Travertine Dream

“Red Blondin”

Rusted for eternity to the cable, the afternoon sun, and some Photoshop trickery, play on this long abandoned blondin at Dinorwic slate quarries.

Photo & words by kind permission of simonrl of www.aditnow.co.uk

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Every now and again, a group will come out with a report or a condemnation of the granite tile and counter top industry with regards to Radon gas release from the products. This happened again recently. This time, however, the reports were funded by a company that sells manufactured/synthetic counter tops.

My collegue Gratian Fernandes has addressed the situation in his Kitchen and Bath blog. His post is worth checking out for a more detailed discussion on the matter. You can see it HERE.

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A recent photo taken at the Chinese factory we contract to produce slate tiles. This is the latest batch of Light Rusty that has been machined and is ready for packaging. This is a popular choice with customers and is often specified as an alternative to the regular Rusty color.

Have you ever used this product? It would be great to hear about your experiences installing this attractive slate. Please post a comment!

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RTC Tile Engravers produce this series of Multi Coloured 6″x6″ Indian slate mountain animal tiles.

Pay them a visit by clicking here.

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So you have tiled the floor and the wall and maybe even the counter tops. But something is missing, right? How do you really finish off that room with some pizzazz? How do you accessorise with stone? Now lets not go mistaking that with the jelly bracelets or plastic hoop earrings of the 1980’s but rather a classic and classy use of stone accessories. In the picture below notice the use of travertine mosaics and some travertine trim pieces. Sharp, no?

The same kinds of stone accouterments are available for exterior work. With granite pavers for example, there are elaborate circle and squaring kits that offer pre-cut designs that will really spruce up that backyard or driveway. Curbs are also available from some suppliers. All of which really help to tie everything together and give your project that finished look.

Finally, for my friends trying to remember jelly bracelets and hoop earrings, you might be interested in this blog about 80’s fashion.

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My colleague, Marc McPherson, has just written a post regarding using tiles as a countertop surface. This is well worth checking out. There are a couple of great links with loads of useful information. Click here to read it.

After you have read Marc’s post, have a look at my previous post regarding slate tile countertops.

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1.) Not preparing the floor adequately - All surfaces should be structurally sound, clean and dry, free of oily and waxy films, and free from any other coatings that could reduce mortar bonding strength.

2.) Using the wrong mortar – Use an appropriate cement based mortar that is suitable for both the substrate and for slate.

3.) Not getting 100% coverage of mortar on the back of the tiles – Any void spots will dramatically weaken the installation – The slate tile will be subject to a bending force (tension on one side and compression on the other) when a load is applied, instead of solely a compressive force. Void spots beneath the tile will cause a hollow sound if the tile is tapped.

4.) Not installing movement joints and/or an anti-fracture membrane – Speak to your contractor about whether these are required for your particular installation.

5.) Poor layout – Installations should be designed so that the minimum of cuts are required. Keep the tiles whole, as much as possible.

6.) Uneven installation – Slate tiles should be installed to ensure that each tile is level with the next to avoid tripping hazards and poor aesthetics.

7.) Sealing the slate prematurely – If the installation is sealed prior to the mortar curing, moisture may become trapped within the slate that can lead to efflorescence. This would require the sealer to be stripped off, the efflorescence removed, and then a sealer re-applied once the installation has fully cured.

8.) Adding more water to the mortar, after it has partially cured in the bucket instead of using only freshly mixed mortar - Using partially cured mortar can result in poor bonding and future failure of the installation.

9.) Not installing a water-proofing membrane when required - Speak to your contractor about whether this is needed for your installation.

10.) This is my favorite – Installing slate tile upside-down! I noticed a couple of tiles in a store in Vancouver last weekend very noticeably installed the wrong way up. A machine groove on the tile indicates ‘this side down’!

This is just a quick list (in no particular order) that I compiled. What have I forgotten? Do you have any slate installation errors to add? Please post a comment with problems that you have experienced or heard about.

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The passage of time and rot, work together to consume this abandoned slate wagon.

Photo & words by kind permission of simonrl of www.aditnow.co.uk

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Mining has given rise to potentially hundreds of terms for processes, techniques and equipment. Many of these terms vary by region or were specific to the type of mine.

Click here for a comprehensive dictionary of mining terms from AditNow.

Link and words by kind permission of simonrl of www.aditnow.co.uk

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Men Working in Slate Quarry, oil on canvas, Martha Levy, 1939, created by the Federal Art Project, Works Progress Administration and lent by the Fine Arts Collection of the U.S. General Services Administration.

For more information on this painting, please visit the Slate Valley Museum’s website (based in Granville, NY) by clicking here.

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