How to Tile a Floor With Slate
Slate tiles have a variety and rustic elegance that's hard to beat. They are also more challenging to install in a level manner, since the tiles themselves are not flat. Slate tiles are frequently sold "ungauged," meaning that the tiles will vary in thickness from piece to piece and within one piece. To install these tiles in a floor that does not contain multiple lips, or tiles that stick up, even out the tiles during installation with mortar. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Tile saw
- White thinset
- Trowel
- Wooden mallet
- Impregnating sealer
- Foam paintbrush
- Lint-free cloth
- Standard gray grout
- Grout float
- Damp sponge
Instructions
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Lay out your slate tiles directly on the floor where you will install them. Take tiles from many boxes at once to ensure a pleasing mix of color. Take note of where the tiles are thinner or thicker and try to match thinner sides of tile to other, thinner tiles to help the installation. If a tile is particularly uneven, set it aside to be used as a cut tile in the edges of your installation. Lay your first tile in the back, center of the wall furthest from the door, and your next tiles outward from there, to ensure an even installation.
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Cut the tiles to fit the edges of the room on a tile saw and return them to the layout to double-check their fit.
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Take up a few tiles at a time and spread a thin layer of thinset over the floor in that area. Rake the thinset with the notches in the trowel to produce ridges that are even in height.
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Back-butter each slate tile by placing four scoops of thinset onto the bottom of each tile. Put more mortar where the tiles are thin, and less where they are thick. Press each tile into the mortar on the floor and then beat the tiles with a wooden mallet until they are even in height. If a tile sinks down too far below the others, pull it up and add more thinset to its back. Allow the thinset to dry for 24 hours.
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Paint the slate with impregnating sealer, using a foam paintbrush, and wipe up any excess sealer with a lint-free cloth.
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Push standard, gray grout between the tiles, using a grout float, and wipe up any excess grout with a damp sponge. Allow the grout to dry for 24 hours before walking on the floor.
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Tips & Warnings
If you wish to enhance the color of your slate tiles, apply an enhancing sealer after they have been grouted. Do not get the sealer on the grout, as this could make the grout appear shiny. The finish of the slate will not affected in any way.
