How to Cut Slate Flooring
Slate is a stone that is made up of shale, clay and quartz. It comes in many natural colors from gray to red and even green. It is a very dense stone that is water resistant, making it a good choice for interior floors as well as patios and pool areas. Slate has a unique layered-looking texture that isn't found with any other natural stone flooring. This rustic look can fit into many decors. It is no more difficult to cut and install than other floor tiles. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Wet saw or a hand masonry saw
- Measuring tape
- Thick paper
- Pencil
- Scissors or utility knife
- Tile spacers
- Dust mask or respirator
Instructions
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Measure the area you need to fill with a partial slate tile. Use this method when cutting a straight cut on the tile.
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Transfer the measurement to the tile with a pencil from one end of the tile to the other. This will mark your cut line.
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Place the tile in the wet saw tray with the pencil mark lining up with the blade, and turn the saw on. Push the tile through slowly, keeping the blade on the line until it is fully cut. You may also use a masonry saw to cut through the same way, holding the tile flat against a bench and cutting with the saw with your other hand. Wear a mask when dry cutting slate as it creates a lot of stone dust.
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Make a template when you need a tile to go around an object such as a toilet or pedestal sink. Using thick paper the same size as a full tile, lay it down from the spacer of the set tile to the object.
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Cut the paper in strips with scissors or a utility knife from the object toward the last laid tile. Cut the strips until the paper lies down around the object.
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Use a tile spacer between the object and the paper to draw your cut line. You don't want the tile to touch the object you are cutting around.
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Draw your cut line and cut it out. Write "face" or "back" on your template and place it over a tile. Place your template where the tile will go to make sure it fits properly. Mark the cut line on the tile with a pencil.
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Cut the tile in the same fashion as with a straight line cut. It may be necessary to cut portions of the cut-out at a time if the angle is too much for the saw. In this case, cut along the cut line for 2 inches and then cut in from the edge and pull out the section. Repeat until you have the entire piece out.
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Tips & Warnings
Using a wet saw is the preferred method of cutting slate as you do not have to worry about the large amount of stone dust produced when cutting with a dry method.
When cutting slate using a dry method, wear a protective breathing mask and work outdoors, as slate produces a lot of dust and stone particles. You should also wear long sleeves and gloves, as the stone can be sharp.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
