Slate Tile Advice

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Where to start will depend on the appearance you are looking for. I'd start in the most visible location so that the parts you see most are the parts with the whole tiles rather than partial tiles. However, this probably means starting near the middle which will mean both sides will have partial tiles, requiring more cuts. Another option is to start in a corner so that a row of whole tiles runs along two sides of the hearth (I am assuming it is some sort of rectangle shape). This will mean the largest number of whole tiles and fewest cuts.

When I put slate tile on my porch I tried to match the thickness of adjacent tiles as much as possible, but did not adjust the mortar thickness. The result is numerous joints that aren't quite even but it is not nearly as noticeable as I first thought it would be. Slate will crack if there is any gap below it so I don't think shims are a good idea. Use a nice even layer of mortar and live with the differences in tiles thickness is my advice.
 
Where to start will depend on the appearance you are looking for. I'd start in the most visible location so that the parts you see most are the parts with the whole tiles rather than partial tiles. However, this probably means starting near the middle which will mean both sides will have partial tiles, requiring more cuts. Another option is to start in a corner so that a row of whole tiles runs along two sides of the hearth (I am assuming it is some sort of rectangle shape). This will mean the largest number of whole tiles and fewest cuts.

When I put slate tile on my porch I tried to match the thickness of adjacent tiles as much as possible, but did not adjust the mortar thickness. The result is numerous joints that aren't quite even but it is not nearly as noticeable as I first thought it would be. Slate will crack if there is any gap below it so I don't think shims are a good idea. Use a nice even layer of mortar and live with the differences in tiles thickness is my advice.
Good thinking WD! I laid out my tile dry and built the hearth so it had little cuts for aesthetic and ease of installation. Only cuts were in the far back left and right sides and a little grinding near the stone on the chimney so the tile conformed to the stone in the chimney..

Ray
 
Where to start will depend on the appearance you are looking for. I'd start in the most visible location so that the parts you see most are the parts with the whole tiles rather than partial tiles. However, this probably means starting near the middle which will mean both sides will have partial tiles, requiring more cuts. Another option is to start in a corner so that a row of whole tiles runs along two sides of the hearth (I am assuming it is some sort of rectangle shape). This will mean the largest number of whole tiles and fewest cuts.

When I put slate tile on my porch I tried to match the thickness of adjacent tiles as much as possible, but did not adjust the mortar thickness. The result is numerous joints that aren't quite even but it is not nearly as noticeable as I first thought it would be. Slate will crack if there is any gap below it so I don't think shims are a good idea. Use a nice even layer of mortar and live with the differences in tiles thickness is my advice.
Thanks for the reply WD, that makes sense. I have to get a new diamond blade for the wet saw so I won't get anything done today. Pats are on right now so I'll resume later or tomorrow.

@Ray, your hearth looks great! I absolutely love those slate tiles you used! Mine are not nearly as nice as those.....
 
Thanks for the reply WD, that makes sense. I have to get a new diamond blade for the wet saw so I won't get anything done today. Pats are on right now so I'll resume later or tomorrow.

@Ray, your hearth looks great! I absolutely love those slate tiles you used! Mine are not nearly as nice as those.....
Watching the Pats here too.. That isn't slate but 6x6 porcelain tiles.. Thanx for the compliment!

Ray
 
Watching the Pats here too.. That isn't slate but 6x6 porcelain tiles.. Thanx for the compliment!

Ray
Well if the patriots keep playing like this I'll be heading down cellar shortly to finish my project! :mad:
 
Well if the patriots keep playing like this I'll be heading down cellar shortly to finish my project! :mad:
No chit they are pissing me off... Where is our real team?
 
No chit they are pissing me off... Where is our real team?

Hey the real team showed up, just came a little late is all! :oops:

Well I got everything cut and did a dry fit, I also sealed the slate with two coats. From what I've read you have to seal this stuff before you grout or you'll never get it off. Not sure if I'll get to set them tonight in thinset but that's the game plan.
hearth.jpg
 
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Hey the real team showed up, just came a little late is all! :oops:

Well I got everything cut and did a dry fit, I also sealed the slate with two coats. From what I've read you have to seal this stuff before you grout or you'll never get it off. Not sure if I'll get to set them tonight in thinset but that's the game plan.
View attachment 75569
Wow beautiful tile, looks alot like my tile to look like rusty metal!

Ray
 
That's gonna look great, dylskee! Just put a standard layer of thinset down, and as you set your thinner tiles, butter the back of them with thinset also. use a level to match the height of the thick ones with the thinner ones. Don't sweat it, you'll never notice the difference between them....
 
Wow beautiful tile, looks alot like my tile to look like rusty metal!

Ray
Thanks ray, yeah that's something I didn't like about it when I first saw it but now that they are cleaned up and layed out I like the look!

