, PA