Hi All,

I am about to go and buy the adhesive, sealer and grout for a slate floor, there are too many and is quite confusing, the slate colour is blue grey and 60x40, can you please recommend which product I should be buying, or can I just pop into B&Q and get some of their adhesive and spend the extra on decent grout and sealer.
Which type of trowel should be used, there seem to be loads??

Thanks all in advance.

Originally Posted by Pieman

Hi All,

I am about to go and buy the adhesive, sealer and grout for a slate floor, there are too many and is quite confusing, the slate colour is blue grey and 60x40, can you please recommend which product I should be buying, or can I just pop into B&Q and get some of their adhesive and spend the extra on decent grout and sealer.
Which type of trowel should be used, there seem to be loads??

Thanks all in advance.

Whatever you do, DO NOT go to B&Q. What are the tiles being layed over mate?

They will be layed over concrete.

Thanks.

Are the tiles graded and calibrated?

Use a good grade SPF (modified) and use a large U-notched trowel.
I won't recommend names, I will leave that to these other capable pro's on this forum as they live in your area and can guide you right.

Originally Posted by grumpygrouter

Are the tiles graded and calibrated?

The tiles are uncalibrated, and vary from 10mm to about 7mm.

You need to install them like you would a stone veneer using the large u-notched trowel and using sufficient mud buttered onto the back of the thinner tiles to keep the level right.
On ungauged cleft slate you will most likely be unable to keep all points perfectly level, just find the happy medium and when the job is grouted and dried take a good chisel and hammer and chip the excessive lippage down to level and use a diamond scuff pad to clean up any markings and sharp edges.

Make sure you snap lots of reference lines to keep things straight and once a tile is bedded in place use a margin trowel to stuff extra thinset under the corners and edges where there are voids.

Use an old small sponge and water to clean the face of thinset as you go.

im with alberta make sure your chisel is sharp i would give them 10mm jionts and use a gauge stick