That's gonna look great, dylskee! Just put a standard layer of thinset down, and as you set your thinner tiles, butter the back of them with thinset also. use a level to match the height of the thick ones with the thinner ones. Don't sweat it, you'll never notice the difference between them....
Thanks for the tip Scotty, that's exactly what I did and it came out pretty good. They're not all level because the tiles were so inconsistent on the bottom but it will do the job. I will grout it Tuesday and seal it one more time then trim it. I have to do some sheetrock work and then the stove is going in, hopefully everything will be done next weekend. Thanks again to all that replied, this is now my favorite website! The first and last site I look at everyday....... :cool:
 
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That's going to look mighty sharp . . . as others have said with the thinset you should be able to get the tiles pretty close in height . . . and if it's an issue of leveling out the stove a dime or penny under a leg should even things out . . . and no one need know that there is coinage balancing everything out.

Oh yeah . . . one more thing . . . YEAH PATS!
 
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That's going to look mighty sharp . . . as others have said with the thinset you should be able to get the tiles pretty close in height . . . and if it's an issue of leveling out the stove a dime or penny under a leg should even things out . . . and no one need know that there is coinage balancing everything out.

Oh yeah . . . one more thing . . . YEAH PATS!

Pats looked like the Pats of 2007, except the corners! We need a whole new secondary and I don't mean burns.... <== Pun intended..... ==c

The hearth came out pretty good considering it was my first time and I learned how to do everything from here and google. I used all the tiles with the same thickness in the area that the legs will sit so I should be all set there I hope, if not I'll use your recommendation! I was going to grout it tonight but they recommend 24~36 hours for the thinset to set up so I'll be patient and do it tomorrow. I'm dying to get my new stove installed! I found a great guy to get my wood from, he's dropping off 3 cord this weekend so that's going to kill me knowing I can't break in my stove. :(
 
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Pats looked like the Pats of 2007, except the corners! We need a whole new secondary and I don't mean burns.... <== Pun intended..... ==c

The hearth came out pretty good considering it was my first time and I learned how to do everything from here and google. I used all the tiles with the same thickness in the area that the legs will sit so I should be all set there I hope, if not I'll use your recommendation! I was going to grout it tonight but they recommend 24~36 hours for the thinset to set up so I'll be patient and do it tomorrow. I'm dying to get my new stove installed! I found a great guy to get my wood from, he's dropping off 3 cord this weekend so that's going to kill me knowing I can't break in my stove. :(
Suspense is killing me.. We need pics! !!! Or it never happened lol..

Ray
 
That's gonna look great, dylskee! Just put a standard layer of thinset down, and as you set your thinner tiles, butter the back of them with thinset also. use a level to match the height of the thick ones with the thinner ones. Don't sweat it, you'll never notice the difference between them....
BTW Scott I just noticed your hearth in your avatar, very nice! Don't think I have seen a big pic of yours.. Did you do it yourself? Like Dylskee I learned online, at hearth.com and at the tile store...

Ray
 
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BTW Scott I just noticed your hearth in your avatar, very nice! Don't think I have seen a big pic of yours.. Did you do it yourself? Like Dylskee I learned online, at hearth.com and at the tile store...

Ray
Thank you, Ray! Yes, I did that hearth myself. The wife and I wanted something different, so we did the scallop shape. I built the hearth big enough to put an Esse Ironheart cookstove on it someday, as this hearth is in my kitchen. This site is great for the DIY'er in all of us! I really love your hearth too, Ray!
 
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Suspense is killing me.. We need pics! !!! Or it never happened lol..

Ray

The progress on the hearth has been slow, I've got a few projects going that I have to get done before the hearth can be laid down. I'm almost done with them so I started trimming the hearth pad out tonight, I'll finish that up tomorrow and get it stained and hopefully get everything buttoned up by next weekend. I might get the stove in place by Monday but I won't be able to get it going yet. :(

But here is a picture in progress........
hearthpad.jpg
 
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The progress on the hearth has been slow, I've got a few projects going that I have to get done before the hearth can be laid down. I'm almost done with them so I started trimming the hearth pad out tonight, I'll finish that up tomorrow and get it stained and hopefully get everything buttoned up by next weekend. I might get the stove in place by Monday but I won't be able to get it going yet. :(

But here is a picture in progress........
View attachment 76152

Looking fantastic, dylskee! Cant wait to see it installed!!
 
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Jack straw has it right. That's what I did & it worked great. Did put a penny under one of my legs tho. Lol
 
Looks great dylskee keep up the good work! You're gonna like that rusty metal look and you'll find the wood ties in nicely as well.. I used red oak and applied a light stain followed by 3 coats of satin water based poly. I prefer oil based poly but the fumes are brutal plus it dries too slow with 3 cats wandering around I'd end up with a furry finish lol..

Ray
 
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