In this day and age when more and more people are trying to increase the “usable space” of their homes, many are turning to their yards and patios as logical extensions. The thing is, do you really want to go from your beautiful indoors to a concrete slab outdoors? Probably not. Check out this article on stone (travertine) pavers as an extension of your living space. HERE
Archive for June, 2008...
Filed under General
Comments (0) Posted by Marc on Monday, June 30th, 2008
Filed under Slate Installation, Slate sealing and cleaning
Epoxy Grout Film Remover from Miracle Sealants Company is designed to remove epoxy grout from slate (it also works on other natural stone, ceramic tile, porcelain tile and concrete).
Epoxy Grout Film Remover is a non-acid cleaner that is fast-acting, easy to use, has a low odor and is biodegradable.
Coverage: 50 - 150 square feet per gallon (4 - 14 square meters per 3.785 liters). For more information, please download the product data sheet here and for a list of distributors, click here.
Comments (0) Posted by Peter Phillips on Monday, June 30th, 2008
Filed under Slate geology, Slate mining history, Slate photo of the week, Slate quarrying methodologies
Diffwys slate mine in Wales. Photo by kind permission of simonrl of www.aditnow.co.uk
Comments (0) Posted by Peter Phillips on Friday, June 27th, 2008
Filed under Slate mining history, Slate processing techniques
Photo by kind permission of Dave Sallery. For more information from his tremendous website, please click here.
Comments (0) Posted by Peter Phillips on Thursday, June 26th, 2008
Filed under Slate geology, Slate mining history, Slate quarrying methodologies
Honister is a unique award winning experience and England’s last remaining working slate mine.
Located at the head of the Honister Pass in the centre of the Lake District, this mine produces the world famous Westmorland Green slate – a beautiful, functional material that has been extracted here for centuries. This slate is 400 million years old!
Within the visitor centre, you’ll find a wealth of activities, attractions and information. Guided underground tours can also be arranged. They have live displays of traditional slate processing skills which provide a fascinating insight into the region’s industrial heritage.
Honister is owned by a local family and is a supporter of the Lake District community, economy and the environment. To visit their website, click on the image below:
Comments (0) Posted by Peter Phillips on Wednesday, June 25th, 2008
Filed under Slate sealing and cleaning
“How stone is created is important to understand, because the composition affects its density, absorption rate, hardness and its appearance. Ultimately, these characteristics determine how natural stone should be maintained to keep its beauty for life. Every region of our world is different and therefore contains unique mineral deposits.”
Custom Building Products has produced a very interesting PDF brochure on stone care. Click on the link to download it: stonesealerbrochure
Comments (0) Posted by Peter Phillips on Tuesday, June 24th, 2008
Filed under Slate Installation
“The following procedure for the installation of interior gauged natural slate flooring may be used over any wood or cement floor that is structurally sound and dry. In new home construction where plywood is used as a sub floor, it is suggested that sheets of 1/2″ or 5/8″ plywood be laid to insure rigidity where slate floors will be installed.”
To read the full article from Camara Slate Products, please click here.
Comments (0) Posted by Peter Phillips on Monday, June 23rd, 2008
Filed under General Slate Tile
Old slate workings continue to dominate the small town of Blaenau Ffestiniog in Wales.
Words and photo by kind permission of Dave Sallery. For more information from his tremendous website, please click here.
Comments (0) Posted by Peter Phillips on Friday, June 20th, 2008
Filed under Slate Installation
MK Diamond Products, Inc. produces some impressive stone and tile saws with a host of features. Click here for more information on this model.
Comments (0) Posted by Peter Phillips on Thursday, June 19th, 2008
Filed under General
I got this question in my email last week from a customer wanting to add a little character to the floor they were about to install. Can I use 12×12 tiles and 18×18 tiles in the same area to create a pattern effect or as a border?
The quick and dirty answer is yes, it can be done. But there are caveats. On most stones, the thickness of the tiles differs from 12×12 to 18×18. For example the standard travertine 12×12 is 3/8″ thick, while the 18×18 is 1/2″ thick. Obviously that is going to create some issues during install. You also want to keep a look out for the edges. Some tiles may have bevels while others may be straight and still others might be chiseled. To mix one type of edge with another probably won’t look right and might create rough edges.
See some pictures below for edges.
Beveled Edge
Chiseled Edge
Straight Edge
Comments (0) Posted by Marc on Wednesday, June 18th, 2008
