Laying riven slate level

[simonjay]

Laying riven slate, you cannot just rely on following the floor, since the slate are not all the same thickness. So you have to lay the slate to a level. This would be easy with perfectly flat tiles.

But with riven tiles, you could choose to prioritise getting the edges in line and allow peaks in the middle.

Or you could lay a spirit level and say the highest part of any given tile will be on the level, but then the edges might be out.

I suspect the answer is choosing the slate carefully and a compromise.

But any advise about how you level slate, given that a spirit level will often not sit flat across the tiles due to the riven surface ?

Thanks,
Simon.

[Sir Ramic]

Grade your slate, use the thickest tile from the centre of the room and use thinnest around the edges.

[peteablard]

I always grade it and start laying the thickest tiles first, building up the adhesive as the tiles get thinner. Always butter the backs too to achieve a solid bed

[simonjay]

Do you guys use a spirit level or a string to keep things level ?
How do you use a spirit level when the surface of the slate is not smooth ?
Simon.

[Sir Ramic]

You just have to keep the overall floor level. If the odd one or 2 tiles see to "lip" too much then the slate can be "dressed" with the use of a cold chisel and hammer to lessen the "Lip"

[widler]

you cannot get away from lippage on riven slate,like has been said,grade your slate,thick to thin,use the thick 1st down to thin,any badly riven or bent ones,don't use,or use where they are out of eyesite if you must.
as ramic said,any bad ish lipage,dress with a thin chisel,use a wide old joiners chisel,ideal for dressing,just tap along the lip and it will come away

[nybor62]

all good advice above,