Slate tiles for outdoors use

[jim28270]

I have been asked to clad a concrete path about 8m^2 between a house and garage in what I think are Chinese slate tiles. I have not used slate outdoors before and have some questions for which I have not found answers elsewhere:

1. Are Chinese slate tiles suitable for use outdoors? They seem quite hard (although there is some surface flaking), and are 300x300mm and 12mm thick. The lower surface has been ground flat with spaced apart ridges. The tiles have already been purchased but I would like to warn of potential problems before I start.

2. What would be a suitable adhesive? The path could have rising damp and is exposed to the weather (although sheltered to some degree by buildings). One end of the path is slightly unlevel buth this is by no more than 10mm and is localised.

3. I had planned to seal the tiles with something after laying them, e.g. Lithofin Slate Seal, to try to reduce any flaking of the surface. Is this a good idea? Or should the tiles be left unsealed to allow them to "breathe".

Thanks in advance for any replies.

[wetdec]

Chinese coloured is quite soft African is slightly better, the darker the colour in both cases the harder the slate.

Slate will delaminate with frost


Use any good adhesive and grout dont use cement.



NOTE !!!!


Do Not Use Lithofin Slate Seal outside !!!!!!!!


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